Frankfurt 2009: Hyundai Tucson ix35

The new Hyundai Tucson ix35 may look good with a Britney Spears soundtrack playing in the background. It may even look good out on the road. But under the bright lights here at the Frankfurt Messe, it looks pretty much like every other compact import crossover on the market. Which is to say, attractive, but rather cookie-cutter.

The new Tucson is being offered overseas with 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engines burning either gasoline or diesel (with 166 and 184 horsepower, respectively) and driving either the front wheels or all four through a six-speed automatic slushbox. Among the latest features, Hyundai included are Downhill Brake Control and Hill-Start Assist Control, which almost makes us mistake this for a real sport-utility vehicle.