them you drive a Hyundai. Perception trails reality by several years in

the car business, and Hyundai is still perceived as a company that builds

small, basic transportation hatchbacks. The reality, however, is that those

days are gone. Hyundai now offers a vastly improved and expanded line of

cars, and this sporty new front-drive Tiburon coupe is a shining example

of Hyundai's progress.

The Tiburon borrows its name from a big shark that cruises the coast

of Central America. Hyundai's shark is designed to prey on the Nissan 200SX,

Pontiac Sunfire, Toyota Celica and non-turbo versions of the Mitsubishi

Eclipse and Eagle Talon.

Although the Tiburon doesn't quite have the biggest teeth in this class,

it can swim heads up with most of its contemporaries, and we think it's

a must-see if you're in the market for an inexpensive sporty coupe that's

fun to drive and good to look at.

The Tiburon is a totally new car and a much more substantial vehicle

than its predecessor, the Hyundai Scoupe. The Scoupe was based on the old

Excel hatchback, while the Tiburon is loosely based on the new Elantra

sedan. Its handling and response were a pleasant surprise for us, and while

only time will tell, its construction quality appears to be on a par with

other vehicles in this class.

Two models are available. The basic $13,499 Tiburon comes with a 1.8-liter

engine, while the $14,899 Tiburon FX is equipped with a more powerful 2.0-liter

engine. These prices put both of these well-equipped models under the Eclipse

RS, Celica ST and 200SX SE-R. Among the primary competitors, only the $14,219

Sunfire GT Coupe is less expensive than the Tiburon FX.

The only visual distinction between the two Tiburon models is the rear

decklid spoiler, standard on the FX, optional on the base car.