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IntelliChoice Value Rating
The chart above shows the purchase price versus ownership cost for each car from a specific vehicle class. The cars with better than average ownership cost/purchase price correlations are the best values, and these best value cars are represented by the dots below the curve. (i.e. the cars that have a lower ownership cost compared to its purchase price.) Those cars, which are worse than average or poor values, appear above the curve.
One way to view the graph is to draw a vertical line through any purchase price. You may see several dots that fall on this line - each of which is a car with a similar purchase price. However, notice the difference in ownership costs of each car represented by the vertical position of the dot. Two cars with the same purchase price can have thousands of dollars difference in ownership costs. This is what separates "good value" cars from "poor value" cars.
What is a good car value?
A "good car value" is one whose cost to own and operate is less than expected. The lower the cost to own and operate a car compared to what is expected, the better the value of that car.
But how do we know a car's "expected cost"?
For each car in the class, IntelliChoice plots the car's purchase price against the total five-year cost to own and operate it as determined by IntelliChoice research. Each dot on the above chart represents a specific car. Generally, we find that as the purchase price of the car increases, the cost to own and operate that car increases. This is why the dots on the graph tend to rise upward and to the right. This phenomenon also makes intuitive sense - as the purchase price rises, financing costs tend to rise, as do insurance, depreciation, taxes, and most other car ownership costs.
This is an important concept. It's normal for car ownership costs to rise as purchase price rises. Therefore, we can't just establish one "average" ownership cost number for each class, since cars in the class have different purchase prices. (This is why the "Relative" shown on each chart is different for cars in the same car class.)
Using statistical techniques, IntelliChoice "connects the dots" to form a curve that defines, for this car class, the relationship between the car's purchase price and car's ownership costs. This curve is our "expected cost" curve. The curve defines, for any car in the class, the five-year ownership cost that we would expect to see at each possible purchase price. If every car in the class were an average value, then all the dots would fall exactly on the curve. However, it's rare that any dot is exactly on the curve. Some dots are a little higher or lower, and some are a lot higher or lower. The dots that are a little lower are better than average car values, while the dots that are a lot lower are excellent car values (A dot that is a lot lower than the curve has ownership costs much lower than expected for a car of its purchase price). Conversely, a dot a little higher than the curve is a poorer than average car value, while a dot that is much higher than the curve is a poor car value.
Value is a relative term, not an absolute term. It is performing better than the logical expectation.
So is a Mercedes-Benz E320 expensive to own and operate? Certainly in an absolute sense. Most other cars cost less. But, when its cost to own and operate is plotted against cars with comparable invoice prices, the E320 costs less. So the E320 is not expensive to own and operate - it is a good car value. The Mercedes does not have low ownership costs, but it has low ownership costs for its invoice price.
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2008 Hyundai Tucson Review
Versatile, economical alternative to CR-V.
2008 Tucson Review Summary & Specifications
The Hyundai Tucson is fully competitive with the established players in this segment and we've found the quality to be good. Tucson is no barnstormer as far as performance goes, but the V6 engine provides enough power to satisfy most people. Tucson costs hundreds of dollars less than its rivals yet it comes loaded with comfort and convenience features as well as a full complement of safety features.NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent John Rettie is based in Santa Barbara.
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| Vehicle Category | Sport Utility Vehicles |
| Editor | New Car Test Drive |
| Model Lineup | Hyundai Tucson GLS FWD manual ($17,235), GLS FWD automatic ($19,335), SE V6 FWD ($21,035), SE V6 4WD ($22,735); Limited V6 FWD ($22,885), Limited V6 4WD ($24,585) |
| Engines (standard) | 2.7-liter dohc 24-valve V6 |
| Engines (optional) | 140-hp 2.0-liter dohc 16-valve inline-4; 173-hp 2.7-liter dohc 24-valve V6 |
| Transmissions (standard) | four-speed automatic |
| Transmissions (optional) | five-speed manual; four-speed automatic |
| Safety Equipment (standard) | dual front airbags, front seat-mounted side-impact airbags; front and rear side curtain airbags, front seat belt pretensioners, front seat active head restraints, anti-lock brake system (ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) and brake assist, electronic stability control, traction control, tire pressure monitor |
| Safety Equipment (optional) | none |
| Basic Warranty | 5 years/60,000 miles |
| Assembled In | Ulsan, South Korea |
| Manufacturer Phone | 800-633-5151 |
| Manufacturer URL | www.hyundaiusa.com |
| Base Price MSRP | 17235 |
| Model Tested MSRP | Hyundai Tucson SE V6 4WD ($22,735) |
| Standard Equipment | upgraded cloth upholstery; air conditioning; cruise control; leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter; AM/FM/CD/cassette/MP3 audio; XM Satellite Radio; trip computer; power door locks; power mirrors; power windows; intermittent wipers; remote keyless entry; illuminated vanity mirrors; tire-pressure monitor; fog lights |
| Destination Charge | 660 |
| Options as Tested (MSRP) | none |
| Gas Guzzler Tax | |
| Price as Tested | 23395 |
| Layout | four-wheel drive |
| Horse Power | 173 @ 6000 |
| Torque | 178 @ 4000 |
| Fuel Economy | 17/23 |
| Wheelbase | 103.5 |
| Length/Width/Height | 170.3/72.1/68.1 |
| Track Front/Rear | |
| Turning Radius | 35.4 |
| Seating Capacity | 5 |
| Front Head/Hip/Leg room | 40.3/52.4/42.1 |
| Middle Head/Hip/Leg room | |
| Rear Head/Hip/Leg room | 38.8/51.2/37.2 |
| Trunk Volume | 65.5 |
| Payload | |
| Towing Capacity | 2000 |
| Front Suspension | independent, MacPherson struts, coil springs, gas-charged shocks, anti-roll bar |
| Rear Suspension | independent, multi-link with struts, coil springs, gas-charged shocks, anti-roll bar |
| Ground Clearance | 7.7 |
| Curb Weight | 3548 |
| Stock Tires | 235/60R16 |
| Brakes Front/Rear | vented disc/solid disc with ABS, EBD, BA |
| Fuel Capacity | 17.2 |
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