Hyundai Alcazar has the longest wheelbase and largest bootspace in the seven-seater SUV segment; will be offered with a 2.0-litre petrol and a 1.5-litre diesel engine
Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) revealed the Alcazar only recently in its production avatar and it will be officially launched in the coming weeks. The seven-seater SUV is the biggest launch from the South Korean auto major this year and it will be positioned above the Creta mid-size SUV in the domestic lineup taking advantage of the latest trend.
In recent months, we have seen carmakers introducing the three-row versions of their regular mid-size five-seaters and Hyundai follows a similar strategy. The Alcazar will compete against the recently launched MG Hector Plus and Tata Safari along with the Mahindra XUV500, which is said to be discontinued ahead of the arrival of the XUV700.
The Alcazar is expected to be priced slightly above the Creta in the Rs. 11.5 lakh to Rs. 19.5 lakh (ex-showroom) price range and in a similar fashion to its mid-size sibling, it will be sold in an expansive range. To differentiate itself from the competitors, Hyundai has done some clever bits including the adoption of a longer wheelbase to liberate more room at the back.
The Alcazar has several commonalities with the Creta on the design department but it has 150 mm longer wheelbase, which implies to being 19 mm and 10 mm longer than the Safari and Hector Plus respectively. Consequently, the seven-seater SUV has the largest bootspace in the segment at 180 litres when all seats are set in place (73 litres and Hector Plus has 155 litres).
From the sides, you could see the more upright tailgate, longer rear overhang and prominent rear quarter glass as well as a set of 18-inch alloy wheels. As for the performance, a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine found in the Tucson and Elantra, and a 1.5-litre four-cylinder diesel unit that is present under the bonnet of the Creta.
The former delivers a maximum power output of 159 PS and 192 Nm while the latter kicks out 115 PS and 250 Nm. Both are paired with either a six-speed MT or a six-speed AT. The equipment list boasts of an assortment of safety, connectivity, comfort and convenience based features as the Hyundai Alcazar is expected to spice things up in the three-row space upon arrival.