Hyundai Tucson

Most of us know Hyundai for cars like the Grand i10 Nios, i20, Creta, and the Alcazar — all feature-loaded vehicles with strong positioning in their respective segments. With each of these vehicles, Hyundai has taken a step up while elevating its appeal. And now, here is its biggest step ever with the all-new next-generation Tucson.

The Tucson as a car has been on sale in India for a while now but much like everything else in Hyundai's stable in recent times, this one is all-new and a big leap from the old car. What’s changed? What’s new and what’s on offer? Let’s find out. 

Hyundai's flagship SUV has got a complete redo concerning exterior design. Up front, Hyundai has fitted its dark chrome parametric grille with distinctive stacked LEDs and low-set headlamps. When the car is turned off, the LEDs merge with the grille, thus giving it a clean appearance. Another distinct element here is the muscular bulge on the hood for that strong SUV stance.

In profile, this 2022 Tucson gets a low-slung stance with proportionate overhangs at both ends. Then, a lot of the muscle elements have been added to the side, thanks to a strong shoulder line, square wheel arches, and 18-inch wheels. The design for the wheels is also unique owing to their size and fan-like pattern.

Where Tucson stands out is its rear design. Here, the most distinct and visible element is the tail lamps with their claw-like pattern. Like the rest of Hyundai's SUV range, you get a connected tail lamp, a visible line running below the number plate slot, and the pattern on the bumper. Another unique element is the hidden rear wiper behind the high-mounted stop lamp.

Inside, you get a dual-tone white and black cabin with chrome elements on the dashboard and centre console. This new car is available for India in the LWB guide which means it's already longer than the standard Tucson and a full 85mm more than the outgoing model in terms of the wheelbase.

Initial impressions point to a low seating position for the front occupants but with sufficient headroom and legroom. Plus, everything falls easily to hand and all touch surfaces feel high quality. It's a similar story with the second row too, where there is enough space for three occupants even with the central AC vents and the middle occupant getting a firmer seat base.

These are, of course, initial impressions in the short time we spent in the car and will give you a full rundown on Tucson once we put it through CarTrade's rigorous testing process. The boot is massive with 60:40 split folding rear seats that can recline and also be folded down from the boot for additional storage. The loading lip is high but there is a thick hard plastic runner for the two-step loading process.

Hyundai is right up there when it comes to features and it should be no surprise that its new flagship SUV comes as a fully loaded offering. Apart from what is expected in the segment, you get features like dual-zone climate control with a touch-sensitive control interface, power front seats with the ability to control the passenger seat from the rear, rain-sensing wipers, and remote engine start.

The touchscreen is a 10.25-inch display with the usuals like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto but also boasting things like regional support for 10 languages with Alexa and Google voice support, nature sounds, and user profiles. Moreover, the Hyundai Bluelink system on this car gets over 60 features on the lines of safety, security, remote function, and location-based services. And all of these get over-the-air updates. 

On the safety front, you get six airbags, front and rear parking sensors, ESP, hill descent and assist control, blind view monitor, and disc brakes on all four wheels. However, the biggest safety addition is the inclusion of Hyundai SmartSense which is the South Korean automaker’s Level-2 ADAS package. You get cameras and radar-based technology which offers 19 assistance features along the lines of driving safety functions, driving convenience functions, and parking safety functions. With this, Hyundai has now joined the likes of Honda, MG, and Mahindra in this part of the market by offering ADAS functions in their vehicles. 

This new-generation Hyundai Tucson will be offered with 2.0-litre petrol and 2.0-litre diesel engine options. The petrol engine produces 153bhp/192Nm and offers only a six-speed automatic gearbox. The diesel, on the other hand, produces 184bhp/416Nm and is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. 

Hyundai is also offering AWD through its HTRAC technology. As a part of this, you also get three multi-terrain driving modes- Snow, Mud, and Sand which are expected to alter throttle and steering responses. These three are in addition to the existing modes of normal, eco, sport, and smart which are offered throughout the range.  Hyundai had previously offered AWD with the diesel-powered Tucson and at the time of writing this, they had not confirmed which versions would get AWD. 

Bookings for the Hyundai Tucson will open on July 18 and the price announcement will be made on August 4. We expect Hyundai to price it in the range of Rs 25 lakh to Rs 30 lakh.  This Hyundai SUV will go up against the Jeep Compass, Citroen C5 Aircross, and Volkswagen Tiguan. 

Photography: Jay Shah