Useful utility, plentiful features

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.