Hyundai Terracan Range
I used to work with a gentleman with enormous ears. Huge, translucent, fleshy lugs emerged perpendicular to his cranium and diverted my gaze every time I attempted to engage him in conversation. Before too long, he became just a pair of talking ears, his extravagant pinnae dominating his persona. In certain respects, Hyundai face a similar issue with their Terracan, a car with a name so far out of left field that many will ignore the cars other qualities.
A Terror Can sounds more akin to something youd pick up for £2.99 at ToysRUs in the lead up to Halloween rather than a fully fledged family 4x4 that purports to tilt at Land Rovers Discovery and Mitsubishis Shogun. As Hyundai explain, the name Terracan is derived from the word khan meaning king, while terra means of the land, so the Terracan is, in effect, King Of The Land. If only it were that simple.
| Build |  |
| Comfort |  |
| Depreciation |  |
| Economy | |
| Equipment |  |
| Handling | |
| Insurance | |
| Performance | |
| Styling | |
| Value |  |
The tale of the tape shows the Terracan to be longer, taller and wider than the Jeep Grand Cherokee, the Mitsubishi Shogun Sport and the Nissan Terrano, so theres no shortage of metal for your money. But, as we often find in this market sector, quality and quantity are often mutually exclusive. Hyundai aim to prove otherwise. Styled and engineered in-house at Hyundais Namyang Research and Development Centre at a cost of some $240million, the Korean giant has a lot riding on the bluff-fronted Terracan.
The styling is fairly generic big 4x4 from the side, with wheelarch extensions and skirt cladding giving it a beefy appearance. The seven-slatted grille and clear-lensed lights give the car a rather surprised face but the overall effect is far more appealing if the cladding and front air dam is finished in body colour rather than in a darker two tone. As you would expect from an upspec Hyundai, the Terracan has had all manner of equipment levered into it. Expect to find twin airbags, ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution, side steps, a rear limited slip differential, climate control and electric windows all round.
Add electric heated door mirrors, a CD-based stereo, alloy wheels, remote central locking, an alarm/immobiliser and fog lamps and you end up with a car that starts to look good value for money.
"Like any serious off-road vehicle, the Terracan features a low-ratio 4x4 setting "
Motive force comes courtesy of a 2.9-litre CRD common-rail diesel engine. Although 148bhp may not sound a huge amount of power, a vehicle of this size and type depends to a greater extent on its torque and with 246lb/ft the Terracan isnt found wanting. Thats a good deal more pulling power than a Land Rover Discovery TD5 can generate and only a whisker shy of the stump-pulling Discovery V8.
Despite the massive frontal area and gutsy engine, the Terracan CRD will still average a creditable 32.8mpg. Straight line speed isnt really the cars forte; a fact reflected by a sprint to 60mph in 13.5 seconds and a top speed of 104mph.
The Terracan features a part time four wheel drive system with a shift on the fly facility that allows the driver to flip between rear and four wheel drive at speeds of up to 50mph. Hyundais Active Torque Transfer (ATT) system detects when the rear wheels are starting to slip and automatically diverts a percentage of power up front to help out. Like any serious off-road vehicle, the Terracan also features a low-ratio 4x4 setting that will haul it out of the most awkward positions. A five-speed manual gearbox is fitted as standard although an automatic option is available.
Naturally, the extent of the traction available off road depends to a large degree on the tyre choice and Hyundai have plumped for fairly benign dual-purpose tyres that offer a decent compromise between off road grip and on tarmac refinement. Ground clearance is slightly hampered by the side steps although the relatively tidy front and rear overhangs help in severely pitching terrain and the macho rigid rear axle looks virtually indestructible. On the road, the Terracan is much as youd expect from a vehicle thats so adept in the mud. The steering is a little slow-witted and theres a fair amount of body roll but the engine is fun to gun hard despite having two tonnes of metal to motivate.
The 75-litre fuel tank means that the Terracan can travel comfortably over 600 miles between fills. Cabin space is above average for the class although Hyundai dont offer seven seats. As a consequence, theres plenty of legroom in the rear and the back bench features a 60/40 split and double fold to offer a wide array of cargo carrying options. A net and tie down hooks do their best to keep your goods in one place at the back while a sliding cover keeps your valuables out of sight of prying eyes.
Serious dual-purpose 4x4s are a declining band as an increasing number of manufacturers opt for the more car-like unibody construction. Perhaps this is an admirably pragmatic move given that most of these vehicles never see anything more arduous than a gravel drive. If youre honest with yourself, do a lot of driving on road and just want a 4x4 for the space and elevated driving position, the Hyundai Terracan wont seem as beguiling as its Santa Fe junior sibling. If, on the other hand, you really need something that can cut it when towing, wading through mud or just generally soaking up all the abuse you can throw at it, the Terracan sounds a good bet.
Apart, that is, from the name
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Hyundai Terracan
PRICES: £19,392 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 12
CO2 EMISSIONS: 227g/km
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 104mph / 0-60mph 13.5s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 26.9mpg / (extra urban) 37.7mpg / (combined) 32.8mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front airbags / ABS with EBD
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height (mm) 4710/1860/1840
