Hyundai ix35 SUV Review

Design and Engineering

Design and Engineering

 Good

Styled in Hyundai’s German design studio, the ix35 is the first Hyundai to feature the brands ‘Fluidic Sculpture’ theme (we’d go so far as saying it’s one of the ‘coolest’ looking Compact SUV’s on the market). From the large hexagonal grille up-front, which immediately gives the Hyundai a presence when you spot one in your rear-view mirror, to the rear hatch which features what could be called a 'mini duck tail' (Porsche 911 fans will understand this term), the ix35’s design gets the Car Verdict Thumbs Up.
Not so good

Considering the size of the vehicles 'footprint' the ix35 is no lightweight design - tipping the scales between 1.6 & 1.8 tonnes (compare this to a medium family-sized wagon and you’ll see that on average all SUV’s are definitely heavier creatures). The front grille is body coloured on the entry-level 'Active', and we think it doesn’t look as clean as the grey plastic on the mid and upper-grades.
Interior and Styling

Interior and Styling

 Good

The steering wheel is a funky four-spoke design and the driver’s seat features six-way power adjustment - even on the entry-level Active! The seat position is relatively high, providing good frontal visibility. The rear seats offer sufficient head room and feature a fold-down centre armrest with decent sized cupholders. Cabin storage space is great for a family car and the rear seats fold flat to increase cargo space from almost 600L to over 1,400L! The panoramic glass roof, standard on the Highlander grade, creates a lovely lightened feel to the interior.
Not so good

The dash features more hard plastics than we'd like. The steering wheel adjusts for tilt (up & down) but not reach (in & out). Rear legroom is adequate rather than generous, and the rising lower window-line means little kids in the second row may struggle to get a good view of the outside world...
Performance

Performance

 Good

Entry-level Active's 2.0L Petrol engine produces a respectable 122kW of power (& 197Nm of torque) and whilst noisy under hard acceleration it is by no means forgotten - it's the sole front-wheel drive variant and subsequently lighter than the AWD ix35’s. The mid-spec 2.4L Petrol benefits from significantly more torque (227Nm); however by far the most impressive engine is the smooth-sounding 2.0L Turbo Diesel which generates a whopping 135kW of power and 392Nm of torque.
Not so good

In real-world driving the 2.4L Petrol engine doesn’t feel any quicker than the entry-level 2.0L; however it does sound less noisy.
Ride and Handling

Ride and Handling

 Good

The ix35 is one of the flatter-riding Compact SUV’s on the market and is not afraid of being flicked through the corners (relatively speaking of course). Considering the Highlander grade rides on larger 18-inch alloy wheels it is impressive that this grade’s ride is as comfortable, if not more, than the mid-spec Elite model.
Not so good

The steering is on the light side, but considering this isn’t a sports car, it’s hardly worth mentioning. Under hard acceleration the Turbo Diesel grades can suffer from torque steer through the steering wheel (no surprise considering how much pulling power this engine has). The impressive handling (for a high-riding SUV anyway) does come at the expense of ride quality; whilst fine over smooth surfaces the ride is a touch on the firm side over rougher surfaces...
Buying and Owning

Buying and Owning

 Good

All ix35’s are great value for money - electric powered driver’s seat comes standard! The automatic is a quality six-speed box - a significant improvement over a number of competitors' four-speed gearboxes. The ix35 comes with impressive safety features as standard: six airbags, ABS brakes, Electronic Brake Distribution, traction & stability control, Downhill Brake Control and Hill Start Assist Control.
Not so good

The two Petrol powered ix35’s offer only on-par fuel economy. The Turbo Diesel’s economy is towards the most frugal for a Compact SUV - BUT - it's slightly surprising that the official combined fuel economy figure is the same as Hyundai’s larger & heavier seven-seat Diesel powered Santa Fe (we thought it would be lower?)