Skip advert
Advertisement
Long term tests

Hyundai Coupe V6

Hyundai Coupe V6

The amount of time it spends on track is starting to take its toll on the Hyundai’s tyres. The sidewalls of the Dunlop SP9000s take the most abuse, particularly on the front left where the maker’s name has been almost completely rubbed away. I fancy something a little stickier next time, but I’ve been finding it tricky to get something in the right size. As it is, the 225/40/18s already occasionally brush the wheelarch under heavy loading through long bends.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The Coupe has been on track twice this month, and both days were at Castle Combe in Wiltshire. Combe is a brilliant track - fast and bumpy, and complicated by technical, cresting curves with the sensation of speed heightened by the ring of tyre-walls just a few feet from the track.

The first visit was for our evoactive trackday, where the Hyundai mixed it with readers’ cars, surprising more than a few with its pace and agility. Second time out was an industry event where staff from the various manufacturers’ PR offices get together and drive each others’ cars. They were free to cherry-pick which cars they’d like to play in, and the poor Coupe barely stood still - the only time we got it back was at lunchtime for refuelling!

Yet despite the six hours of track abuse everything still felt spot-on for the long journey home. Having said that, fresh brake pads and a well-earned service are in order, both scheduled for the next few weeks.

Running Costs

Date acquiredAugust 2005
Total mileage10,534
Costs this month£0
Mileage this month660
MPG this month24.6mpg
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

The new Jaguar GT is lovely to drive, but that’s not enough for people to buy it
Jaguar GT
Opinion

The new Jaguar GT is lovely to drive, but that’s not enough for people to buy it

The Jaguar GT has the hallmarks of a deeply impressive luxury saloon. Whether it can turn the tide on slow demand for premium EVs is another matter
11 Mar 2026
The Audi RS3 Competition is a £92k goodbye to Ingolstadt’s five-cylinder
Audi RS3 Competition
News

The Audi RS3 Competition is a £92k goodbye to Ingolstadt’s five-cylinder

Audi marks the end of the line for the RS3 and its five-cylinder engine with an ultra-limited special, and we don’t use that phrase lightly… 
10 Mar 2026
Alpine A390 v Hyundai Ioniq 5 N – are these EV crossovers fun as well as fast?
Alpine A390 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
Group tests

Alpine A390 v Hyundai Ioniq 5 N – are these EV crossovers fun as well as fast?

A world away from the A110, Alpine’s most ambitious gamble yet is a 464bhp electric ‘sport fastback’. Can it match Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 N when it comes t…
8 Mar 2026