Hyundai Terracan Sw Diesel 2003-2007

The Hyundai Terracan is an unlikely to stake a claim as the most serious off-road 4x4. However, the Korean car manufacturer has created a capable off-roader, although the main target audience (middle-aged people living in suburbs) probably couldn’t care less how capable it was. As a matter of fact, off road, it isn’t as good as the Land Rover Discovery or Toyota Land Cruiser. Although the Terracan is far better than the smaller leisure SUVs offered by Japanese manufacturers.

Pros and Cons:

• Cheap price and economical diesel
  Large boot space
  Possesses basic off-road qualities

• Weird design
  Issues with build quality

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Exterior and Interior

The Terracan is a large car with an original construction – it’s neither a body-on-frame nor a monocoque. The Terracan is a hybrid of both, featuring a ladder frame integrated within the body. The exterior design is rather unusual. It looks like an older car tuned and facelifted with excessive plastic overlays and modern optics. In reality, the Terracan is not a redesigned car, it was built from scratch and whatever resembles a 1980s car has been created by the designer’s imagination. As to whether you think this is a success or not, depends on your taste. It is an impressive car that size-wise is comparable to a Mitsubishi Shogun.

Although there’s a lot of space inside the car, the designers haven’t made the most of it. The rear seat can accommodate 3 adults, but only two people will feel supported and the middle passenger will feel very uncomfortable. Also the rear seat will have a limited legroom if the driver or front passenger slides too far back. Rarely the Terracans come with an additional row of seats at the back. It’s difficult to imagine how this would work considering the lack of space.

The interior design is typically Hyundai. It uses the same dull plastic and dark fabric that can be found in their hatchbacks and saloons. New cars troubled their owners with volatile organic compounds evaporating from the surfaces in hot weather. Luckily now the majority of this compound has evaporated and most of the Terracans are smell-free.

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Engines

The Terracan is available with a 3.5-litre V6 200bhp petrol engine and a 2.9-litre 161bhp diesel unit.

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Performance and Economy

The most feasible option is the 2.9-litre diesel. It’s a lovely engine with a good amount of torque. It is actually an engine from a tractor that has made its way into the bonnet of a car, but it has earned praise as a sturdy and reliable engine. For the displacement of nearly 3 litres, the 32mpg fuel economy is not a bad result.

The 3.5-litre petrol version has much more character, but is also very thirsty and will only return 24mpg. Petrol Terracans are quite rare probably due to the economy levels.

The performance is rather sluggish. It takes a lot of revving and a lot of patience to get to motorway speeds. Thanks to electronically controlled all-wheel drive (it’s not a permanent 4-wheel drive that the "real" 4x4s would have) and excellent ground clearance, the car is quite capable off the road. It’s no good for taking part in competitions or tackling really difficult situations, but where a leisure vehicle would become stuck, the Terracan will pull through.

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What it's like to Drive

The driving position is excellent. On the road it feels like an old-fashioned 4x4. It tends to wallow and roll a lot, but it’s no worse than other cars that are based on a ladder frame. The thing that slightly lets it down is the gearbox. Neither the manual nor the auto option give a good feeling. The manual gearbox is heavy and nosy while the auto gearbox is slow and hesitant.

It may take around 15 seconds to reach 60mph from standstill and the max speed is not that great either. It is supposed to be able to reach 104mph, which may happen in ideal conditions, but you have to remember that the diesel was borrowed from agricultural machinery and it doesn’t like driving fast. The Terracan is lacking character, but in many aspects it is better than smaller leisure SUVs.

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Faults and Repairs

It’s not the most reliable Hyundai around. The car suffers from poor assembly quality. The faults range from insignificant issues with electrics and the interior to serious problems like dead transfer cases, failing handbrakes and tightness of the cooling system.

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