[dropcap]H[/dropcap]yundai Motors Nigeria, manufacturers and distributors of Hyundai automobiles, on Thursday, unveiled the all new third-generation 2016 Tucson, an SUV that successfully mixes value and practicality.
The event, which held in Victoria Island, Lagos, was marked by a special presentation to the motoring media and concluded with a city test-drive of the car and its sibling, the Creta.
The visually striking 4WD Tucson replaces iX35 as Korean automaker’s rival for best sellers like Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV-4, Nissan Qashqai, Kia Sportage, Skoda Yeti, Renault Duster, Ford Escape and Mazda CX3.
Styling
Redesigned from ground up with a brand new chassis, the Tucson is another step up from its predecessor, and it offers distinctive styling and tremendous features that make a distinction from competitors in the mid-size SUV crowd.
Hyundai has styled the Tucson to look like a mini Santa-Fe – striking characteristic competitors would have to contend with in successive years to oust this nicely styled car that has all the trappings of a luxury.
Among Tucson’s most attractive lures is the car’s new suite treated to the automaker’s latest ‘Fluidic Sculpture 2.0’ design. This gives the car sporty forward stance and sharp creases like the Santa-Fe. This semblance is noticeable in the Tucson’s large trapezoidal grille and the new chassis, which now uses 50% high-strength steel compared to its predecessor’s 18%.
Power
The Tucson comes with efficient engines and a strong suite of safety kits backed by five years or 100, 000km warranty. Under the hood, Hyundai Tucson’s powertrain offerings is enhanced with top efficient Nu engine family 2.0-litre direct-injection four-cylinder engine with 164 brake horsepower (bph) and 151 lb.-ft. of torque, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.
The six-speed automatic offers SHIFTRONIC™ manual shifting mode and includes an overdrive lock-up torque converter for higher fuel economy at highway speeds.
EPA fuel economy for the 2.0L 4WD model is rated at 23 (city), 31 (highway), 26 (combined). The 26-mpg combined fuel economy rating is a one-mpg improvement over the previous model.
Comfort and Space
In his presentation to the motoring media on Thursday, Hyundai Motors Nigeria’s Head of Sales and Marketing, Jatin Nadkarni, affirmed that the new Tucson has plenty of cabin space for five adults and ample boot capacity than most rivals in the mid-sized SUV segment.
Tucson’s second-row of the five-passenger interior has similarly improved in size and sophistication with a six-way manually adjustable driver’s seat and lumbar support.
Also noteworthy is the Tucson’s near flat-folding rear seats and dual-level cargo floor allowing ample space to store consignment underneath the floor.
“In fact, four six-footers won’t have any trouble getting comfortable in the Tucson – thanks to a roomy cabin that’s top of the class space-wise,” Mr. Nadkarni assured.
Interior
The design progress inside the new Tucson for example is evidently glaring with a mix of sophisticated, cohesive, premium shine plastics with splashes of chrome and smooth rolling dials that gives high-end feels
Even so, the eight-inch touch screen is home to audio, and a raft of in-car information displays with intuitive pathways. There’s also good storage pockets with 12-volt, auxiliary and USB points that are sensibly positioned forward of the gear change, allowing ease of access.
Safety and Equipment
Local drivers especially in Nigeria would find the Tucson extremely delightful to drive, because of the improved suspension that ensures more precise handling without sacrificing ride comfort. Hyundai claims to have spent significant time testing dampers, anti-roll bars, springs, drivetrains, transmissions and wheel sizes to enhance the ride quality and deliver perfect balance between rough terrain and smooth highways.
A world’s first shock-absorber mounting structure, the 2016 Tucson employs a dual-reinforcing panel rear wheelhouse design, which optimizes panels that are prone to vibration, resulting in a 109 percent increase in rigidity, reduced road noise levels and ride and handling improvements.
The front suspension is a MacPherson strut design, with coil springs, gas-filled shock absorbers and a 24.7 mm stabilizer bar. The rear suspension is an independent, multi-link design, now with dual lower arms for both FWD and AWD, for optimal ride comfort and body control. Overall, front and rear suspension setups are now 20 percent stiffer than the outgoing iX35.
Standard equipment on the Tucson is reasonably impressive with air-condition, alloy wheels, DAB digital radio, Bluetooth phone connectivity, USB ports, 18 inch alloy wheels, child safety PR DR lock, keyless entry with burglar alarm and automatic headlights.
Available in Elegance and Evolution variants, the Evolution has optional features including auto Defrog system, ECM+Rear view camera, leather seats, power seats, parking assist, cruise control, privacy glass, button start (smart key) among others.
And talking reliability and safety, the Tucson recently scored 5-star rating from the EuroNCAP crash test – thanks to a full suite of safety kit such as Blind Spot Detection System, Rear Traffic Alert and Autonomous Emergency Braking. Tucson scored 85% for adult and child protection respectively.
Last Words
From all indications, Tucson is Hyundai’s best car yet and revving hard towards dominating the medium-size SUV segment.
