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1998
Hyundai Tiburon

Starts at:
$13,599
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New 1998 Hyundai Tiburon
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Available trims

See the differences side-by-side to compare trims.
  • 2dr HB Cpe Manual
    Starts at
    $13,599
    22 City / 31 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas I4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 2dr HB Cpe Auto
    Starts at
    $14,399
    22 City / 29 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas I4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 2dr HB Cpe FX Manual
    Starts at
    $14,899
    22 City / 31 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas I4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 2dr HB Cpe FX Auto
    Starts at
    $15,699
    22 City / 29 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas I4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs

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Expert 1998 Hyundai Tiburon review

our expert's take
Our expert's take
By
Full article
our expert's take

There are any number of sporting propositions on today’s automotive scene, and one of them is the l998 Hyundai Tiburon coupe.

The Tiburon, however, is a sporting proposition with a difference.

In an arena of high-buck motor cars, the two-door Hyundai lies in an affordable price range, accessible to the majority of drivers who want performance without mortgaging the family home.

Hyundai breathed new life into the sports coupe segment of the market by offering a high-tech, get-up-and-go car for a little more than $14,000.

Available in two trim levels, Tiburon and Tiburon FX, the standard Tiburon has a suggested retail price of $14,399. If you want to go upstream a little, the FX is stickered at $14,899.

And for that kind of money, you are not getting some shuffle-along econobox.

Both models are powered by a 2.0-liter (120.4-cubic-inch/1,975 cc) dual-overhead cam, 16-valve four-cylinder engine, with performance Michelin rubber, stereo sound and a variety of accessories.

The rounded design of the ’98 Tiburon incorporates carved character lines that result in a unique, sculptured profile.

The low, grilleless front contains projector-type, ellipsoid-shaped headlights and a one-piece, body-colored wrap-around bumper made of highly resilient thermoplastic materials.

The rear styling is aerodynamic and features a deck spoiler that offers enhanced stability at high speed. On the FX, the spoiler with integrated brake light is standard. Also standard are a rear wiper and washer.

The co-efficient of drag is just 0.33, with the styling overall translating into a sleek automobile.

The car is a four-seater, laid out in a 2-plus-2 configuration on 97.4 inches of wheelbase and 170.9 inches of overall length. That configuration generally is the province of two-seater sports cars.

As with all vehicles of the sporting type, there is more room in the front than in the back.

Front seat legroom translates into 43.1 inches vs. 29.9 inches in the rear. If you’re planning on transporting a herd of Colts players, better try something with four doors.

Front seating is the traditional two individual bucket seats divided by a center console. The layout is designed to resemble an airplane cockpit, with a wraparound contoured dash providing a home for the standard speedometer-tachometer-temperature-fuel instrumentation, plus controls and switches.

The trim level of the FX is, of course, above that of the standard Tiburon. Rather than cloth seat trim, an accentuating coordinated seat fabric insert is used. Also, an optional two-tone leather package that includes seats, steering wheel and gearshift knob is available.

Putting all this in motion is a 120-cubic-inch-4 that puts out 140-horsepower. This is Hyundai’s Beta engine – the latest series of Hyundai-developed motors.

Getting 140 horses out of 120 inches shows that the company is going in the right direction. However, this is a high-speed engine that gets its peak power at 6,000 rpm, and that generally denotes that it’s no stump-puller in the torque department.

Torque is 133 foot-pounds at a fairly swift 4,800 rpm, good for 0-60 mph in the mid to upper 7 seconds bracket in five-speed manual transmission form. Top speed is around 120 mph.

As a concession to those who don’t want to do their own shifting. a four-speed automatic with overdrive is offered.

The car is a front-drive, a decided asset when flying through those right and left turn sweepers. Control is further enhanced by a rigid body and an extra reinforcing front crossmember that resists torsional movement.

Add to this 15-inch tires and aluminum alloy wheels on the FX and you can have life in the fast lane.

Both models have four-wheel independent suspension for ease of ride, no small feat with a small coupe.

An assist in giving the car a decent ride is the replacement of hydraulic shocks with gas-filled ab sorbers.

It is obvious that the Tiburon isn’t going to run with the ‘Vettes or the Ferraris, but then, you’re not going to buy those cars for $14,000. And at this price, you can still have fun getting there.

1998 Hyundai Tiburon review: Our expert's take
By

There are any number of sporting propositions on today’s automotive scene, and one of them is the l998 Hyundai Tiburon coupe.

The Tiburon, however, is a sporting proposition with a difference.

In an arena of high-buck motor cars, the two-door Hyundai lies in an affordable price range, accessible to the majority of drivers who want performance without mortgaging the family home.

Hyundai breathed new life into the sports coupe segment of the market by offering a high-tech, get-up-and-go car for a little more than $14,000.

Available in two trim levels, Tiburon and Tiburon FX, the standard Tiburon has a suggested retail price of $14,399. If you want to go upstream a little, the FX is stickered at $14,899.

And for that kind of money, you are not getting some shuffle-along econobox.

Both models are powered by a 2.0-liter (120.4-cubic-inch/1,975 cc) dual-overhead cam, 16-valve four-cylinder engine, with performance Michelin rubber, stereo sound and a variety of accessories.

The rounded design of the ’98 Tiburon incorporates carved character lines that result in a unique, sculptured profile.

