Hyundai iX35 2.0 CRDi Premium review
Hyundai ix35 2.0 CRDi 136 Premium 4WD Road Test
Test date 10 March 2010
Price as tested £22,945
For Sharp looks, classy, high-spec interior, outstanding value for money
Against Firm low-speed ride, engine noise when cold, restricted visibility
Hyundai no longer needs to prove that it can match European standards. It has been doing that since it launched the i30 in 2007. But with the new ix35, Hyundai not only claims that it is offering quality for a low price, but it would also have us believe that the ix35 offers SUV looks and ability, compact MPV practicality and small hatchback levels of affordability. If you believe its maker, this is not simply a compact SUV but a crossover vehicle.
From its launch, the ix35 is available with a 2.0-litre petrol or 2.0-litre diesel engine, two or four-wheel drive and just two trim levels. A new 1.7-litre turbodiesel and 1.6-litre petrol engine will join the range later in the year, along with start-stop technology.
Prices start at just £16,495 for the base two-wheel-drive petrol model and stretch to £20,745 for the top-spec 2.0 CRDi 4WD model tested here, so there’s no denying that the ix35 is priced competitively. But can the ix35 really compete in the various classes that it is supposedly targeting, or even fulfil its primary function as an affordable soft-roader? That is what we’re here to find out.
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