[CEF_Beasts]

Hyundai Tucson Signature Diesel 8AT H-TRAC TD Experience

Wanted to check out the 4th Gen Tucson, ever since it was launched back in 2022.

Was in the vicinity of the Modi Hyundai showroom in Kanjurmarg, with some time to kill called them to ask about the TD vehicle being available to which they confirmed yes and I was at the dealership in 15 mins.

For reference, I had purchased my Creta Petrol AT from the same dealership 6 years back.

What I Liked

• Solid build quality unlike other Hyundais, several soft touch points are present throughout the cabin and being a CKD it shows.

• All seats are extremely soft and comfortable. Ventilated Front seats work just like they should and my back was cooled within 5 mins

• The knurled pattern on the piano-black indicator and wiper stalks felt damn premium, dare I say even more than my BMW !! Now that’s saying something…

• The 540L boot is well shaped and can take in lots of luggage.

• The space for knick-knacks in the centre console is extremely well thought of: 2 large cup holders right beside the gear-lever and some space ahead of the gear-lever which houses the wireless-charger as well.

• Since India gets the LWB version, the legroom in the backseat is brilliant, coupled with a backrest that can be reclined in multiple stages and the Boss button to move the front passenger seat forward.

• Unlike the Tiguan that is extremely stiff, the Tucson’s suspension has the right balance of stiff & cushy.

• Beige colour theme used for the interior just livens up the entire experience inside the cabin

• A simple 2 variant layout : Platinum and Signature. The Platinum trim is well-loaded as well!

• Easy to drive, masks it’s size well from behind the wheel, just doesn’t feel like a ~4.7mm long Crossover/SUV.

• A brilliant Crossover/SUV for someone looking for a sedate highway cruiser, that can return great fuel economy and at the same time be confidence inspiring out on the Indian Highways.

• A well calibrated and light steering wheel that weighs up as speed increases, unlike the one in my 1st Gen Creta.

• Not a single rattle or squeak from any corner in the car, everything felt solid and well built, perks of being a CKD unit.

• Touched 100kmph on the EEH from a standstill at a signal and the Tucson did it absolutely effortlessly and in no time at all!

• This is easily the BEST 2.0L Diesel present in the country currently! The power delivery, the eagerness with which the car just lunges forward with just a dab on the accelerator and the 416Nm torque surge kicking in definitely need to be experienced!

What I Loathed

• The same beige interior that gives the cabin a very airy feeling, doesn't take time to get dirty.

• Ever since I have gotten used to an adaptive damper setup, the Tucson's suspension setup did feel a bit underwhelming at higher speeds where the car did feel floaty, a place where the Tiguan's stiffer setup would've shined through.

• The touch buttons for everything right from the touchscreen to the Climate Control panel is a pain to operate and a finger-print magnet as well.

• NVH and engine refinement which is a Hyundai trait was absent, I could definitely feel the Diesel engine's slightly gruff nature including some vibrations on the pedals for a 3k odd kms run TD vehicle.

• The brakes lack the sure-footedness one expects from a car at this price-point, they're not 1st Gen Creta level bad but an improvement is something I would expect, or the fact that it's an abused TD vehicle.

Time to break the monotony with some pictures that I managed to click

Conclusion

Starting from 37L for the Petrol AT Platinum trim and going till 44L OTR Mumbai for the Diesel AT Signature HTRAC, I would say the Tucson is just slightly overpriced. For a vehicle with a Hyundai Badge it may seem very overpriced but trust me that Diesel Engine is a real G-E-M and the car is a solid package available in the Mid-sized Crossover segment in the Indian Market !!

Skoda and VW have moved away from Diesels and the Big 3 Germans have also kind of given up on Diesels in the entry-level SUV segment (Q3, X1 and GLA) and this is exactly where the Tucson strikes and it strikes hard ! Petrol Tucson will be a different matter since it has a NA engine compared to all turbo-petrol competitors.

I have travelled in my friend's Tiguan and if I draw a comparison with Tucson, the Tiguan may feel very much like a Big 3 German car but the absence of a Diesel is a sucker and the Tucson which I assume will be cheaper to maintain has far better space, comfort, a better performing HTRAC AWD system compared to the Haldex AWD unit present in the Tiguan & Kodiaq and the 8 speed TC AT shifts extremely well at low speeds in comparison to the slightly laggy 7 speed DSG DQ381, at higher speeds the 8AT doesn't lag but the DQ381 just shifts faster that's it. So it's the Tucson that will be my pick if I had to pick up a Mid-sized AWD Crossover in the market today even over the likes of the Big 3 Germans (Q3, X1 and GLA).