The low, grilleless front contains projector-type, ellipsoid-shaped headlights and a one-piece, body-colored wrap-around bumper made of highly resilient thermoplastic materials.

The rear styling is aerodynamic and features a deck spoiler that offers enhanced stability at high speed. On the FX, the spoiler with integrated brake light is standard. Also standard are a rear wiper and washer.

The co-efficient of drag is just 0.33, with the styling overall translating into a sleek automobile.

The car is a four-seater, laid out in a 2-plus-2 configuration on 97.4 inches of wheelbase and 170.9 inches of overall length. That configuration generally is the province of two-seater sports cars.

As with all vehicles of the sporting type, there is more room in the front than in the back.

Front seat legroom translates into 43.1 inches vs. 29.9 inches in the rear. If you’re planning on transporting a herd of Colts players, better try something with four doors.

Front seating is the traditional two individual bucket seats divided by a center console. The layout is designed to resemble an airplane cockpit, with a wraparound contoured dash providing a home for the standard speedometer-tachometer-temperature-fuel instrumentation, plus controls and switches.

The trim level of the FX is, of course, above that of the standard Tiburon. Rather than cloth seat trim, an accentuating coordinated seat fabric insert is used. Also, an optional two-tone leather package that includes seats, steering wheel and gearshift knob is available.

Putting all this in motion is a 120-cubic-inch-4 that puts out 140-horsepower. This is Hyundai’s Beta engine – the latest series of Hyundai-developed motors.

Getting 140 horses out of 120 inches shows that the company is going in the right direction. However, this is a high-speed engine that gets its peak power at 6,000 rpm, and that generally denotes that it’s no stump-puller in the torque department.

Torque is 133 foot-pounds at a fairly swift 4,800 rpm, good for 0-60 mph in the mid to upper 7 seconds bracket in five-speed manual transmission form. Top speed is around 120 mph.

As a concession to those who don’t want to do their own shifting. a four-speed automatic with overdrive is offered.

The car is a front-drive, a decided asset when flying through those right and left turn sweepers. Control is further enhanced by a rigid body and an extra reinforcing front crossmember that resists torsional movement.

Add to this 15-inch tires and aluminum alloy wheels on the FX and you can have life in the fast lane.

Both models have four-wheel independent suspension for ease of ride, no small feat with a small coupe.

An assist in giving the car a decent ride is the replacement of hydraulic shocks with gas-filled ab sorbers.

It is obvious that the Tiburon isn’t going to run with the ‘Vettes or the Ferraris, but then, you’re not going to buy those cars for $14,000. And at this price, you can still have fun getting there.

Factory warranties

New car program benefits

Basic
5 years / 60,000 miles
Powertrain
10 years / 100,000 miles
Roadside Assistance
5 years

Certified Pre-Owned program benefits

Age / mileage
Less than 80,000 miles; less than 7 years old (currently MY18- MY24)
Basic
Remainder of the 5-Year / 60,000-Mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty. From original in-service date and zero (0) miles.
Dealer certification
173-point inspection

Consumer reviews

5.0 / 5
Based on 3 reviews
Write a review
Comfort 4.7
Interior 4.3
Performance 5.0
Value 4.7
Exterior 5.0
Reliability 4.3

Most recent

  • awesome/331,235 miles & counting/never touch engin

    Awesome car. having it for 21 years now and use it everyday. Never has to repair the engine. more than 331,235 miles on it and counting.
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    0 people out of 0 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • 1st brand new car I owned

    I bought a Tiburon brand new when i was 35 years old. I had never owned a brand new car and I have never regretted my choice. I have now had my tiburon 7 years and it's still running just like the first day i bought it. Only issue I had was clutch when car was 5 1/2 years old but other than that, all you have to do is regularly scheduled maintenance and replace tires when necessary. This car is awesome and a total blast!
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 4.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 3.0
    0 people out of 0 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • Great First Car

    This car was my first car. I really like it. Very fun. The performance and handling is great. The one thing that disappointed me was the gas mileage. Driving conservatively I got 27 mpg. I would recommend this car to anybody though. I also love the exterior styling. It's so far ahead of its time. When people ask me how old it is they can't believe it's 10 years old.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 4.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    0 people out of 0 found this review helpful. Did you?
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FAQ

What trim levels are available for the 1998 Hyundai Tiburon?

The 1998 Hyundai Tiburon is available in 2 trim levels:

  • (2 styles)
  • FX (2 styles)

What is the MPG of the 1998 Hyundai Tiburon?

The 1998 Hyundai Tiburon offers up to 22 MPG in city driving and 31 MPG on the highway. These figures are based on EPA mileage ratings and are for comparison purposes only. The actual mileage will vary depending on vehicle options, trim level, driving conditions, driving habits, vehicle maintenance, and other factors.

Is the 1998 Hyundai Tiburon reliable?

The 1998 Hyundai Tiburon has an average reliability rating of 4.3 out of 5 according to cars.com consumers. Find real-world reliability insights within consumer reviews from 1998 Hyundai Tiburon owners.

Is the 1998 Hyundai Tiburon a good Coupe?

Below are the cars.com consumers ratings for the 1998 Hyundai Tiburon. 100.0% of drivers recommend this vehicle.

5.0 / 5
Based on 3 reviews
  • Comfort: 4.7
  • Interior: 4.3
  • Performance: 5.0
  • Value: 4.7
  • Exterior: 5.0
  • Reliability: 4.3
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