Hyundai Tucson

Exterior

The 2016 Tucson carries the brand's Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design pretty well. At the front, the dominating hexagonal grille looks pretty massive, and is flanked by a pair of sleek, swept-back headlamps with dual-barrel LED lights incorporated in them. The lower half of the bumper looks quite edgy and sporty. Viewed from the side, the wheel arches are mildly flared, and there's a strong character line that rises upwards as it flows to the rear, giving it a muscular look. Even the 18-inch alloy wheels look neat. At the rear, the slim tail lamps and large tail gate look really attractive.

Variants

The Hyundai Tucson variants for the petrol and diesel models are as follows: Nu 2.0 2WD MT, 2.0 2WD GL AT, 2.0 2WD GL (O) AT, 2.0 2WD GLS AT and R 2.0 2WD MT, 2.0 2WD GL AT, 2.0 2WD GL (O) AT and 2.0 4WD GLS AT. Features include an 8.0-inch touchscreen unit, steering mounted audio controls, Bluetooth, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, voice recognition, aux-in connectivity, parking sensors, auto-opening boot and a leather-wrapped steering among other goodies. On the safety front, it is equipped with ABS with EBD, six airbags, ESC, downhill brake control and hill start and brake assist.

Interior

The cabin of the Tucson is somewhat similar to that of the Creta's. The black-and-beige dashboard looks nice, and the dials are easy to read. There's also a 4.2-inch colour screen that shows the trip computer reading and a few other details. Fit and finish of plastics are quite good, and the leather-wrapped steering feels nice to hold. Space on the inside is in abundance. Leg room at the rear is never an issue, and the seat backs can be reclined as well. Even the front seats offer ample cushioning and impressive under thigh support. Boot space, at 513 litres, is more than sufficient for a couple of suitcases.

Engine Specifications & Performance

The Hyundai Tucson is powered by two engine options: a 2.0-litre petrol engine that makes 153bhp and 192Nm of torque, and 2.0-litre diesel engine that produces 182bhp and 400Nm of torque. Both engines come with the option of either a 6-speed automatic or manual gearbox. The petrol engine is best suited for the city, and the engine does sound a bit loud at higher speeds. The diesel engine, on the other hand, is quite powerful and has torque in abundance in the lower rev range, and it sounds pretty refined too, while the gearbox is a slick unit. Ride quality is really good, and the steering is well-weighted.

Mileage

The Hyundai Tucson's ARAI-certified fuel efficiency figure is rated at 18.42kmpl for the diesel model and 13.03kmpl for the petrol model.