Automobile Blog

All new Hyundai Tiburon 2008

The Hyundai Tiburon is a compact coupe produced by Hyundai since 1996. The name itself means shark in Spanish. Tiburon is the name given to the current North American, Australian, New Zealand, South African, and Austrian production of the vehicle, though it is called the Hyundai Coupe in world markets.

It has also been known by the moniker Turbulence and Tuscani in the South Korean market. Enthusiasts sometimes refer to it using the nickname ‘Tib’ or ‘Tibby’ in the markets in which it is called the Tiburon.

The Tiburon’s four-passenger cockpit had a trendy vibe when it appeared several years ago. Successive tweaks have had mixed results. The fog and hazard light controls now have flush finishes that would impress a Lexus driver, the dashboard has soft-touch materials and the blue and white gauges look sharp at night.

Then there are the clinkers: Last year’s standard stereo has been swapped for an aftermarket Kenwood unit that looks and sounds like it was installed at a local electronics shop, and both the GT Limited and SE trims have some garish-looking red leather upholstery. Amenities like steering-wheel audio controls and an auxiliary jack for MP3 players are conspicuously missing.

2008 Hyundai Tiburon is unchanged. Hyundai’s sporty hatchback coupe comes in GS, GT, SE, and GT Limited models. The GS has a 138-hp 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine; others have a 172-hp 2.7-liter V6. All but SE offer 5-speed manual or optional 4-speed automatic transmissions. The SE comes only with a 6-speed manual. Available safety features include ABS, traction control, an antiskid system, and front side airbags. Leather upholstery is standard on GT Limited.

Among performance buffs the top-of-the-line Tiburon SE is bound to earn a few raised eyebrows, if not a few sales. Pricing not yet announced but should start under $17,500 for the four-cylinder and $20,000 for the V6. EPA fuel economy estimates 19-23 MPG city, 27-31 highway. The 2008 Hyundai Tiburon is protected by the Hyundai Advantage, America’s Best Warranty.