Tucson launch during the festive season; will rival XUV and may be priced slightly over it…
Hyundai doesn’t have a very comprehensive SUV line-up in India. Right at the top is the Santa Fe, whose top end variant is the only four wheel drive product in the Indian range. And at the bottom is the insanely overpriced Creta which has become a star seller in the compact SUV territory, for reasons unknown to mankind! Then they have the cross hatchback i20 Active. This leaves a big vacuum between the 15 to 25 lakh price bracket and this is what they intend to plug with their Tucson.
Showcased at the February 2016 Auto Expo, Tucson has been spotted testing for the first time on Indian roads by a Motoroids reader. In its third generation avatar, Tucson will be brought to India via the Completely Knocked Down (CKD) route. Be it the Santa Fe-resembling front grille or the Creta-ish tail lamps, individuality is not Hyundai’s strong point. The family resemblance is hard to miss.
Powering the Tucson is expected to be a 2.0 litre diesel engine which is available in two power tunes (136 PS/372 Nm and 185 PS/402 Nm). A 1.7 litre diesel is also available internationally churning out 115 PS and 279 Nm. Petrol option is limited to a 1.6 litre petrol (132 PS/160 Nm and 177 PS/265 Nm).
We would love to see the inclusion of an all-wheel drive option in the new Tucson for the Indian market. A launch during the festive season is definitely on the cards.