The dealership experience was particularly nice, since only the Signature dealerships sell the Tucson and dedicated SAs are allotted for the Signature products. The SA Mr. Pranit had brilliant knowledge on the Tucson and usually where I sometimes correct the SAs of other brands I didn’t have to do that here. Modi Hyundai does have some MY23 Tucson stock with them in case anyone is interested in one.

[zensure]

I am seriously considering buying Tuscon 4WD to replace my 11 years old Vento. Seeking help from members of the forum on a couple of points to get the best price.

1. Quoted Insurance is 171,149. Dealer is not keen on external insurance. A quick check in PB gave an option of about 100K from HDFC Ergo with addons like Zero Dep, RTI, Engine protection etc. Salesman is discouraging & trying to explain to me about the Hyundai assurance which I can't get if I go outside. Assuming I convince him to allow me to get insurance from outside, what would I lose, vis-a-vis Hyundai Insurance?

2. Dealer is also pushing shield of Trust, costing about 95K to cover some parts replacement for 5 years, including wear and tear. For ex, brake pads are covered among other things. How valuable or useful is this? To be fair, he has offered deferred buy for this option.

On a general note, I was waiting for Tuscon Petrol Hybrid. These are launched in Korea. Hyundai track record shows that high end vehicles like Tuscon and Ioniq has about 18-24 months lag between global launch and India launch. Do any of you think that this time new Tuscon might be launched in India in next 5-7 months considering the current model was launched in second half of 2022?

Thanks in advance.

Thanks in Advance.

[Karthik R]

Originally Posted by zensure

I am seriously considering buying Tuscon 4WD to replace my 11 years old Vento. Seeking help from members of the forum on a couple of points to get the best price.

Hi, Zensure.

You cannot go wrong with your choice of the Tucson 4WD to replace your vento. Replying to your points.

1. The showroom quoted amount is way too high. My dealer was open to me getting the insurance from outside. I went with future generali with all add-ons included and it came to 1.04l. They should definitely allow you to take it from outside.
You wouldn't lose anything if you take insurance from outside, just check with them about the companies they're tied up with for cashless. Usually, Hyundai service centers are tied up with all major players.

2. They cannot push the shield of trust on you, either. It's completely up to the customer. I did not opt for it as I put my trust in Hyundai's CKD build quality and my running is not going to extremely hight.
If I'm not wrong, you can purchase it within the first month or the first year, not sure.

Coming to the facelift launch in India, it could be end of '24 or early '25. There's no way it's coming to India before that.

You can also get really good discounts if you're okay to opt for '23 manufactured cars.

Let me know if you need any help, as it's been about 10 days since I picked up my Tucson 4WD at advaith Hyundai.
I am penning down my buying experience, a little lazy to write it all in one go. But.. Coming soon..

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by zensure

1. Quoted Insurance is 171,149. Dealer is not keen on external insurance. A quick check in PB gave an option of about 100K from HDFC Ergo with addons like Zero Dep, RTI, Engine protection etc.

I paid 110K for Hyundai insurance from the dealer on the AWD model, back in November. That 171K is just an opening, they reduce it very fast once you start negotiating. This was Lakshmi Hyundai.

Originally Posted by zensure

2. Dealer is also pushing shield of Trust, costing about 95K to cover some parts replacement for 5 years, including wear and tear.

Didn't take it. The dealer didn't really push it.

Originally Posted by Karthik R

You can also get really good discounts if you're okay to opt for '23 manufactured cars.

I don't think the 2024 manufactured cars will be available for another 2-3 months.

[Karthik R]

Originally Posted by Samurai

I don't think the 2024 manufactured cars will be available for another 2-3 months.

You're right, Samurai. There will be a waiting period of at least 3 months.
But '23 manufactured cars will still be available with some dealers or the company itself with significant discounts.

[zensure]

Originally Posted by Karthik R

Hi, Zensure.

You cannot go wrong with your choice of the Tucson 4WD to replace your vento. Replying to your points.
......


You can also get really good discounts if you're okay to opt for '23 manufactured cars.

Let me know if you need any help, as it's been about 10 days since I picked up my Tucson 4WD at advaith Hyundai.
I am penning down my buying experience, a little lazy to write it all in one go. But.. Coming soon..

Thank you Karthik. Would like to speak to you. Willl you be able to DM me your contact details? TIA.

[Karthik R]

Originally Posted by zensure

Thank you Karthik. Would like to speak to you. Willl you be able to DM me your contact details? TIA.

