Hyundai Alcazar. 6- and 7-seater SUV

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**Hyundai Alcazar ** is a passion, aggression and above all it is for those who seek a new experience altogether. It is a three row-SUV derived from Hyundai’s best-selling Creta. Alcazar is a complete length of 200mm and height of 40mm, and has 10mm more ground clearance and critically, a longer wheelbase of 150mm. It also gets a larger 2.0-litre petrol engine and some impressive additions to the already lengthy equipment list of features. Will show you how it plans to take on rivals like the MG Hector Plus and the Tata Safari.

Highlights of the SUV

• Premium dual tone cognac brown interiors which redefine superiority, comfort and versatility.
• Well cushioned front seats that offers great forward visibility.
• 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster changes, depending on the drive mode.
• 1.5 diesel offers excellent performance but feels a little out of depth on hills when fully loaded.
• 2.0-litre petrol offer more effortless performance in comparison.
• 8-inch wheels and shorter tyre sidewalls makes Alcazar feel fidgetier over broken patches of road.

Exterior design

Looks wise, the Alcazar is similar to Creta from the front view but has its own bespoke touches to differentiate itself. The falling front grille retains the shape of the Creta but comes in a new chrome-studded style. The grille looks brave and bold, finished in dark brushed metal and horizontal blocks extending itself to subtly connect with the headlamps. Lower down is the large chrome encashed fog lamp with LED illumination. The outline of the SUV is such that it looks longer with distinct changes beyond the C-pillar featuring a larger glass quarter panel. It also has 18-inch alloy wheels which is a size larger than the Creta. At the back, the Alcazar has been styled to have a more upright tailgate, while the LED tail lamps have been revamped as well. The roof is taller to accommodate the heads of your two passengers and the profile of the SUV is not van like as others.

Engine and Performance

There is a new 2.0-litre aspirated petrol engine on offer that makes 159hp and 191Nm of torque. Shared with the Creta, however, is the 115hp, 250Nm diesel engine, but as per Hyundai the gear ratios and state of tune have been altered for better low-down responses.

In actual, the diesel engine feels superb in the Alcazar, as it did in the Creta, provided the car is not completely loaded up. It’s extremely refined, right off the bat, and will pick up speed instantly from standstill quite well. The 6-speed automatic version, and the smooth torque-converter ’box is smart enough to understand when the engine needs a downshift. But at the same time, at some extremely slow speeds when the engine goes off boost, it does delay and feel a little jumpy upon shifting.

In initial tests, the Alcazar 1.5 diesel-automatic did 0-100kph in 12.57sec. And this is where the petrol engine performance too well, with the automatic version doing 0-100kph in 9.80sec, and 20-80kph and 40-100kph in 6.45sec and 8.21sec, respectively which quite good. The petrol-automatic feels the strongest versus the diesel version.

Features and equipment

This one is a fully loaded SUV. Similar to Creta some of the elements are a 10.25-inch touchscreen with connected-car tech, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, auto climate control, a wireless phone charger, tyre pressure monitor, drive and traction modes, Bose sound system, auto LED headlamps and the big panoramic sunroof. Moreover, it also gets fully digital instrument cluster, 64-colour ambient lighting, puddle lamps that project the Hyundai logo, larger 18-inch alloy wheels, a second wireless charger for the middle row and a 360-degree surround camera array. In fact, the equipment list is likely to be a big pull for customers, as it is far ahead of what any rivals offer. The long wheelbase allows greater use of inside space. USB ports, cup holders, as well as AC vents with their own blower control are some of the standard ones.

Ride and Handling

It is known for its ease of driving. In true Hyundai style, the steering doesn’t attempt to be sharp or weighty, but is instead easy to twirl for parking and darting through traffic. In fact, amongst all the cars in this segment, this one is by far the easiest to drive (and park) and its relatively small dimensions are a positive here.

The suspension is soft. The gentle suspension does give the Alcazar a nice cushy ride quality, and though a bumpy road moves its occupants around a little bit, like the MG Hector but is unlike the tough and all-dominating ride of the Tata Safari. Another thing to note is that the Alcazar diesel’s steering and suspension feel a little stiffer versus the petrol’s, which feels a lot lighter on its feet.

Price and verdict

Alcazar is offered in three trim levels, with price ranging from Rs 16.30 lakh to Rs 20 lakh, and all of them are very well furnished. In comparison to Creta, it sounds expensive, but when viewed in the context of its main rivals, the pricing is on the hip.

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