Hyundai Alcazar

Expert Review by Maxabout

Introduction

The Alcazar is a three-row compact crossover SUV by the South Korean automaker, Hyundai. This made-in-India SUV was introduced to the Indian car market in April 2021 and gets a long-wheelbase version of the subcompact Creta with additional third-row seating, aesthetic variations, and a distinct powertrain option.

The Alcazar exemplifies Hyundai's understanding of what its customers want. Its most recent seven-seater offering is a lot more than just a large-sized SUV. As a result, the Alcazar has a commanding presence and an aura, and thanks to that, it is gaining traction in the country's SUV segment.

Hyundai Alcazar Design and Style

In terms of design and styling, Hyundai has done a lot of work on the Alcazar's appearance to set it apart from the Creta. To begin with the front fascia, the Alcazar gets all-LED three-pot headlamps as standard, along with split wraparound LED DRLs. The SUV's new cascading grille and length give it a distinctive stance and aesthetic appeal. The grille is more pronounced, finished in dark brushed metal with horizontal blocks rather than slats, and extends delicately to join the headlamps.

Lower down, there are larger, chrome-encased fog lamps with LED lighting, as well as a new scuff plate. The chrome treatment is on a high note, but it doesn't seem overdone. Looking at the side profile, a thin line of black plastic has been applied and there is also the presence of a segment-first metallic side-step.

The rear profile is also stunning, with honeycomb-inspired split LED taillights and a twin-tip exhaust. The most entrancing thing is the chrome design with Alcazar engraved on it, which joins the taillights. Talking about the body dimensions, the Alcazar has a larger wheelbase of 2760mm and is 4500mm in overall length, 1790mm in overall width, and 1675mm in overall height, with a fuel tank capacity of 50 litres.

Hyundai Alcazar Engine and Gearbox

When it comes to powertrains, Hyundai has offered the new Alcazar with two engine options. The first one is a 2.0-litre, 1999cc, 4-cylinder, 16-valve, DOHC petrol engine that uses a Multi-point injection (MPi) fuel system and generates 159HP at 6500rpm and a max torque of 191Nm at 4500rpm. The other one is a 1.5-litre, 1493cc, 4-cylinder, 16-valve, DOHC diesel engine that uses common rail direct injection (CRDi) technology and churns out 115HP at 4000rpm and 250 Nm of max torque at 1500–2750rpm. Both these engines are combined with either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission.

Hyundai Alcazar Interior, Instrument Cluster & Boot Space

Speaking of the interior of the Alcazar, Hyundai has opted for a premium-feeling brown interior trim, appropriately termed Cognac Brown. This can be experienced at night with one of the 64 ambient light colours, which adds to the upscale feel. The front seats are adequate, but the real selling point of the Alcazar is the second row of seats, which can be ordered as either two captain's seats or a three-seater bench.

The captain's seats are comfy and adaptable, and the backs of the front seats have a fold-out table with an incorporated cup holder as well as a tablet slot so that rear-seat commuters can use their tablets without having to hold them. The last row doesn't have as much space as a Tata Safari, but it's also not too small. You will not be uncomfortable sitting there, and there's plenty of headroom as well. There are also USB ports, cup holders, and AC vents with their own blower controls.

The instrument panel now has a 10.25-inch screen that can be customised to some extent, and it is worth noting that the digital instrument cluster theme also changes according to the mode you use, like Eco, Comfort, or Sport. Aside from showing the basic information like speedometer, tachometer, tyre pressure, and drive information, the two digital dials make their way to the blind-spot monitors while using right or left turn indicators. The manufacturer has offered the car a 180-litre boot, which is further expandable by folding the third-row seating.

Hyundai Alcazar Brakes, Suspension & Tyres

In terms of braking and suspension configuration in the Hyundai Alcazar, the braking duties are assigned to disc brakes at both the front and rear ends, while the suspension setup is handled by a McPherson strut with coil spring at the front and a coupled torsion beam axle (CTBA) at the rear. Hyundai has offered the SUV with 18-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels that are shod with tubeless tyres. Wheel size varies according to the variants, as the Prestige variant gets 215/60-R17 wheels while the Platinum and Signature variants get 215/55-R18 wheels. However, the 215/60-R17 steel spare wheel is similar on all trims.