Hi, Zensure. I tried to DM you but failed.

Could you leave me a message with your contact details? I will get in touch.
Thanks.

[zensure]

Originally Posted by Karthik R

Hi, Zensure. I tried to DM you but failed.

Could you leave me a message with your contact details? I will get in touch.
Thanks.

I too am not able to DM you. Looks like your preference has been setup not receive DM.

Now worries if not able to connect. Thanks for the help offer.

[Karthik R]

I have a couple of questions for fellow Tucson owners:

1. The first service, as per the owner's manual and my SA, is at 10000 kms/1 year and not 1000 or 1500 kms. Should we stick to this or should we go ahead and get an oil change done after 1000/1500 kms?

2. I could not find anything about running the engine in, in the owner's manual. What should we follow to run-in the engine?
Less than 2000 rpms for the first 2500 kms?
I've been hearing a lot of 'modern engines do not need to be run-in'!

3. I find the headlights, be it low beam or high beam, to be average at best and poor in some situations.
What are the best aftermarket solutions for this? I did see a member installing the hella light bar and was satisfied with it.
Would making any changes void the warranty?

Your suggestions are be much appreciated

[Sandegov]

Originally Posted by Karthik R

3. I find the headlights, be it low beam or high beam, to be average at best and poor in some situations.
What are the best aftermarket solutions for this? I did see a member installing the hella light bar and was satisfied with it.
Would making any changes void the warranty?

Your suggestions are be much appreciated

Before exploring the aftermarket options I would suggest you take your car to Hyundai ASC and get the lights aligned once - most Hyundai ASC should have a head light aiming board/wall as per their specs and I have even seen videos of Hyundai technicians demonstrating it on youtube.

Sample headlight aiming board from the M&M service center where I get my 700 serviced:

[SourPai]

Looks like new OTA update is out on https://update.hyundai.com/IN/E1/Main. It was released on 2nd Jan 2024. Tucson 2022 is in the list

[ssblr]

So, after surviving a recent kiddo chaos trip, I've joined the "Concerned About Stains on Seat Covers" Club because my car seats are screaming for help from some unidentifiable stains. Any Bangalore buddies jazzed up their seats with extra covers? Checked online, visited some local spots for seat covers, but nothing's vibing with the Tucson's interior, so looking for recommendations now. What happens to cooling/heating function of the seats after putting the covers?

[Mathan1130]

Originally Posted by Karthik R

I have a couple of questions for fellow Tucson owners:

Hello Karthik,

1. The first service needs to be done only at 10,000 KMS. During the service Engine Oil,Air filter, Oil filter will be replaced.

2. Modern engines do not have run-in but I maintained a speed of 80 to 100 KMS during the first 1500 KMS.

3. Very true the OEM headlight has a below average light throw. I went ahead with Hella Light bar. I do lot of full night drives. It's a separate connection which was taken to power the light bar with a on/off switch not sure whether this will void the warranty..

Originally Posted by ssblr

So, after surviving a recent kiddo chaos trip, I've joined the "Concerned About Stains on Seat Covers" Club because my car seats are screaming for help from some unidentifiable stains. Any Bangalore buddies jazzed up their seats with extra covers?

I am using 3M foam Interior Cleaner it's good may be you can give a try. Below is the direct link.

https://www.amazon.in/3M-Interior-Cl...17&sr=8-4&th=1

Thank you.

[Karthik R]

Originally Posted by Mathan1130

Hello Karthik,

3. Very true the OEM headlight has a below average light throw. I went ahead with Hella Light bar. I do lot of full night drives. It's a separate connection which was taken to power the light bar with a on/off switch not sure whether this will void the warranty..
.

Thank you for your reply, Mathan.

Could you share the details regarding the light bar?
How much it cost and where I could get it installed in Bangalore?

Thanks for your help.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by Mathan1130

1. The first service needs to be done only at 10,000 KMS. During the service Engine Oil,Air filter, Oil filter will be replaced.

I keep getting messaged by dealership for first service at 1200kms...

Dear Customer your expected 1st Free Service is due FROM SALE OF DATE to within 2 months Or 1200KM whichever is earliest , We Provide free Pickup & drop Facility, Even opened on Sundays ,For Appointment Call

After this happened 3 times, I finally responded with the following image. But the lady is insisting this refers to the second service.

for 2FS service is 9,000 or 10,000 km within 1 year of delivery date whichever is earlies sir

for 3FS service is 19,000 or 20,000 km within 2 year of delivery date whichever is earlier

I don't want them to use my 10K service coupon before 2 months are over.