STORAGE GALORE
The 2010 Tucson features a total of 19 different storage places and drink holders:
* Console storage tray
* Glove box
* Overhead sunglass storage
* Armrest storage compartment
* Two front seat drink holders
* Two rear center armrest drink holders
* Four bottle holders one in each door
* Four map pockets one in each door
* Two seatback pockets
* Cargo area storage tray
Not only does the Tucson feature all these storage options, but Hyundai engineers have improved them over the previous model. The center console has been enlarged to 370 cubic inches (an increase of 205 cubic inches). The height of the rear cargo screen has been raised by almost three inches for more storage, plus a tray has been added to keep things organized. The cargo area also features a dual-sided cargo floor with tough plastic on one side for messy items and carpet on the other. The bottle holders even have grips to make sure the bottle doesnt tip over.
ADVANCED STANDARD SAFETY TECHNOLOGIES: PART OF HYUNDAIS ASSURANCE COMMITMENT
The 2005 Tucson was the first Hyundai model to feature standard ESC (Electronic Stability Control) upon its launch in fall 2004. It was also the first vehicle under $20,000 with standard ESC and six airbags. The Tucson started Hyundais approach to combining state-of-the-art safety and affordability and this approach lives on in the 2010 Tucson. The Tucson is loaded with life-saving standard safety features including ESC with traction control, six airbags and active front head restraints. Its braking system features four-wheel disc brakes controlled by an advanced four-channel ABS with Brake Assist, providing maximum braking force when a panic stop is detected, and Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) to optimize brake performance with uneven weight distribution.
ESC compares the drivers intended course with the vehicles actual response. If needed, ESC then brakes individual front or rear wheels and/or reduces engine power to help correct understeer or oversteer. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) studies show SUVs equipped with ESC experience 67 percent fewer single-vehicle crashes, and 63 percent fewer single-vehicle fatalities. In addition, a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that ESC reduces the risk of all fatal collisions by 52 percent and the risk of fatal single-vehicle rollovers of SUVs by 80 percent.
The Tucson is engineered to provide its passengers with multiple defensive safety layers. The steel unibody has integrated crumple zones and a high-tensile front sub-frame designed to work together to reduce the forces that typically reach the passenger compartment. Particular attention has been paid to increasing the stiffness of the front side members which have been enlarged and straightened. Also, the center pillars serve as the anchors of a new ring structure which improves overall side structure stiffness while also creating more room for the door armrest and seat. All four doors also have internal guard beams to protect passengers in a side-impact collision.
The entire body shell has been made stiffer and lighter thanks to its extensive use of ultra-high tensile strength steel, which comprises 68.9 percent of the shell compared to its predecessor’s 57.3 percent. Also, the use of Tailor Welded Blanks (TWB) has been expanded on key structural members. TWB assemblies combine steels of different thickness and grades using a sophisticated laser welding and stamping process to achieve an optimal stiffness-to-weight ratio. TWBs reduce body weight while enhancing crash energy management. These safety systems are expected to earn the 2010 Tucson NHTSAs top five-star crash test rating for front and side impacts.
Tucsons standard front-seat active head restraints help prevent whiplash by automatically reducing the space between a front occupants head and the head restraint during certain rear collisions and are highly recommended by safety organizations such as the IIHS.
The Tucsons passenger restraint systems also help minimize injury. Three-point belts are provided at all five seating positions, and the front seatbelts have pretensioners and load limiters. There are two outboard rear Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) child-seat anchors.
Elongated flush-mounted headlamps not only add a strong sense of style but also feature projector beam lenses for improved night-time driving safety. Side mirror housings have been modified to reduce wind noise and also feature an integrated repeater lamp for improved visibility on the Limited trim.
A total of six airbags are positioned in the Tucsons interior. Dual advanced frontal airbags are complemented by front seat-mounted side-impact airbags and roof-mounted side-curtain airbags with new rollover sensors that cover both the front and rear seat rows. The combination of side and curtain airbags, which help protect the head and body during side impacts, can reduce fatalities by more than 45 percent, according to the IIHS.
Tucson also features a standard Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) which alerts drivers if one or more tires are under inflated.
WARRANTY
The 2010 Hyundai Tucson is protected by the Hyundai Advantage, America’s Best Warranty. Coverage includes five-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper protection, 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty, and seven-year/unlimited mileage anti-perforation coverage. In addition, Tucson buyers receive 24-hour roadside assistance coverage at no extra charge for five years (no mileage limit) and that service includes emergency towing, lockout service and limited coverage for trip-interruption expenses. There is no deductible on any of these coverages.
QUIET CABIN
Extensive work was done to isolate sounds and eliminate vibrations. The all-new 2010 Tucson is discernibly quieter both at highway speeds and at idle than its predecessor. Booming noise is reduced thanks to a sub-frame dynamic damper while the rear luggage area gets extra soundproofing to isolate exhaust sounds. Road noise has been minimized by improving stiffness in the front and rear struts, rear trailing arm and the spring sheet.
ENGINEERING MANUFACTURING
The Tucson is built in the Ulsan plant in South Korea. Known by the project name LM, the Tucson took 36 months and $225 million to develop. Tucson has been one of the most popular Hyundai models with more than one million units sold worldwide since its launch in 2004.
COLORS
The 2010 Tucson is offered in nine colors with an optimum mix between lighter and darker colors to satisfy regional preferences. The colors are Cotton White, Diamond Silver, Graphite Gray, Ash Black, Garnet Red, Iris Blue, Aurora Blue, Chai Bronze and Kiwi Green. Three interior colors Black, Taupe and Saddle will be available.
AVAILABILITY
Mass production of the Tucson started at the Ulsan factory for the United States market in October 2009 with sales starting in December 2009.
SMALL CUV LANDSCAPE
Thanks to their all-around functionality and value, small crossover utility vehicle (CUV) sales are projected to grow at a rate far above the industry average through 2014. These CUVs are among the fastest growing segments on the market today due to their convenient size, car-like refinement and good fuel economy relative to larger SUVs. Fueling this growth are seven all-new model introductions through 2014. The Tucson with a host of unique and attractive features positions Hyundai front and center in this booming segment.
HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA
Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 790 dealerships nationwide.