Korean SUVs which currently exist in our market from the house of Hyundai and Kia have proven to be a runaway success. Hyundai is looking forward to continuing that streak with its Alcazar, otherwise known as the 7-seater version of the Creta. But whatever information we have received so far, it is pretty evident that the Alcazar is a lot more than just a 7-seater version of the Creta. It is one of the most hotly anticipated cars of recent times. It was slated to launch in April but the pandemic delayed things further.
More details
According to a fresh media report, the carmaker will announce prices of the Alcazar SUV in the third week of the next month (i.e. between 14th to 19th June). Unofficial bookings for the vehicle have already been commenced at select Hyundai dealerships.
Powertrain options
This is another area where the Alcazar is quite different from the Creta. While Hyundai Creta is available with three engines — 1.5-litre petrol, 1.4-litre turbo petrol, and 1.5-litre diesel — the Alcazar is available with a choice between a 2.0-litre petrol engine and a 1.5-litre turbocharged diesel powerplant. The petrol unit is the third generation Nu 2.0 unit that puts out best-in-segment 157 bhp and 191 Nm of peak torque. Hyundai noted that the Alcazar petrol can go from zero to 100 km/h in less than 10 seconds.
The 1.5-litre diesel engine, on the other hand, develops 113 bhp and 250 Nm of peak torque, which is the same as in Creta diesel. Both the powerplants are available with a choice between a six-speed manual gearbox and a six-speed automatic transmission. Hyundai claims that both the engines on the Alcazar deliver best-in-segment fuel economy. These gearboxes have been taken from Creta but the company claims to have improved them for better performance.
Design
Both the SUVs have the same tri-beam LED headlamp setup but the Alcazar gets a slightly different chrome-studded cascading grille. The rear overhang seems longer than before and that has been done to accommodate the extra row of seating.
The profile of this SUV is quite similar to Creta except that it’s visually longer, thanks to 2,760 mm of wheelbase, which is 150 mm more than that available on the Creta. The increased length is further reinforced by the step-board and the new design for the 18-inch alloy wheels sets the Alcazar apart from its five-seater sibling.
Cabin
The feature list could also be identical to the 5-seater version of the Creta. It is expected to come with a digital instrument cluster, panoramic sunroof, BOSE sound system, and a 10.25 inch touchscreen infotainment system with support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Connectivity platform Blue Link will also be available, although there may be some changes in the list of features. Being a more premium offering as compared to the Creta, the Alcazar is expected to be even more feature-loaded!