Hyundai has brought the 'Tucson' name back to India in the form of its latest third-generation mid-size crossover, with a new R series 2.0 litre engine
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Tucson, Arizona, may not be a city well known in India, save for a few followers of a certain wrestling franchise or for a history buff looking at the Spanish connection in the El Presidio San Agustin del Tucson, a fort that dates back to AD 1775. It was also the name of an ahead-of-its-time compact SUV that Hyundai brought in 11 years ago.
With a Fluidic 2.0 sculpted and LED treated exterior, the new Hyundai Tucson (pronounced 'too-sawn') is instantly perceived as one of the most contemporary-looking cars today. Of course, we had the top-of-the-line CRDi AT GLS turbo-diesel model with every box ticked. The "double-barrel" LED headlamps lend it a piercing glare, while the Santa Fe-ish grille makes it look more purposeful and premium. The LED tail-lamp cluster looks sharp and is reminiscent of the ones on the Elite i20 and Elantra, accompanied by a smooth light signature.
The interior is typically Hyundai and feels well put-together and nicely laid out. The key fob, the material on the dash, the steering wheel, buttons, and other controls are evidently sourced from the same parts bin, but familiarity and a hint of comfort-zone are not always bad.
The Tucson is a five-seater and has nicely contoured seats. While the driver gets a 10-way power-adjustable seat, the passenger makes do with a manual four-way adjustable one. At the rear, you have a reclining second row, which can also be split 60:40. There's an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment and navigation system, and Arkamys 'Sound Mood' with a choice of connectivity options: USB, Aux, Bluetooth and SD card. And this is all standard across all variants. Hyundai has clearly focused on the interior here. Comfort and goodies are all there regardless of which variant you choose. Some technological bits, however, are restricted to the GL and GLS trims.
The GL gets a smart key, to start things off, and an electric parking brake, replacing the old yank-to-engage handbrake. You also get the 10-way adjustable seat, drive modes, front parking sensors, a rear-view mirror with a digital compass, side and curtain airbags, leather upholstery, rear air vents with a cluster ioniser, and 18-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels with 225/55 R18 rubber. The manual-transmission models make do with 225/60 R17s on 17-inch alloys.
We were driving the top-spec automatic diesel. The engine is a new R-series 2.0-litre common-rail-direct- injection motor with a potent 185 PS and a hefty 400 Nm of torque. Hyundai was happy to announce a power-to-weight ratio of 112 PS/tonne. What's impressive is that they've managed 92.7 PS/litre and 200 Nm/litre — on par with some premium European offerings.
The CRDi Tucson can sprint in a straight line and overtake effortlessly. Changes of direction are handled with ease and the Tucson feels reassuring when a sudden lane-switch is demanded. The brakes are fantastic. Of course, all trims get ABS with EBD, but the GLS gets brake assist, stability control and vehicle stability management, not to mention hill-start assist as well as downhill assist.
We were now heading to the hills of Chandigarh and towards Baddi in Himachal Pradesh. The Tucson is resilient and comfortable in most cases and behaves very well, at least until a long sweeping bend arrives. There is body-roll; of course, it's not a low, small car. The bolster support on the front seats sort of falls short here. Thankfully, the tyres grip and the strut front and multi-link rear suspension put the wheels down firmly and absorbs the bumps very well. Honestly, it's a big car. You shouldn't be showing it corners north of 80 km/h.
With no 4x4 option and a 172-mm ground clearance, the Tucson is not going to attack trails, but it doesn't mean it can't handle the rough stuff. We found a dirt road and it took on the terrain without any scratches or contact. The front and rear parking sensors are a big help here, as are the skid-plates and the rounded overhangs. We can't help but wonder if there would be an all-wheel-drive variant some time next year, given the demand for one.
For now, the Tucson will fight primarily the top-end Mahindra XUV500 and Škoda Yeti, among others. At R26.16 lakh (ex-showroom), the GLS diesel does demand quite a lot of money, pushing it in the realm of much larger competition. Hyundai is aware of that, but they are also aware that they are recognised as a brand on the move, and the Creta has cemented their success in the crossover SUV plane. The Tucson will serve well to cater to those who want an even larger, better equipped, even more modern, butch and attractive crossover. It's taken the urban runabout vehicle recipe and added a dash of Korean flair. Will it be a success? Yes. It's come again, and it's back with a vengeance.
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