Key Features of Hyundai Alcazar

Hyundai has loaded the new Alcazar with a plethora of sophisticated features, including trio beam LED headlamps with LED DRLs, Honey-comb inspired LED tail lamps, Shark fin antenna, Puddle lamps with Hyundai logo projection, LED fog lamps, 10.25-inch HD touchscreen system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, cooled glove box, voice-enabled smart panoramic sunroof, first in segment Bose premium sound system (8 speakers), first in segment Auto healthy air purifier with AQI display, 2nd row-one-touch tip-tumble captain & split seats, front row sliding sunvisor and 4 USB chargers for 3 rows.

The vast feature list doesn't end here. It further comprises third row AC vents with speed control, first and second-row smartphone wireless chargers, an 8-way powered driver seat, steering mounted controls, traction control modes called Sand, Snow, and Mud, Advanced Bluelink with OTA map updates, and so on. For passenger safety, the car comes with 6 airbags, ESC, vehicle stability management system, hill start assist control, emergency stop signal, speed alert system, speed-sensing auto door lock, driver rear view monitor, impact sensing auto door unlock, child seat anchor (ISOFIX), electric parking brake with auto-hold and much more.

Hyundai Alcazar Top Speed, Acceleration & Mileage

2023 Hyundai Alcazar petrol variant offers a top speed of 175+ kmph and it accelerates from 0 to 100 kph in 12.86 seconds and reaches 150 kph in 26 seconds flat. If we talk about the mileage, according to ARAI, the Alcazar Petrol mileage ranges from 14.20 to 14.50 kmpl. However, the mileage reported by Alcazar users for petrol models is 11–13 kmpl in the city and 13–14 kmpl on the highway. Hence, we can say the mileage may vary depending on terrain and driving style.

Hyundai Alcazar Variants and Colour Options

2023 Hyundai Alcazar SUV is available in six trim levels: Prestige MT, Prestige (O) AT, Platinum MT, Platinum (O) AT, Signature MT, and Signature (O) AT. The SUV is available in 6- and 7-seater configurations, with six single-tone colours including Taiga brown, Polar white, Phantom black, Typhoon Silver, Starry Night, and Titan Grey. In addition, there is dual-tone Polar white with a phantom black roof and Titan Grey with a phantom black roof also offered, but these are Signature 6S trim only.

Ex-showroom Price & On-Road Price

The ex-showroom price is the vehicle's manufacturing cost plus the dealer/seller profit + GST + transportation costs (from the manufacturing plant to the dealership). The on-road price, on the other hand, is the amount you pay the dealership to have the vehicle roadworthy. It includes the ex-showroom price in your city, as well as RTO (vehicle registration), a one-time road tax, insurance fees, and other optional costs. Please be aware that the on-road price in India varies significantly between states due to different proportions of state registration costs.

Hyundai Alcazar Competitors

2023 Hyundai Alcazar competes with the likes of Mahindra XUV500, Tata Safari, MG Hector Plus in its segment in the Indian car market.

Verdict - Should You Buy Hyundai Alcazar or not?

At this price point, Hyundai offered the new Alcazar with plenty of first-in-segment features, and the SUV is also comfy enough. However, the third-row seating has a bit of space, but still, it doesn't bother you. The second row is next-level comfortable. If you use the car for traveling by sitting in the back seat, then you must go for it. It also needs to be mentioned here that both diesel and petrol powertrains offer good mileage with good performance in the segment. Also, if you have the budget for any bigger SUV’s base variant, then you should opt for the Hyundai Alcazar to enjoy sophisticated technology and features in the 6- or 7-seater SUV. Moreover, the brand has developed an SUV with 5-way adjustable seating to make your journeys more interesting.