The 7-seat Hyundai Creta is expected to be christened as ‘Alcazar’, and will put up against the MG Hector Plus, Tata Safari as well as the upcoming next-gen Mahindra XUV500
Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) released a new-gen model for the Creta mid-size SUV in India last year, and the updated car is based on an entirely new platform that is capable to to be used for slightly bigger vehicles as well. Hence, Hyundai is planning to make use of the platform and introduce a 7-seat SUV that will actually be based on the Creta itself.
According to new speculations, Hyundai is all set to launch the car in the Indian market in April 2021. Ahead of its launch, the seven-seat Creta has been spied on test a range of times, the most recent one being earlier this week when the upcoming SUV was spotted testing in Chennai, covered in camouflage.
However, the new spy shots do reveal some information about the SUV’s rear end design. The spied car featured a wraparound LED taillights, while the seven-seat Creta is also expected to get a revised rear bumper. In order to fit the extra third row of seats, the car will be getting a longer rear overhang, while the wheelbase will likely be the same as the five-seat Creta.
Apart from the additional row of seats, the cabin layout is expected to be borrowed as it is from the Creta. The seven-seat SUV will likely be equipped with features like a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment with smartphone connectivity, an 8-speaker Bose sound system, Hyundai’s BlueLink connected-car tech, a panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, power adjustable driver’s seat, a 7-inch TFT colour display in the instrument cluster, a touch-enabled smart air purifier, paddle shifters and drive mode select too.
Powering the car will also likely be the same set of engines that perform duties on the five-seat Creta. Hyundai currently offers the Creta with three engine options – a 1.5-litre NA petrol engine that makes 115 PS power and 144 Nm torque; a 1.4-litre turbo petrol motor that produces 140 PS and 242 Nm; as well as a 1.5-litre diesel engine that has a peak power output of 115 PS and a max torque rating of 250 Nm.
As mentioned earlier, the seven-seat version of the Creta is expected to be launched in April this year, and the production-ready car is expected to be named ‘Alcazar’. That being said, the SUV will directly rival the likes of the MG Hector Plus, Tata Safari, as well as the upcoming next-gen Mahindra XUV500.