Hyundai ix35 Elite

Hyundai is no slouch when it coms to marketing its vehicles across just about all segments... from the lowly i 20 up to some pretty good medium,large cars and SUVs.
The ix 35 is one of its more popular models, easily leading overall national sales in Australia, with a 24% market share in April, more than double its nearest competitor, Subaru's XV.
The ix 35 on test here is the mid spec Elite AWD. 
In a crowded market it's often hard to style a car that stands out from the rest, especially in the small SUV scrum. The IX 35 is pleasantly inoffensive in this area.
While there's no real standout style feature, it is by no means an ugly duckling.
Standard roof rails, and a distinctive headlight array at night help to make it less anonymous. Chrome door handles tell people that you've bought the slightly upmarket version. 

Entry and exit is easy ,with wide opening doors leading to an inviting interior.
There are plenty of storage spaces in the doors and two cup holders in the console.
The driver's seat is power operated, and quite comfortable thanks to adjustable lumbar support.
The dashboard layout is clean and all functions easy to use.
At night, all the instrument buttons, including those on the steering wheel are a pleasing blue colour.

However the headlights are nothing special...unlike the brilliant beams on the previously tested Elantra.
Standard fitments include keyless entry and start, sat-nav,dual auto climate control, Bluetooth, reversing camera and cruise control.

Padded centre console and door armrests are welcome, and all round visibility is very good.
Windows are electric but only the driver's has auto up/down.
There's an auto headlights function, but none for the windscreen wipers.
Despite being a small SUV there's room aplenty inside. Head and legroom is good and five adults will fit easily without complaint.

The large cargo area houses an underfloor full sized spare, which is unusual in many cars at the moment. 
On the road the ix 35 handles well. There's a little body roll in tighter corners but nothing out of the ordinary. Steering effort is light and precise.
On the highway wind and tyre noise are kept to a minimum and overall it's a very pleasant drive.
Bumps are absorbed without too much fuss, although you will still feel larger ruts.
The 2.4 litre petrol engine goes about its business with little noise, and has reasonable torque(240nm) from its 136 kw. Acceleration is brisk, even with a full load of passengers.

The six speed automatic gearbox has like most cars these days, a manual override, and it has a very smooth operation.
Hyundai's five star crash safety rating and five year warranty, are partly the reasons for its sales success, but its overall refinement is also helping to keep it on the top of the sales charts.The ix35 Elite AWD sells for around 35K.
Peter Sellen