Competition Check: Hyundai Tucson

Hyundai has launched the Tucson for the Indian market and has priced it in the range of Rs 18.99 lakh to Rs 24.99 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) it is the Korean automaker’s third SUV for India and slots in between the Creta and the slightly larger Santa Fe. While it may be Hyundai’s third SUV for the Indian market, it is the first one to enter this part of the market and manages to combine the benefits of the D-segment sedan along with the advantages of the having an SUV body style. Its pricing is such that we have found only two major rivals for the SUV and they are the top-of-the-line diesel automatic Skoda Octavia and the Honda CR-V which takes on the likes of the petrol variants of the Tucson.

Skoda Octavia
It’s the quintessential strongly built luxury sedan from a European manufacturer and takes on the Tucson thanks to its top-of-the-line Style Plus AT variant. In terms of body style, it is like comparing spaghetti and penne. They come from the same family and serve the same purpose but vary in appearance. Coming to features, we can see that both cars are evenly matched and have all the usual stuff that you would expect from vehicles in this part of the market like climate control, touchscreen infotainment system, electric seats and a plethora of safety of options like multiple airbags as well as a stability programme.
In terms of output, both make use of 2.0-litre diesel engines but the Tucson’s output at 182bhp/400Nm is much higher than the Octavia’s 141bhp/320Nm. Both make use of six-speed automatic gearbox.  
Where the Tucson has a slight advantage is that its crossover body means it has a much more impactful presence than the Skoda which by virtue of being under the VW umbrella is much more plain and silent looking. In terms of pricing, the Octavia (in this variant) is priced at Rs 22.92 lakh while the Tucson is priced at Rs 24.99 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The extra two lakhs that Hyundai has charged has come on the back of the fact that this is an SUV body style and that at present there is no real competition for the South Korean vehicle.  

Honda CR-V
The Honda CR-V exists only as a petrol model in India and for a long time was the only petrol in a large price range spanning both directions. However, with a consumer trend moving towards petrol powered cars and even the big players like Toyota introducing petrol versions of the Innova and Fortuner, it seems that the market is opening up to the idea of large size petrol vehicles. So this then seems like a good time for Hyundai to bring a petrol option for a new vehicle.
In terms of appearance both cars follow a similar silhouette with both embodying the low riding SUV style as well as curvy lines that define the design language of both automaker. The Tucson does manage to edge out the CR-V thanks its chrome package and large grille. They are evenly matched in terms of features and have seating for five persons in the cabin.
Both cars make use of 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. In the Honda it produces 187bhp/226Nm while the Tucson shares it petrol engine with Elantra and it produces 153bhp/192Nm. The CR-V is more powerful than the Tucson but it is also a heavier car and thus needs the additional motivation. It does have an advantage of the latter as it can be had with 2WD or 4WD while the Tucson can only be had in 2WD form.  An AWD variant has been planned for mid-2017 but this will be only for the diesel models. Model for model, the CR-V is priced Rs 2.25 lakh more than the Tucson.