So, I've been meaning to write this post for sometime now, but I've either been too busy or too lazy. For all intents and purposes, consider that this was (is) posted on Dec 10, 2017, Danke.
So, one year. When I wrote my review, I said that I'd be covering about 20k kms in the year, and we're actually now at 18. But, this year has been crazy for me travel wise and I've spent a good 100 days away. Sadly, there was only one long trip in the entire year with the Tucson, and that was with a fully loaded car with capacity luggage and 4 people on board. That trip, and that drive taught me a lot. Also, the 18k can be split 60-40 mileage wise in highway and local, though time wise, local would be close to 85%. I shit you not. God bless the automatic transmission.
The car has behaved itself very well, and except for that one small part, the thermo-coupler, conking off and being replaced promptly, the car hasn't asked for anything. The only
three things I've had to do are fill fuel, fill the wiper liquid reservoir, and air top ups for the tyres. And that's absolutely it. I couldn't have asked for a more hassle free, niggle free car.
Daily cleaning is handled by the Jopasu duster. A daily wipe every AM by my domestic help keeps the car clean. The car is washed if it gets too dirty, or if I just feel like it. No unnecessary washes, and no fixed schedule though it averages about once a month. I make sure the interior doesn't get dusty too often, and if it does, a quick wipe from the handheld duster does the job well. I don't have a cover yet, because I couldn't find a good one for reasonable cost (TPH one starts at 20k!) but I'm going to aggressively look for one now.
Mileage per L has stayed around 11. I don't really drive for better mileage, and usually the car is in Sport on the highways. Being in Eco in the city ensures a smooth drive free of any jerks from the throttle. Though if I tried, I could get 16 on the highways. I've seen higher on the MID.
The car continues to run rattle free, which is amazing to me. It's gotten a few creaks, but judging by the roads I commute, and the trips to the farm, it's really commendable how insulated the car has remained.
Now that we've gotten the general stuff out of the way, let's get down to the specifics.
The Drive
As I've gotten more comfortable with the car, with it's dimensions, the engine, and dynamics, I've begun to appreciate what all the car has to offer, and where it falls short too.
I've grown to love and appreciate the power the engine provides. I'm so, so glad Hyundai has offered this gem of an engine here. It was unlikely, as no other car in the Hyundai portfolio in India gets this engine, and Hyundai usually shares engines and transmissions between siblings.
The acceleration doesn't stop till way into the silly figures, that'll either get you arrested or killed on public roads.
Light speed: while most people I know feel terribly frustrated at *just* having missed the light at a signal, I quite enjoy it. Being the first car at the signal, and after making sure it's safe to do so, I gun it, and after that short wheel spin, all I see are blips which used to be vehicles in my rear view mirror. Boom! Oh, I love it. I know its silly, and it should've gotten old by now, but it hasn't, and I'm glad. Heehee.
I can also now comfortably, and safely weave through traffic if the need arises.
What I've grown to detest is the sound. Ugh. It's like a groan, a small sort of whelp when it's easy going, and just an annoying boom when it's pushed. I really dislike it, and usually some music is there to cover it up.
The Transmission
For the longest time, I couldn't put my finger on what was bothering me. And then one day, it hit me. It's the engine braking from the manual cars that I've been missing. This one just coasts.. for days! There's absolutely no perceptible engine braking while in auto mode, and it used to bother me when I had to use brakes a lot more often than I was used to. Once I realised what it was, I've peacefully accepted it. And when I absolutely must have it, I can flick that lever to the right into tiptronic mode.
There are a few things I properly appreciate.
The auto hold makes it very convenient to drive. If the car comes to a halt, it will stay halted unless I provide throttle. That's very comforting, without having to worry about (parking) brakes, or shifting to neutral, or having to judge the incline of the surface you're on. It's very simple, and very effective: if the car stops, it stays stopped unless asked to move.
I can move the transmission between N and D without having to push a button, or brake. Super convenient. I can also move the transmission from R to N or R to D without the button and the brake pedal, though to get it into R or P, the button and the brake need to be pressed. Again, very simple, yet effective: as long as intended direction of travel is forward, you can change position of lever without brake or button input. Just slide it in to her D(Ms)
.
Comfort and Space
This is what pleasantly surprised me. The car is very comfortable, and is quite a bit more spacious compared to its closes sibling, Creta. Rear seat comfort has never been important for me, but as I mentioned earlier, this year was kind of killer as far as travel goes, and I started taking the driver with me for a few usual highway drives. Man, the way I could relax in that rear seat was eye opening the first time. I miss the 'front-passenger-seat-folds-flat' feature, and I'd assumed that this car would have it. It doesn't. And in that, the front passenger seat remains the least comfortable seat to be in. As others have pointed out, it's a little too low, and doesn't offer height adjustment Also, it's manual adjust. As Sam Kapasi said, and I'm quote-paraphrasing: "if I'm spending this much on the car, I don't want that
danda". Ugh. That the front seats don't offer ventilation even after the mini update is incomprehensible to me. I mean, the friggin' Verna gets them now. VERNA! Grrrr..
