New Tucson popular at Planet Hyundai Sahara

The 2013 Hyundai Tucson doesn't last long on the lot at Planet Hyundai Sahara.

Proof of that is watching sales consultant Ody Youkhana finalize the purchase of the vehicle on a recent day at the dealership, 7150 W. Sahara Ave.

The Tucson is coming off a banner year in 2012 and headed for an even better year in 2013. It was named a best bet for 2012 by The Car Book and named by Kelley Blue Book as one of its top 10 cars with best resale value. Additionally, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named the Tucson a 2012 top safety pick for the third consecutive year.

"The Tucson sells itself," said Youkhana, a native Californian and former member of the banking industry. "The basic standard features found in the Tucson are included with every purchase. Most other cars do not come equipped in the base model with amenities like Bluetooth, SiriusXM Radio, MP3 player and auxiliary port for playing music.

"In a nutshell, the Hyundai is an awesome car."

Youkhana said the Tucson is ideal for Southern Nevada, especially considering the diversity of climate from summer to winter and geographical challenges here and in nearby Utah, Arizona and California.

"The Tucson enables the driver to go anywhere with ease, especially since it's available in all-wheel drive," he said.

For the 2013 model, Hyundai's engineers updated the Tucson, focusing on increased interior space.

"People who buy a Tucson consider it an SUV instead of a small crossover because of the room that it has inside," Youkhana said.

He also said it handles well and has a tight turning radius, which appeals to many drivers.

"As soon as someone takes a test drive in the new Tucson, they will see the difference in handling and turning radius. The Tucson is more solid and it's quieter."

The Tucson is available with four-cylinder engines with 176 horsepower.

Hyundai vehicles come with a 10-year, 100,000-mile engine warranty and five-year, 60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty.

Planet Hyundai dealerships include Planet Hyundai Centennial at 6200 Centennial Center Blvd. and Planet Hyundai Used Car Super Store at 7100 W. Sahara Ave.

For additional information, call 702-938-1400 (Sahara) or 702-483-2200 (Centennial), or visit www.planetlv.com.