Hyundai built a sports coupe known as the Hyundai Tiburon (Hyeondae Tibyuron in Korean), also known as the Hyundai Coupe (Hyeondae Kupe) in Europe, from 1996 until 2008.
The name “Tiburon” was given to the car’s manufacturing in North America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Austria. “Tiburon” is a tiny modification of the Spanish word “tiburon,” which means “shark.” In several European regions and Indonesia, it was referred to as the Hyundai Coupe. In the domestic South Korean market, it had been marketed as the Tuscani (tuseukani) and Turbulence (teobyulreonseu).
Over the course of the model’s existence, it was issued in two generations (RC), and during that time, these generations had sporadic facelifts. These facelifts have made an effort to keep the automobile current with a variety of safety enhancements and adjustments to both the exterior and interior appearance. From 1996 to 2001, the RD Tiburon was in production for 5 years. The Hyundai Veloster succeeded the GK Tiburon after it reached the end of manufacture in 2008 (as a 2003 model).
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Overview of the Hyundai Tiburon
In the Gulf of California, off the coast of Sonora, Mexico, is the island of Tiburon. The moniker Hyundai chose for their second try at a sport coupe model in the 1990s is a Spanish term meaning shark.
Throughout the Hyundai Tiburon’s 11 model-year, two-generation lifespan, it was offered as a three-door hatchback. The second-generation Tiburon was sold from 2003 to 2008. The first-generation vehicle was available from 1997 to 2001. There was no 2002 model made.
Here Are The Things You Should Know Before Purchasing A Hyundai Tiburon
We have all the details you require if you want to buy a Hyundai Tiburon.
Asian automakers had established themselves as a major player in the sports car markets by the late 1990s and early 2000s. Sports cars from Japanese manufacturers were starting to flood the market, and they would control it for the most of the 1990s. Hyundai released a sporty coupe across the Sea of Japan in an effort to keep up with its Japanese rivals and keep the Korean automaker competitive.
In several global markets, the automobile went by several different names. It was referred to as the Hyundai coupe in Europe and the Tuscani in Asia. Its name in North America was the Tiburon, which is Spanish for “shark.” Hyundai made an effort to make the front of the Tiburon resemble a shark, and altogether, the vehicle was just as fashionable as its rivals. Despite being a good sports car for its time, the 12-year-old Tiburon never achieved the same level of iconic status as its rivals. The Tiburon went through two generations of production until being superseded by the Veloster in 2009.
If you’re considering to buy a Tiburon, we’ve got all the details you need to know below to help you decide whether you should and which generation of the vehicle you should buy.
Tiburon / Hyundai Coupe
The Coupe model served as Hyundai’s entry into the sport-coupe market (also called the Tiburon). Hyundai supplied a fantastic guarantee and amazing features for less money than the market rivals, which was already a habit for them.
The 2007 model had a completely new front and back end, with new headlights, taillights, and exhaust pipes.
Model Years & History of Every New and Used Tiburon
The 2005 Hyundai Tiburon is a two-door, four-passenger sports car that stands out stylistically from the rest of the Hyundai lineup and can be had with a 172 horsepower V6 for furious driving.
The 2004 Hyundai Tiburon is a two-door sports coupe that comes in a base trim with a four-cylinder engine and a GT variant with a V6 engine.
The 2003 Hyundai Tiburon, a two-door sports vehicle with four passenger seating and a choice of an engine with 134 or 170 horsepower, has undergone a complete redesign for the new year.
2019 will see the introduction of brand-new and completely remodeled automobiles, trucks, and SUVs at a dealer near you. To get a more detailed look at what to expect, preview individual new models. You can also browse the photographs to discover what each automaker will be updating.
For the 1997 model year, the Hyundai Tiburon was released as a more reasonably priced sport coupe, taking the place of the two-door coupe. The Hyundai Tiburon had a sleek, sharply curved body and got its name from the Spanish word for shark. It has been widely reported that Hyundai sought assistance from German sports car manufacturer Porsche in building the Tiburons suspension. The 1998 model rolled on tires fitted to 14-inch wheels. Neither automaker has officially verified this rumor, but neither has officially refuted it either. All 1998 Hyundai Tiburons have a 140-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, completely replacing the basic model sport coupe’s 1997 1.8-liter engine.
The 1998 Tiburon’s engine may be paired with either a four-speed automatic transmission or a five-speed manual transmission. The Tiburon’s motor was fuel-efficient and offered nimble small car performance. The Hyundai Tiburon was totally revamped for the 2003 model year, with a more aggressive exterior and a longer wheelbase. The 2003 Tiburon gained a 2.7-liter optional engine in addition to the four-cylinder base engine, with the GT model making 170 horsepower. A four-cylinder Hyundai Tiburon GS with continuously variable valve timing was available for 2005. A six-speaker radio system and 16-inch wheels with Michelin tires are included as standard equipment on the 2005 Tiburon GS.
Hyundai Tiburons with a six-cylinder engine now have 172 horsepower, a slight increase over 2004. The front and back of the Hyundai Tiburon sport coupe were altered in 2007, and an audio system with standard MP2 support was installed inside. The Hyundai Tiburon gained a solid reputation in amateur and semi-professional racing competitions over its entire production run. Throughout the SCCA ProRally competition in the late 1990s, Hyundai won many manufacturer titles with the aid of the Tiburon.
After the Hyundai Tiburon, what happened?
One of this South Korean automaker’s first ventures into the sport coupe market was the Hyundai Tiburon. It was manufactured from 1997 to 2008, taking the place of the older Scoupe before the Hyundai Veloster and then the Genesis Coupe replaced it.
