The interior is sporty and functional and we give it a big thumbs up. There is ample leg, head and shoulder room up front. The wraparound contoured dash makes the driver feel like a pilot without inducing claustrophobia. Attractive curves over the top of the vents are reminiscent of bygone era of sports cars. The ventilation controls look really cool and feature big Lexus-like knobs that are easy to operate when the car is moving. The stereo is mounted too low, however, and suffers from small buttons that are hard to operate.

High-tech trim from the Audi TT industrial-design school of thinking surrounds the big ovoid speedometer and tachometer, which are highly legible. Slender front roof pillars contribute to excellent forward visibility, a view enhanced by bulging front fenders clearly visible from the front seats. The back seats are roomier than those are in the Celica or Eclipse. Three of us plus a huge load of camera equipment, test equipment and luggage were comfortable in a lengthy morning rush ride drive around downtown Montreal.

The trunk is surprisingly roomy. The Tiburon offers more trunk space than a Pontiac Sunfire, but not as much as a Mitsubishi Eclipse. It swallowed a king-size presentation portfolio laid flat, the passenger car equivalent of putting a sheet of plywood in the back of a pickup truck.