Ahead of its global debut on April 6, 2021, Hyundai has released the first sketch images of the exterior and interior of the Alcazar 7-seater SUV. Essentially a three-row version of the Hyundai Creta, the Alcazar will be Hyundai's first three-row SUV in a really long time. It will mark Hyundai's entry into the mid-size three-row SUV segment, a segment that has become extremely exciting with the launch of the new Tata Safari. let's look at it in a little more detail.
Hyundai has previewed the Alcazar from its
rear three quarters, which is where most of the design changes have been
incorporated. From spy shots seen previously, we know that the face of the
Alcazar will be largely similar to that of the Creta. However, the rear end has
been completely redesigned to accommodate the third row of seats. The rear
overhang on the Alcazar has been extended and the C-Pillar is much thicker. The
rear also boasts of wider wraparound tail lamps that are not connected like on
the Creta. The number plate sits higher and the rear bumper is taller with a
prominent faux skid plate.
The rear of the Alcazar is also much more
upright and seems more proportionate. The Alcazar will likely ride on larger
18-inch alloy wheels with a unique design. At the front, the Alcazar will have
unique detailing on its grille and perhaps on the front bumper as well. On the
inside, the dashboard of the Alcazar seems mostly similar to that of the Creta.
The differences are primarily in the second and newly added third row. The Hyundai
Alcazar will come in both 7- and 6-seater options, with the latter getting
captain seats for the middle row. The Alcazar seems to boast of a rather unique
floor-mounted central armrest with cup holders and likely a storage console
below.
Second row passengers will even have a
wireless charging pad. Access to the third row will me made possible by folding
down the seats through a tumble-down feature. In its 7-seater configuration,
the Alcazar will come with a bench seat for the middle row. There are even
reports that the Alcazar could come with certain ADAS technology, which is
known as Hyundai SmartSense overseas. While details on this are scarce at the
moment, it could feature things like forward collision assist, automatic
emergency braking tech, highway driving assist and lane departure warning.
Under the hood, the Hyundai Alcazar is
expected to carry forward the same petrol and diesel engine options that's
offered with the Creta. That means the 1.4L turbo-petrol and the 1.5L petrol
and diesel engines will be carried over to the Alcazar, although they could
come in a higher state of tune. Transmission options are also expected to be as
diverse as with the Creta. Hyundai will be positioning the Alcazar as a premium
product in India. Expected to launch in June 2021, the prices for the Alcazar
will likely range between INR 12-20 lakh (ex-showroom).
