Hyundai ix55 3.0 CRDI in the test

With the Terracan, Hyundai had a real insider tip in its range for four years. The spacious off-roader was seen as a pragmatic and reliable solution for off-road and trailer drivers. Since this year the Terracan has found a successor that is no longer drawn to the terrain.

The ix55 originally comes from the USA, where it has been sold as Veracruz since 2007, there with a nearly four-liter V6 petrol engine. This means that there is no particularly large flower pot to be won in Germany, which is why the market launch was a little delayed in our country. First the new diesel had to be ready, which is the only engine offered in the local Hyundai SUV. The three-liter diesel was produced by Hyundai itself developed, responsible for this was the Group's own technical center in Rüsselsheim. Chassis and brakes have also been fine-tuned for European taste buds.

It's time to say goodbye to the off-road capability of the predecessor. As with so many modern four-wheel drive vehicles, the ix55's thirst for adventure is limited to rutted dirt roads.

Terrain is possible with the Hyundai ix55 only very limited

E There is no longer any ground clearance, the weak ground clearance (18 cm), the deep subsoil and the slender slope angles make you want to go further than a few meters from paved roads. In the ix55, the add-on all-wheel drive with gear reduction in the Terracan was turned into a standard SUV drive: front-biased in everyday life, the rear axle automatically activated as required via an electronically controlled magnetic clutch. The power can be evenly distributed at low speeds at the push of a button, but this does not bring any noticeable traction benefits. Another disadvantageous solution is the coupling of traction and skid control: if the ESP is switched off, the electronic traction control is also out of operation. On a smooth surface, two spinning wheels are enough to make the load stand still.

The Hyundai ix55 can pull up to 3.2 tons

elsewhere must oppose itno compromises are made. In contrast to the close relative, the new Kia Sorento, the ix55 can pull hard. The six-cylinder can hook up to 3.2 tons and the automatic transmission, which reduces stress when towing a trailer, is already standard in the car.

'Standard' is the favorite word of Hyundai dealers anyway. Because even in the Comfort equipment (42,290 euros) there are a lot of niceties on board, some of which cost massive surcharges with the German and Japanese competitors. If you grab the ix55 Premium for 46,990 euros, which is what most customers will do, all that remains are the sliding glass roof, a navigation system and the metallic paintwork. The rest, from the electrically adjustable leather seats to the xenon light, is on board. Even more unusual niceties, for example the electrically operated tailgate or the cool box in the central storage compartment, spoil the buyer. In order to equip a BMW X5 with a similar amount of equipment, around 15,000 euros should be invested in option surcharges alone. The comparison with the Bavarian is not by chance, because the ix55 is of a similar stately format. Although it doesn't look bulky, the Hyundai is 4.84 meters long and 1.97 meters wide, quite a bummer. And because it is so spacious, it is given seven seats on the way, the third row folds invisibly into the loading floor when not in use. The lush size of the Hyundai conceals with its dynamic hatchback, which, however, costs cargo volume. However, the loading area length itself is above average at 1.89 meters.

The greatest strength of the Hyundai ix55 is the long-distance journey

Although the ix55, with its smooth steering and powerful turbo diesel, feels equally at home in the city and in the country, his favorite discipline is clearly the long journey. Quiet as a whisper in the interior, it whispers towards the horizon, the long-geared six-speed automatic keeps the speed low, the chassis has fluff characteristics and skilfully fades out transverse joints and bumps despite the tighter European vote. Comfortable seats, pleasantly processed ambience, that's how it can be endured for hours. That the Hyundai was actually born as a highway cruiser becomes clearest at such moments. On the other hand, the ix55 is not for people who like to do gymnastics on the last groove on the home stretch: Fast cornering is possible with sufficient safety reserves, but is only moderately enjoyable due to the noticeable side tilt, the indirect steering work and the weakly contoured seats. In the Hyundai, you are almost always on the move in gentle gear, with sufficient power reserves for an overtaking maneuver, but otherwise free from any hectic pace. This can also be seen in the consumption: With 9.9 liters in the test medium, we only slightly exceeded the factory specification.