Hyundai Motors Nigeria, manufacturers and distributors of Hyundai automobiles, unveiled the third-generation 2016 Tucson SUV March 3rd in Lagos. Also with its all new Hyundai Creta, the auto makers are charting a new course in modern SUV.
Beginning from 2016, Hyundai will be assembling all the models in Nigeria in compliance with the country’s automotive policy.
Exciting features of the 4WD Tucson include its visually striking appeal, efficient engines, a strong suit of safety kit like the Santa Fe. It is incredibly spacious, dwarfing rivals in practicality, boot space and generous standard kits.
Speaking during the product presentation, Mr. Jatin Nadkarni, head of sales and marketing, Hyundai Motors Nigeria said, the Tucson, redesigned from ground up with a brand new chassis, is another step up from its predecessor, offering distinctive styling and tremendous features that distinguish it from competitors in the mid-size SUV market.
Hyundai has styled the Tucson to look like a mini Santa-Fe – one striking characteristic Nadkarni said competitors will have to contend with in successive years to match a car that has all the trappings of a luxury. The new Tucson has plenty of cabin space for five adults and bigger boot capacity than most rivals in the mid-sized SUV segment.
Standard equipment on the Tucson include 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.
According to Nadkarni, Tucson is 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.
Improved features of the Tucson include a six-way manually adjustable driver’s seat and lumbar support, the second-row of the five-passenger interior – which has improved in size and sophistication, its near flat-folding rear seats as well as dual-level cargo floor that allows ample space to store consignment underneath.
Hyundai Tucson is powered by 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.
Its 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.
A much-desired electric tailgate reveals a large load capacity – 488-litres growing to 1478 with the seats folded flat – that offers a good load height with plenty of anchor points; a 12-volt outlet and a dedicated light. There’s also a spot to easily secure the retractable cover when it’s not in use.
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.
Affirming these qualities, Nadkarni said Tucson has resultantly become quieter with less road noise in the cabin especially when cruising on the highway and the body roll has been improved to eliminate unpleasant leaning through fast corners.
Nadkarni said the 2016 Hyundai Tucson has made noticeably gains in overall comfort but most appreciated is its well-insulated cabin that keeps outside sounds at bay and a new suspension setup that can easily soak bumps and nasty road imperfections. “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,” he said.
On reliability and safety, Nadkarni said the Tucson recently scored a perfect 5-star rating from the EuroNCAP crash test and 85% for adult and child protection respectively. Its full suite of safety kit includes blind spot detection system, rear traffic alert and autonomous emergency braking.
The Tucson is reckoned as Hyundai’s best car yet capable of dominating the medium-size SUV segment in the years ahead.
Creta SUV is a new product line from the Korean automaker’s sport utility vehicle stable. The car is targeted to cater for a teeming market segment of young couples, emerging business owners and upwardly mobile executives.
At the product presentation in Lagos on March 3rd, Nadkarni said Hyundai is pitching the Creta against notable rivals like Ford Ecosport, Renault Duster, Peugeot 2008, Chevrolet Trax and Nissan Juke but hopeful it would be a blockbuster in the compact SUV segment.
He said the Creta has been developed with sturdy suspensions to ride effortlessly on bad terrains and soak up bumps without sacrificing comfort and agility.
The car is powered by four-cylinder GAMMA 1.6Litre engine with 159cc, delivering 121.3bhp @ 6,400rpm and 151Nm of torque mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.
Hyundai is making a promise to prospective customers that they have nothing to worry about the new Creta, which draws its name from the 5th largest island in the Mediterranean – Crete (creative).
The Creta is not entirely outlandish, it said, having shared basic platform with Hyundai i20. It is currently sold in China as iX25.
The Creta casts an image of a diminutive Santa Fe with all the trappings of opulence at the price of a family sedan – thanks to a design that is inspired by the larger Santa Fe, Nadkarni said. The Creta offers spacious, inspiringly built cabin packed with equipment and proper SUV proposition. The rear seat, for instance, gets armrest fitted with two cup holders.
Other remarkable features of the Creta are its tremendously light steering, smooth changing gears and swift response to acceleration which are designed to make driving in busy traffic a painless experience.
Surprisingly too, Creta doesn’t tremble in fear at the sight of curves rather it sticks to its ‘Live Brilliant’ attribute and steers perfectly well to get you where you desire to be, according to Nadkarni. “These elements draw attention to its bold and imposing chrome-grilled imbued with LEDs that aren’t daytime running lights,” he said.
The Creta is available in two variants – elegance and evolution, offering a retinue of equipment as standard, including ESC (electronic stability control) that works in conjunction with a vehicle stability management programme; ABS (anti-lock brake system), Bluetooth, park assist, rear air vents, centre arm rest, side repeater lamps, dual airbag among others.
Optional equipment on Evolution are leather seats, back warning camera, console cover leather, smart key (button start) and climate control automatic air-condition.
Though the car market is expected to be bearish in the light of the economic situation, Hyundai expects the Creta SUV to be upbeat in the compact SUV segment where some rival brands haven’t exploited optimally. The Creta casts an image of a full-time SUV – raised stance, high roofline with roof rails, black cladding all around and gap between wheel arches with massive 205/65/16-inch alloy wheels.
Creta comes with elongated headlights and tail lamps, which are archetypal of Hyundai Fluidic Sculpture design. It also has heavy doors that allow good visibility even in hidden corners and places that are inaccessible to the eye sight. Safety features include two airbags with ABS and EBD.
The dashboard gets silver inserts for vents and edges to make it different and even the gearbox surrounds get the same. Space in the front and rear is also very generous in terms of the legroom, headroom, knee and shoulder room too.
