SecondHandSense:THE PEOPLE who design and manufacture products discovered long ago that we often buy what we think we need as distinct from what we really need.
This is why we have cars like the Toyota Rav 4, the Honda CRV and the Hyundai Tucson. Despite their looks, they are not four-wheel-drives in the true meaning of the term, but make a statement for those whose free time is spent carrying surf boards rather than hauling a horse-box.
The Tucson is the least attractive choice, but also the cheapest, removing the financial barrier that exists to entry to certain niche areas of the car market. Both the Rav and the CRV have a certain edge in the styling department; the Tucson is bland by comparison.
But it is a pleasant drive, and a practical one. When you sit into it you quickly realise that it is based on other Hyundai underpinnings. Most of the time it is two-wheel-drive, but slips automatically into four-wheel if its sensors tell it that it is losing grip. Apart from its exterior styling, what lets the Tucson down most is the cheap interior finish.
Cabin room is spacious and there is generous head- and leg-room. You also have that slightly elevated sensation when driving because of the design.
There are a few petrol models around, but the 2.0-litre diesel model is the most popular by far. It has an output of 111bhp, so there is a good balance of pulling power and performance.Because of quite low ground clearance and an absence of low ratio gears this is not a car designed for real off-road work. There have been no major European recalls for the Tucson, although there have been some problems with airbags on cars sold in the US. It has a four-star Euro NCAP crash test rating.
A 2005 diesel model with only 14,000km on the clock and with air conditioning, multiple airbags, all electrics and fog lights is on offer for €24,950. A similar 2006 model with 59,000km up has an asking price of €26,500.