The new Hyundai Tucson is expected to make its India debut at the upcoming 2016 Auto Expo in Greater Noida. This will essentially be a show debut of the crossover for India with the launch taking place sometime later in the year. With the Tucson, once a competitor of the CR-V in India before being withdrawn from the market, Hyundai is planning to slot a product between the hot-selling Creta and the expensive Santa Fe.
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The Indian version of the crossover is expected to be powered by a 2.0 litre CRDi diesel engine with a peak power output of 182hp and peak torque rated at 400Nm. Featuring Hyundai’s Active On-Demand AWD system the car will be available only with a six-speed automatic transmission.
The new Tucson offers a fresh, sporty exterior and appealing interior design over the previous model. The angular, sculpted machine gets a hexagonal-shaped grille, high-efficiency LED twin-projector headlights, LED headlight accents and integrated LED Daytime Running Lights (DRLs).
The new model gets its wheelbase increased by more than an inch, for increased interior space, better ride and enhanced design proportions. The Tucson also gets the option of 19-inch alloy wheels for the first time.
At the rear a Z-shaped character line above the rear wheels accentuates an aggressive, sporty side profile. The rear view gets a wide, sporty stance. The taillights also utilize LED technology. Finally, twin, bevel-cut chrome exhaust tips and a standard rear spoiler add more sporty cues from the rear view.
On the inside, the new Tucson gets a premium, leather-wrapped instrument panel with a wide look. A leather-stitched pad is located near the driver’s right knee, for better comfort during long commutes or spirited cornering. The car also gets premium, soft-touch materials, and a full-length panoramic sunroof as an option. Infotainment is taken care of by a standard five-inch color LCD display with rearview camera and touchscreen function. For audiophiles, Tucson also offers an available 405-watt, AM/FM/SiriusXM premium audio system with eight speakers.
The 2016 Tucson gets enhanced passenger space and more cargo room over the previous model. The rear liftgate opening has been enlarged in every dimension, for greater cargo flexibility. The 60/40 rear seatbacks have a greater range of adjustable recline for varying combinations of passengers and cargo.
2016 Tucson also offers Drive Mode Select, which allows the driver to customize their Tucson’s dynamic responses, such as steering feel, transmission and overall powertrain responsiveness.
On the safety front, the 2016 Tucson new, advanced safety technologies such as Automatic Emergency Braking with pedestrian detection, Lane Departure Warning System, Blind Spot Detection, Rear Cross-traffic Alert, Lane Change Assist, Backup Warning Sensors and standard rearview camera are offered. We can’t be sure if any of those features will be offered on the India model though.
Tucson also features a standard Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) that alerts drivers if one or more tires are under-inflated, including the tire’s location.
The new 2016 Hyundai Tucson is likely to be imported via the CBU route and will cost Rs 20 lakh or thereabouts.
Does the overhauled 5-seater appear to be worth your money? Do let us know if the Tucson makes you consider it seriously if you were looking for an SUV-ish vehicle for about 20 lakh.
