Home - Automobile Reviews - 2006 Hyundai HCD9 Talus Concept


2006 Hyundai HCD9 Talus Concept

A Face Only A Mother Could Love

That Hyundai is a rising star is not news. With their recently remodeled lineup getting much praise, ranging from the popular and attractive Accent 3-door to the affordable and handsome Tiburon and top-line Azera, each car offers great value. To be truthful, walking out of a Hyundai dealership with a set of keys in your hand would not be an unsatisfying experience, for youre pretty well guaranteed of an excellent car, if the brands third-place J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Rating and high marks from Consumer Reports are indicators, and comparable to much more expensive models
Far more aggressive than Hyundais current crop, the Talus is half sports car, half SUV. (Photo: Hyundai Motor America)
whatever you choose will be a downright bargain. So what were they thinking when they come up with this monstrosity?!

Ok, perhaps thats a little harsh. Called the HCD9 Talus, Hyundais attempt at a sporty crossover vehicle isnt quite ugly, but its not exactly pretty either. And I know beauty is in the eye
It looks like a big angry monster... with its eyes closed. (Photo: Hyundai Motor America)
of the beholder, and no doubt someone somewhere likes the look of this thing, but I have trouble imagining who. Designed to look assertive and confident, some of the exterior styling details are similiar to those found on the much more attractive 2007 Santa Fe, with a healthy dose of sportiness injected into the SUVs DNA. By far the worst angle, the front end is dominated by a massive grille opening reminiscent of
The profile is clean and uncluttered with no handles to speak of. (Photo: Hyundai Motor America)
a Chrysler LHS, which combines with very angled, bisected headlights to make the head-on view look like some sort of scowling monster with its eyes shut. Think of it as a bugeye Sprite gone mean. Add in the curvy front fascia thats almost completely devoid of any sort of scoop, light, or duct to break up the monotony, and youve got yourself a front end only a mother could love.

But walking around the vehicle does quiet the turning in ones stomach slightly. Those scowling
The rear view is the Talus best angle, looking sleek and powerful, although the taillights are a little big. (Photo: Hyundai Motor America)
headlights that look ridiculous from the front take on a distinctly Ferrari 612 Scaglietti-like air in profile, and a small sculpted vent on each front fender breaks up the monotony of the front half, going from concave to convex over the rear wheelwell and forming the strong rear shoulder line. The only part that sullies the otherwise attractive profile view is the rear side glass, where the window openings lower edges drop down, instead of kicking upwards like most. Its not terrible looking, but it does give the rear windows an odd shape.
The back glass is small and curved, and gives the car a sporty look. The rear hatch is powered. (Photo: Hyundai Motor America)
Its also worth noting that the long front doors and relatively short rear doors have no handles to speak of, with the sole means of entry being solenoid door releases mounted on the B-pillars. Traditionally hinged front doors and pillarless suicide rear doors make the Talus look very clean, although the black plastic that rings the bottom of the car muddies the effect.

Finally reaching the rear, there is some real solace in the rakish profile of the rear backlight and the surrounding sheetmetal. The shoulder line that begins at the leading edge of the rear door wraps around the back, forming the top of
While no photos of the interior were released, this design sketch shows the flowing nature of the interior. (Photo: Hyundai Motor America)
the backlight and the edge of the trunk. The small back window combined with the huge C-pillar no doubt would make shoulder checks almost completely futile, but they look good, and the proportions are spot on. The brake lights, on the other hand, couldnt be worse. Roughly the size of mainland China, theyre simply too big, and the sculpted, creased surrounding metal disrupt the smooth lines. Very cool dual exhaust tips slot through the body between the painted rear fascia and the black plastic bumper. Finally, the whole thing rides on blinding 22-inch wheels that look suspiciously similiar to those found on Nissans Murano.
Inside, the organic lines continue, with a flowing dashboard and
With the wheels filling the wheelwells almost completely, theres little room for the suspension to soak up big hits. (Photo: Hyundai Motor America)
center console. Designed to look like a necklace, the metallic center stacks focal point is a 10-inch LCD screen hidden behind a retractable hood. Also exposed by the hood are two air vents and a clock that displays the time in three different time zones; just in case you find yourself crossing half a continent on a whim.

"Sitting behind the wheel of the Talus will make you feel privileged and empowered by the luxurious appointments and higher seating position," commented Dragan Vukadinovic, senior creative designer. "We wanted to push the expectations of the sports car interior by injecting as many luxury cues as possible. The center console was designed to be visually alluring while providing all the practical functions a driver expects."

Appropriately
22-inches tall, these wheels are definitely better suited to the street than the bush. (Photo: Hyundai Motor America)
enough, the controls are almost jewel-like; as is becoming of a necklace inspired console, and the rear seat passengers get their own audio and video controls as well as individual 9-inch LCD screens. Flanking the console are rich Sierra Brown leather seats; a color thats echoed on the flowing dashboard, while the door panels and seat bolsters are covered in Chestnut Black, with the aim of inducing a western lodge-type feel.

Of course, it wouldnt be a crossover without at least some off-road capability, and Hyundai hasnt failed to deliver in this respect. Adding a 4.6L V8 under the hood and a six-speed automatic transmission, the Talus makes an estimated 340 horsepower; more than enough to haul it up any two-track backroad. But dont be fooled, the Talus was never intended as a Jeep Wrangler-style off roader, and Hyundai emphasizes the blend of sports
Little touches like these vents would give the Talus some real draw, and help it compete with the likes of the Nissan Murano. (Photo: Hyundai Motor America)
car and SUV that it represents. With that in mind, its relative lack of suspension travel and the aforementioned huge wheels all mean its optional four-wheel drive system is better suited to putting the power down on freeway onramps than off your local fire road. 

Joel Piaskowski, the chief designer at the Hyundai Design Center sums it up best when he says "the mission for Talus was to create a vehicle that would excite the inner passion of customers who havent been able to justify parking a sports car in their garage. Its for a person who has grown accustomed to the needs and benefits of an SUV, but desires the emotional gratification of sports car styling and performance."

Which places it firmly in the crosshairs of some very, very capable competition. Nissans incredibly popular Murano poses the largest threat, having already established itself as the most popular sporty crossover currently available. And while
Hyundais lineup isnt in need of a sporty crossover, and the Talus would break with Hyundais budget-oriented tradition, so dont expect to see it on showrooms and time soon. (Photo: Hyundai Motor America)
Hyundai certainly doesnt have the cadre of the more established brand; they do have a history of making some of the best value-oriented cars around.
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