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By John Rettie
Smart alternative to the big brand names.
Introduction
For tip-toeing over a narrow, rocky trail to your favorite fishing hole, a small and nimble vehicle may offer real virtues. And for the even more common SUV duties of urban commuting and suburban child-rearing, something small, affordable, and easy on gas is more sensible than a behemoth.
The Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V pioneered the compact SUV market, which Ford soon came to dominate with its Escape. Hyundai staked a claim in this territory a few years ago with the slightly larger Santa Fe; then added the Tucson for 2005 to take on the RAV4 and CR-V more directly.
The 2006 Hyundai Tucson features some minor appearance revisions and a new flagship Limited model.
The Tucson is a good choice among compact SUVs. It's not the best of them, but it's comparable to the other vehicles in this class, including those from the big brand names. We hope that answers your first question about the Tucson. To answer your second question, Hyundai quality has been quite good in recent years. In fact, Hyundai is so confident of this that it offers the longest bumper-to-bumper warranty in the business, five years or 60,000 miles. J.D. Power and Associates, which surveys owners on product quality, rated Tucson as the highest-quality all-new model for 2005. That does not mean the Tucson is the best quality vehicle available in dealer showrooms today, but it is an indication that Tucson buyers haven't had many problems with their new vehicles.
Safety features on the Tucson include electronic stability control, four-wheel antilock disc brakes (ABS), electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), and traction control. That's impressive list of active safety features. Add to that six airbags, including side-impact airbags for torso protection and side curtain airbags designed to provide head protection for passengers in both rows. Tucson has earned a five-star safety rating from the U.S. government in front and side impacts. Tucson is the lowest-cost vehicle you can buy with this level of safety features.
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