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Equipment
Additional standard equipment on the GL includes handsome 16-inch alloy wheels; air conditioning; power windows, mirrors and door locks with remote keyless entry; heated outside mirrors; a CD player with six speakers; privacy glass; a rear wiper; and floor mats. Pricing for the Tucson GL is $17,499 plus a $595 destination charge. Powering the 2005 Hyundai Tucson GL is a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine equipped with variable valve timing. It generates 140 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 136 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,500 rpm, with a five-speed manual transmission delivering motive force to the front wheels. Fuel economy is rated 22-mpg in the city and 27-mpg on the highway, dropping to 21/26 for four-wheel-drive models.
Options for the Tucson GL are an $800 four-speed automatic transmission and a $1,500 Borg-Warner Electronic InterActive Torque Management 4WD system that adds 185 pounds to the GL’s 3,240-pound base curb weight. When equipped with 4WD, the front wheels receive 99 percent of the engine’s output under normal driving conditions. Wheel slippage causes power to be automatically diverted to the rear wheels, and a button on the dashboard allows the driver to manually lock the driveline into a 50/50 continuous power split. There is no low range gearing for serious rock hopping, making the Tucson adept only at covering well-worn trails without serious hills or battling heavy snowfall in urban areas. Sensibly, 4WD is only available with the manual transmission when paired to the four-cylinder engine, making the most expensive Tucson GL a $19,600 proposition.
Trims
Hyundai expects the Tucson GLS to be the most popular model, with a standard 2.7-liter V6 engine making 173 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 178 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm. It’s mated to a four-speed automatic that drives the front or all four wheels, getting fuel economy of 20-mpg city and 26-mpg highway in standard guise or 19/24 with 4WD. Sadly, because it would be nice to save several hundred dollars, a manual transmission is not available on the GLS.
What is available on the Tucson GLS is a unique set of alloy wheels wrapped with 245/60R16 B.F. Goodrich Traction T/A tires; gray side cladding and bumpers; body-colored door handles and outside mirrors; a chrome rear tailgate garnish; fog lights; a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob; metallic interior trim; door courtesy lights; an illuminated ignition surround; a luggage net; and a heated wiper rest for $19,999 plus the destination charge. Factory options include the 4WD system and a package that includes a power sunroof and an upgraded audio system with a six-disc in-dash CD changer and a subwoofer.
At the top of the lineup is the Tucson LX, which is just like the GLS but adds perforated leather upholstery, heated front seats, and an in-dash CD changer with a subwoofer. For the LX, 4WD and a power sunroof package are the only factory options. Pricing for the LX is $21,249 plus destination. A loaded 2005 Hyundai Tucson LX costs about $23,500.
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About Christian Wardlaw
Christian Wardlaw joined Autobytel's Automotive Information Center (AIC) in January 2003, and current serves as Manager of Content Development for Autobytel. Previously, Christian spent eight years as Editor-in-Chief and Director of Automotive Data for Edmunds.com. A writer, editor, and automobile aficionado, Christian is a different sort of car enthusiast. His passion lies in the vehicles that people most often buy, rather than with high-performance sports cars or ultra-luxury sedans. “Given the choice to spend an hour with a Dodge Viper or a Honda Accord, I’ll choose the Accord,” he claims. Unless, of course, the driving venue is a racetrack. Christian has been a car enthusiast all of his life, uttering “car” as his first word while growing up in Detroit. A graduate of Western Michigan University, he holds a bachelor’s degree in English. His daily drivers include a 1994 Mazda Miata, a 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata, and a 2005 Nissan Murano.
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