It is spacious, stylish and comfortable. Tucson, which was launched last year, is the result of some extended research and market survey. It is in the price bracket and segment wherein there is not much options for consumers.
Tucson is somewhere in between the top-end Santa Fe and the entry level SUV Creta. It comes in the price range of Rs.18.99 lakh to Rs.24.99 lakh. And, it is thus in the same class as Honda CR-V, Chevrolet Captiva and Renault Koleos. Well, no prizes for guessing who is set to be the top performer in this class.
The maker was not able to make Tucson perform well earlier when Tucson was launched in 2005. Probably, the market then wasn’t ready to afford Tucson at that price. After a few years, it was discontinued and forgotten.
The car now comes in both petrol and diesel 2.0 litre engine with an option of both 6-speed manual and automatic transmission. This time around it is designed in the company’s new design language ‘Fluidic Sculpture 2.0’. And then there are the usual hexagonal grille at the front, the swept-back LED lights, the imposing stance, the drooping rear and the dynamism.
Coming to the inside of the car, it is quite Creta-like yet distinct. It has dual-tone colours, an 8-inch touch screen with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and a host of other features which are easy to operate. The navigation, to mention in particular, offers a split screen view before an oncoming turn to aid in better understanding of the route to be taken. Well, this is a feature that I found to be of great utility in cities like Delhi.
However, Hyundai does miss out on the sunroof, electronically adjusted co-driver seat and the paddle shifts. It would also be a better deal if the steering wheel had more cushioned and comforting grip. The drive modes like eco and sports mode help in offering a varied experience altogether. And there is oodles of space for yourself and for your storages. Comfortable ride and stability with low noise and vibration inside the cabin is remarkable. However, a hill start and brake assist along with downhill brake control doesn’t really match with the front wheel drive only that is available. Though, the All-Wheel drive is expected to be out in 2017.
Nonetheless, I believe, at this point of time Hyundai understands the market quite well. It relates to the needs of the consumers. And has been delivering well. Tucson is yet another feather in the cap.
