From the Outside

Fluidic sculpture ensures lots of curves and creases. Although, at first glance, the Tucson looks like one of the vehicles from the animated motion picture Cars, largely because of the front grill that gives the impression that the car is smiling. The Tucson is Hyundai’s first CUV that was designed in Europe. Its Frankfurt-based design and engineering centers have given the Tucson a bold and unique style that makes it easy to spot in a parking lot.

The Tucson gives up the somewhat frumpy looks of its predecessor and, with its short overhangs and angular curves, it has a confident stance. The sculpted hood, wrap-around headlights, and rear roof spoiler give it a refined and purposeful look. The Tucson has a unique blend of form and function. According to Hyundai, its designers and engineers paid close attention to the size of the door openings to ensure easy ingress and exit, something that I can certainly attest to.

From the Inside

The interiors of the Tucson are spacious with ample room for five people and their luggage. The interior fit-and-finish is good. However I didn’t really care for the multiple colors of the dashboard material. The thick rimmed steering wheel has a nice feel, and also has the now customary switchgear for the stereo, Bluetooth and cruise control all built in. The Tucson has the same stellar Bluetooth and navigation system that we experienced in the Hyundai Genesis. The dashboard has a digital information display that gives the driver some useful information – however Hyundai needs to further improve screen resolution to provide better visibility. Small trays have been integrated into the door panels so you can conveniently stow your cell phone, while a center armrest and rear cargo storage tray give you additional and useful storage options. One of the Tucson’s design mandates, and primary strengths, is its versatile cargo-carrying capability. With the back seat folded down, the Tucson can easily hold a mountain bike and a couple of golf sets. The Tucson has the option of a panoramic sunroof, which is great for cruising in California – however it may not be of much use during the scorching Indian summer.

The Tucson comes with a full complement of airbags to ensure its passengers safety. It has six standard airbags that help protect front-seat passengers from front and side impacts. Side-curtain airbags extend to the rear seats to protect those occupants as well, and include roll-over sensors. It has an occupant classification system that can detect the size of a front-seat passenger and adjust airbag deployment accordingly. According to Hyundai, the system is so smart that if no passenger is detected, the passenger-side airbag won’t inflate at all, reducing repair costs.

On the Road

The Hyundai Tucson features a 2.4 liter, 4 cylinder engine that pumps out a healthy 170 horsepower. The engine is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission, which provides surprisingly smooth and brisk shifts. The Tucson features Shiftronic that gives the driver the option of clutchless manual shifting when driving on inclines, winding roads, or when preparing to pass. However, it would be nice to have steering mounted paddles that are available on some of the competition. Under the hood, the engine seems surprisingly compact, and, given the amount of space available in the engine bay, a V6 option may be on the cards in the future – at least in the US market.

While on the road, you do need to realize that this is a vehicle with a high center of gravity, and cannot take corners like a sedan. There is some amount of body-roll, however the traction control will rein things in before the driver gets too exuberant. Hyundai does have an ominous sign on the driver’s sun-visor warning of rollover risk! Our test vehicle was a front wheel drive specimen, fine for tarmac driving, however this severely limited the ability to take the vehicle off-road. Frankly, in my opinion, one of the joys of having a soft roader is the ability to go off the beaten track when the need arises, and therefore not having 4x4 as standard fitment is a big disadvantage. I guess if you’re only going to use the Tucson to take the kids to school, front-wheel drive is adequate. However, if you want to explore the varied parts of the country, it’s well worth getting the 4x4 version that’s also available.

With a high seating position, the Tucson makes the driver feel like he or she is driving an SUV, however the driving experience is that of a car. And that really is where Hyundai is trying to position the Tucson. It’s designed to provide the utility and space of an SUV, while retaining the efficiency and driving dynamics of a sedan. Mechanically, the Tucson is very competent – it has a good four cylinder engine, with strong torque. In fact, engine technology is another reflection of Hyundai’s improving engineering. For instance, the pistons themselves are very light and engineered with a great deal of precision to enable high compression.

Verdict

The Hyundai Tucson could be a great addition to the Indian line up. The company is currently talking about launching the new Sante Fe SUV towards the end of the year. The Sante Fe is larger and more expensive than the Tucson, and, in my opinion, the new Tucson would have a larger number of takers. Plus, the old Tucson had a small, but very faithful, following in India. The new model is a clear step above – its cutting edge, stylish, well made and very competent from behind the wheel. Moreover, interior space utilization is excellent, and that gives it an edge over sedans. And, of course, it would certainly take the fight to the likes of the Honda CR-V and Mitsubishi Outlander.