L.A. Auto Show: Hyundai Tucson North American debut

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Take a box. Any box (but usually one with a kinda cheap-looking interior). Lower it. Lengthen it. Redraw harsh lines into sweeping curves. Fix the interior, add an economical four-cylinder engine and poooof: You get a modern-day crossover.
Hyundai’s Scott Magnusson says the 2010 Tucson’s main challenge was “meeting consumers’ rising expectations.’ He says Hyundai replaced the original “boxy shape” with “poetic sculpture.... Every detail contributes to a sense of motion.”
Fixing every detail is about right, too, as it takes a lot to stand out in the extremely crowded crossover sector. Upgrades for 2010 include a whole new monocoque shell that boasts wraparound headlights and taillights, a shorter front end, a deeper and more muscular grille, higher beltline, smaller windows and a longer and lower frame.
Hyundai marketers term the styling “ix-onic” and says it incorporates “fluid sculpture” exterior styling. It’s also the philosophy behind the Sonata unveiled here Wednesday. You can judge the Tucson’s new shape for yourself on countless billboards around the L.A. area right now (it’s a little different from the one unveiled in Korea earlier this year).
The upscale model’s interior is swathed in leather and comes with traffic-enabled sat nav, satellite radio and an eco-gauge that seems to be the hip thing right now. I’ve yet to be particularly impressed with the standard trim on a Hyundai SUV/crossover – its luxurious Genesis stablemate is a different biscuit -- so we’ll see how that goes. I do wonder about the blind spots, as the reworked C-pillar leaves the rear three-quarter window practically nonexistent.
Gas at 22 city and 31 highway is better – but not significantly – than its competition, which includes about 100 vehicles (I’m kidding, but it is getting rather crowded in there). The Tucson delivers about a 20% fuel saving on the previous model: The stiffer and lighter shell combined with electric power steering means a 60-pound weight saving over its predecessor.
Dispensing with the V6 for fuel-economy reasons, Hyundai engineers chose the Theta II 2.4-liter 176-horsepower engine, which is twinned with a proprietary six-speed automatic box.
-- Craig Howie