Hyundai Tucson to Make Indian Comeback?

The Tucson was initially launched in India in 2005 but was discontinued soon after due to a lack in demand. In terms of design, the new-look, 3rd generation Tucson is far better to look at than its predecessor. The fluid-inspired lines and curves that run along its body-shell, paired with its aggressive front end gives the Tucson a sporty yet butch look.

The front fascia features a large trapezoidal grille up front with 3 chrome-lined slats, a pair of slender swept-back head-lamps and stylish two-part fog-lamp units which are integrated into angular enclosures in the heavily sculpted bumper. From the side, the relatively narrow chrome-lined glass house tapers upwards from the A pillar which makes for a sleek and aesthetically aerodynamic look. This is further highlighted by the prominent side-line that begins from the front wheel arch and runs across the side of car, parallel to the window line, before disappearing into the wrap-around section of the high mounted tail-lamp unit. The wheel arches themselves are uniquely designed and appear to lean forward. This and the dipping roofline further accentuate the new Tucsons's coupe-esque stance.

The rear of the vehicle features a pair of narrow, horizontally mounted tail-lamp clusters which are reminiscent of the units found on other current generation Hyundai vehicles. In fact, the combination of a low-lying rear roof-line with a spoiler, smallish rear windscreen, tailgate mounted number plate, and overall curvy design language makes the new Tucson look remarkably similar to the Hyundai Santa Fe and i20 Active both of which are also based on the aforementioned FS 2.0 design platform.

The interiors aren't exquisite to look at but appear neat and functional. The new Tucson comes equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment unit, soft touch plastics, an electronically operated Smart Tailgate, Electronic Parking Brake (EPB), a panoramic sunroof, automatic parking, and a driving mode selector. On the safety front, the Tucson has been packed with 6 airbags, Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Blind Spot Detection (BSD) technology, Static Cornering Lights (SCL), and Lane Departure Warning System with Lane Keep Assist (LKAS).

Internationally, the new Tucson is offered with a range of petrol and diesel engines although it's likely that if it were to come to India, the entire range of engines may not be on offer as it will probably be imported as a completely built unit (CBU). Given the mileage benefits of diesel engines, the India-spec Tucson is likely to feature one of the available variants of Hyundai's 2.0-litre CRDi powerbox. The more powerful version makes 182.5bhp and 402Nm of torque whereas the more environmentally friendly Blue Drive variant of the same engine makes 135bhp and 373Nm to keep mileage figures high. An even more efficient 1.7-litre CRDi Blue Drive unit is also available in foreign markets, which is good for 114bhp and 280Nm of torque. Currently, the diesel range is offered with a choice of either a 6-speed autobox or a 6-speed manual transmission in both AWD and FWD configurations. A dual-clutch gearbox is also offered but only on certain petrol variants.

If the new Tucson were to arrive on Indian shores, it would compete against the likes of other premium compact SUVs like the Honda CR-V. Pricing can be expected to fall in the sub-Rs 25 lakh category as it will be placed between the Hyundai Creta and Santa Fe SUVs.