The tuner crowd, or people who prefer to modify their cars with aftermarket parts and engine swaps, favors the Hyundai Tiburon. If you’re looking for a reasonably priced, front-wheel-drive automobile, the Tiburon can potentially be a great used car deal.
What distinguishes the Hyundai Coupe from the Tiburon?
Hyundai, a South Korean automaker, introduced and produced the Tiburon from 1996 and 2008. Tiburon is a Spanish word for “Shark.” In several European regions, Hyundai Tuscani is the rebranded version of the Hyundai Tiburon, also known as the Hyundai Coupe.
Hyundai ceased production of the Tiburon when?
The current Hyundai coupe, the Tiburon, will be discontinued in favor of the brand-new Hyundai Genesis coupe, which will go on sale in 2009 as a 2010 model. Since there isn’t enough room in the lineup for two coupes, this isn’t exactly a surprise. According to Automotive News, the Tiburon’s final model year will be 2008, and manufacture will end once the Genesis goes on sale in the spring of 2009.
Executives from the firm aren’t referring to the Genesis coupe as a Tiburon successor, though. A smaller two-door coupe with front-wheel drive might be offered alongside the larger Genesis coupe with rear-wheel drive.
The Tiburon has served its purpose, so we can’t say that we’ll miss it. Its sales decreased by 28.7% in the first quarter of 2008.
How do you feel? Should Hyundai build a compact coupe similar to the Veloster concept car that we saw in Los Angeles last year? The one the corporation is alluding to is that one. Or should it continue to only offer the Genesis coupe as its sporty vehicle?
Is driving a Hyundai Tiburon enjoyable?
The Tiburon is enjoyable to drive, with sharp handling, precise steering, and energetic acceleration, despite being based on the unimpressive Elantra sedan.
However, the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is unrefined and the shifting is a little clumsy.
The rear seat is cramped and there is little headroom, as is common for a sports coupe.
For a sports coupe, the steering lacks involvement and the car seems nose-heavy.
When the Scoupe was discontinued by Hyundai two years prior, a hole in its lineup was filled with the 1997 introduction of the Tiburon.
The Tiburon is entertaining to drive, with sharp handling, sensitive steering, and energetic acceleration, despite being based on the unimpressive Elantra sedan.
The rear seat is cramped, as is common for a compact sporty coupe, and the ride can be loud.
The Tiburon received updated external style and a few new inside features for 2000.
A Hyundai Tiburon has four engines, right?
Auto Overview With the introduction of the first-generation Tiburon, Hyundai expanded its lineup of affordably priced sedans and entered the sport-coupe market. For the 2000 model year, a “harder-edge” style was developed.
A brand-new Tiburon made a comeback as an early 2003 model after skipping the 2002 model year. The Tiburon has had very minor changes this year. Continuously variable valve timing is added to the four-cylinder engine, while the V-6 gains 2 horsepower. The option packages have been streamlined, and the inside trim has been updated. The contemporary Tiburon, which has front-wheel drive, is constructed on an original base with a front subframe.
Exterior The Tiburon coupe, which was designed in South Korea, combines straight and curving forms in an effort to “highlight life and strength,” according to Hyundai. The body has a high belt line, a “chopped” greenhouse, and a back window that is steeply slanted. High-performance tires with a large footprint and low profile contribute to the aggressive stance. The Tiburon has front and rear stabilizer bars, a completely independent suspension, and all-disc brakes.
The wheelbase of the Tiburon is 2.2 inches longer than that of earlier versions, measuring 99.6 inches. The car is now an even 173 inches longer overall, up 2.1 inches. Power moonroofs are optional, and fog lamps are standard.
The GT V6 coupe receives a handling package that includes 17-inch tires and a stiffer suspension when outfitted with the V-6 engine and six-speed manual gearbox. On the standard model, 16-inch tires are mounted on alloy wheels. The GT has a rear spoiler that is body color.
Interior The 2004 model has more headroom, legroom, and shoulder room than earlier Tiburons, according to the South Korean automaker, and the load volume is 14.7 cubic feet. In the GT V6 coupe, leather seats is an option. The base Tiburon comes equipped with a six-speaker radio and a CD player. Power windows, locks, air conditioning, and a tilt steering column are all included as standard equipment. The GT has pedals made of aluminum.
Hyundai used the Sonata sedan and Santa Fe sport utility vehicle’s 2.7-liter dual-overhead-cam V-6 engines in the GT V6. It has three transmission options, including a four-speed Shiftronic automatic, a five-speed manual, or a six-speed manual, and is rated at 172 horsepower. The base Tiburon is powered by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine with 138 horsepower that may be mated to either a four-speed or five-speed transmission.
The Driving Experience The attractive driving experience that motorists anticipate is not reflected in the Tiburon’s shapely contours. On bumpy pavement, the GT’s ride is bouncy, but rebound is well managed. The automobile maintains right course, although it doesn’t completely instill a sense of security.
The GT coupe handles well; it steers easily and turns with some nimbleness. The Tiburon is reasonably adept at handling curves and is steady on the highway, although it falls short of certain competitors. Although there are noticeable road and tire noises, the engine is, if anything, too quiet for simple manual gear shifting. Although the six-speed transmission is clumsy and a little stiff, the clutch engages cleanly for simple takeoffs. Although there is ample legroom and elbow room, there is little headroom. The chairs are supportive.
A Hyundai Tiburon is it a hatchback or a coupe?
automobile overview Tiburon means “shark” in Spanish. The Hyundai Tiburon is a little sport coupe with a long list of equipment and a hefty warranty, which is what the Korean automaker is known for.