I like to keep the tyres at 32-33, instead of the recommended 35 psi, as at 35, the ride becomes noticeably jittery. The car has also become more pliant and I remember it used to be harsher.
Special likes:
- The looks: I still love how it looks, specially with the light position at 'eyebrow'. Delicious.
- Lights: The illumination and way they look. Though I'll maintain, as I've said earlier, the Fortuner's rear lights are probably the best looking rear lights I've ever seen. Also, the hazard lights on the rear are quite useful, as they were in recent fog nights around the capital.
- Cornering lights: they deserve a special mention. The best implementation of a feature is when it fades away into the background and goes unnoticed in its implementation. Cornering lights in the Tucson are exemplary. The light up the dark corners, parkway entries, driveway exits and mostly once you get used to them, you won't notice unless you drive a car that doesn't have this feature.
- Front parking sensors: Every single car should have them. They have been so useful in parking, obviously, but also in many other tight situations while moving about in narrow streets etc.
- Turning radius: Simply incredible. Short and precise. That's all.
Special dislikes:
- Engine sound: Mentioning this again because I've really, really grown to hate it.
- Boot motor groan: The boot opener isn't silent like in the Tiguan. It's groan-y. Uncouth.
- Maps: Today, without traffic information and constant updating, maps are useless.
- Absence of auto wipers: Why? Just.. why?
- Wipers: The wipers are really crappy. If you buy this car, wipers should be the first on your list to upgrade.
Quirks:
Auto Hold: Sometimes, the software misses or is late in implementing the hold. Here's what happens: When you lift your foot off the brake, the car *just* starts to move when the auto hold is implemented, and there's a noticeable jerk, and it feels like someone has rear ended you. It used to be quite disconcerting in heavy traffic.
Front arm rest: I use a cushion now below my elbow. The arm rest is not adjustable. IMO they should make it illegal to provide a front centre armrest without adjustability. It's quite moronic. The best implementation would be how the captain seats have it in Innovas, or how the last gen CR-V used to have it. They're great that way.
Mostly the special likes, dislikes and quirks remain the same from my initial review. Heh.
Today, on the 10th of December (deal with it) I took the car to 3M for birthday treatments, and wouldn't you know it, just as I was getting out after the treatments, it started to rain. And I had a highway drive in front of me. Heh. It ended something like this:
Whoosh.
All in all though, it's been a great year with the car, my mom really loves it and I'm happy and content with it. Would I buy the Tucson for the same money today? Probably. And that's that.
-------------------------------------
The Long Drive
The lone long trip we took in the car. It was to Jim Corbett, and we went there for a cousin's wedding party. This drive really gave me a new outlook towards the car. It was the first time it was this loaded, and it felt so. It felt heavy. The nimble-ness was absent. The pick up was noticeably dulled. Even direction changes felt 'declined'. The car didn't like being tail heavy at all. The roads closer to Jim Corbett are amazing, curvy, smooth, and amongst pretty scenery. I was quite looking forward to this portion of the drive in the car. I was quite disappointed on what actually happened, and how the car behaved. For the first time, it felt like a big, heavy thing.
A
beautiful, big, heavy thing though
Pretty pretty ways
Night shades
Jungle climb
This hyperlapse will give you a decent idea of the route:
-------------------------------------
Everybody knows you love me baby, everybody knows you really do. Everybody knows you’ve been discreet, but there were so many people you just had to meet
Without your clothes..
Everybody knows.
The Scorpion Prince
Leonard Cohen sums it up really well. I drove along the coast of Côte d'Azur, St. Tropez to Monaco in a 595 Turismo. While this whole thing deserves a proper post, and I will get to that when I will, this drive just gave me something which I didn't even know was missing. I just love, love driving hot hatches. My love for the Mini Cooper S is unhidden, and this one, with it's engine sound and sports seats and everything, just made me realise that I deeply care for a car's ability to be nimble. The curvy roads, the coast, the canyons, the hills, and this bomb on wheels. Mmmmmmwah.
Even though I love the Tucson, and it fits my current requirements properly, my next car definitely won't be a diesel, and it won't be an SUV. Maybe that's why I'm kind of overcompensating and will be getting a bike soon. Heh.
With this bittersweet realisation, Happy first b'day, Tucson. You're 1.