I WILL be honest. I am an absolute sucker when it comes to clever advertising.Being brutally honest, the advertising does not even really need to be that clever.As long as it puts a smile on my face, does not assault my senses, aggravate my sensibilities or include a politician, then I am more than likely to be drawn into it.I’m the type of person that feels a craving for KFC every time a try in the NRL is referred to the third referee for review.I believe two squirts of a cheap deodorant will improve my attractiveness to women – illogical enough without even going back to the problem with KFC and video reviews.And I know that my ability to ride a horse on the beach, swim in the sea and gossip with my girlfriends would all be immeasurably improved were I to just bite the bullet and invest in some feminine hygiene products.It is this deep-thinking approach to life that made me very keen indeed to test drive the new Hyundai Tucson.Without ever having been behind the wheel of one myself, I had always thought the Tucson carried a positive feel about them. For a start, coming from Hyundai, you know you can bank on excellence in the key areas of reliability, efficiency and

after-sales service for as long as you own it.But my deference to superficiality extends well beyond television advertising campaigns, and is why I have always held a candle for the way the Tucson looks.For a mid-size SUV, it carries more than its fair share of menace on the tarmac.Aggressively styled with sharp lines all the way around, fierce-looking headlights and sweeping bonnet all coming together to meet at that massive front grille, there are not too many better-looking cars in its class.So I was already hooked.But then came that advertising campaign. The song is ringing around in my head now as I type. You know the one: A family of scenic binoculars steals another family’s car and tears off for the city and the weirdest interpretation of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off that you have ever seen – all while some 80s glam-metal is pumping away in the background.It’s magic.That song. My God, how good is it? And when I say good, I mean terrible. But so terrible, it’s good.How can you argue with lyrics like: “Ride the tiger, you can see his stripes but you know he’s clean”, or – even better – “Between the velvet lies, there’s a truth as hard as steel”.Oh, the 1980s. How we miss you.

HYUNDAI TUCSON. Michael Westlake rides the tiger for Bartons, with a test drive of the Hyundai Tucson

I am very pleased to report that, after finally getting behind the wheel of the new Tucson, the car made me feel exactly the same way.

“EXPERIENCE OUR EXPERIENCE

Yes, it sounds awesome, yes I have downloaded it, and yes I listen to it all the time.And the reason I do that is because each time I listen to it, the song – and Dio’s unintelligible screeching – brings a smile to me face. It’s fun, and it makes you feel good.I am very pleased to report that, after finally getting behind the wheel of the new Tucson, the car made me feel exactly the same way.I was hoping for a car that would bring a smile to my face and be a lot of fun, which is sometimes a challenge in a car essentially designed for the modern family.But I really did look forward to driving the Tucson every day.I did not give it the easiest assignment either – a long weekend away at Stradbroke Island with only the Tucson, two girls under the age of 10 and a father still yet to master the art of plaited hair.Now before you start thinking “you swamped it didn’t you?”, let me first put the hearts of the good people at Bartons to rest.This trip was not about roaring down Main Beach, sea spray cascading down the windows and ploughing all guns blazing into soft, treacherous sand.This challenge was far more daunting.The Tucson had proven itself a comfortable and efficient daily driver, handling peak-hour and late-night return trips from the bayside to the city with ease.What I wanted to see was whether the Tucson could handle the change in pace that everybody buys an SUV for – just in case they someday manage to get a weekend away.Our someday was here, and I will be honest, I was impressed before I even got out of the driveway.Despite appearing to have a relatively petite back-end from the outside, the Tucson Active-X I tested swallowed our cargo whole.And anyone with daughters would appreciate that is not a claim I make lightly.But with a bit of Travel Tetris in the boot, we managed to cram in a large esky, three gear bags, three pillows, beach towels, four bags of groceries and a

boogie board – and were still able to pull the parcel cover across the top to shield it from the morning sun.Were it not for those pesky children filling the backseat, I could have laid the 60-40 split rear seats flat and, estimating conservatively, could have crammed in three fishing rods, a tackle box and at least two more eskies.The daughters excitedly climbed aboard and were ready to go before that vision even had a chance to take root.With so much room in the back seat, even with one in the booster seat, they quickly and quietly arranged iPads, colouring books, pens and pencils, drink bottles and coats without a single whimper about disputed borders.Driving on and off the ferry was easy, even on a fully laden barge.While it feels like a large car inside, outside there is only a small footprint to worry about, and the Tucson’s excellent steering and great vision all the way around the car makes parking very simple indeed.On the boat, with nowhere to go and the girls enraptured by their new “How to ignore conversations with your father” app, I had the chance to have a proper explore around the Tucson’s cabin.As with all Hyundais, the cockpit has clearly been designed with the driver as the primary focus.Cruise control, Bluetooth audio and communication controls are all at your finger tips on the steering wheel.The huge touchscreen in the centre of the dash is easy to reach, easy to navigate and easy to understand, and delivers crystal-clear images from

AT A GLANCEPRICE From $25,990 Drive AwayWARRANTY5 Years / 100,000 Kilometre warranty CAPPED SERVICING3 Years / 15,000 Kilometre SAFETY5 Star ANCAP Safety Rating, ENGINE / TRANS2.0L CVTFUEL ECONOMYCombined 7.6L/100KmTOWING1300kg

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behind the car when using the reversing camera.By connecting your iPhone via a USB, you can use the Apple CarPlay system, which allows you to use the apps from your phone on the car’s touchscreen.You will be ignoring conversations with your father in hands-free ease in no time.Hands-free ease is a bit of a theme in the Tucson, with the remote smart key meaning you can unlock and start the car just by pressing buttons, and never having to take the key out of your pocket.There’s dual-zone climate control to keep you comfortable, and six airbags, traction control and stability control to keep you safe.Should you want to go up to the Highlander specification, you will also get the added security of Autonomous Emergency Braking, lane-change assistance and blind-spot monitoring.Exploring what the Tucson can do on the road though is even more exciting.The ride and feel of the Tucson is excellent. The engine was punchy and responsive and the steering is sharp.It will respond if you drive it aggressively, but it really comes into its own when you are just cruising along.It is impressively quiet inside, and fantastically comfortable.Even strapped into the seat a few hours at a time, the Tucson never feels tiring or that it is a chore to drive.It is fun and energizing, and very good value with driveaway price for the Tucson Active X starting at under $32,000. When you weigh that up against the Mazda CX-5, where the base model starts at more than $37,000 and the second-level variant (like the Active X) starts at $41,000, the Hyundai is giving you a lot more value for your money, and a lot more trips away to Straddie as well.As much fun as it is to live with as your everyday car, and as much as the advertising campaign made me laugh, don’t be in any doubt that the Tucson is a seriously good car in a seriously tough market.It’s a truth as hard as steel.

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HYUNDAI TUCSON. Michael Westlake rides the tiger for Bartons, with a test drive of the Hyundai Tucson

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