Hyundai Alcazar has an ace up its sleeve against Chinese SUVs

One thing Hyundai just keep doing right is filling little gaps in the market with budget-friendly family cars. The Hyundai Alcazar is another of these.

Replacing the Grand Creta nameplate, the Alcazar takes over as a midsize seven-seater SUV that slots in above the Creta and below the Tucson in the ever-growing range of SUVs on offer by Hyundai.

Hyundai Alcazar ups the ante

“The new Hyundai Alcazar personifies our business model. To offer real value at an affordable price to buyers. We showed our intent with the recent launch of the Hyundai Exter and the recently upgraded Hyundai Tucson, where we managed to offer an even lower entry-point to the model range, while significantly upgrading our features,” says Gideon Janse van Rensburg, CEO of Hyundai Automotive South Africa.

“The Hyundai Alcazar is not just stepping in for the Grand Creta – it is a major upgrade. For one, it comes with a lower starting price than the model it replaces, making premium family travel more accessible to South Africans,” adds Stanley Anderson, Sales and Operations Director at Hyundai Automotive South Africa.

ALSO READ: Hyundai Alcazar officially priced as ‘facelift’ Grand Creta

With the business talk out the way, what does the Hyundai Alcazar offer and drive like? You have the choice of 2.0 litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that delivers 117kW of power and 191Nm of torque to go with a claimed top speed of 190km/h and a fuel consumption number said to be 7.5 litres per 100km. This engine choice is only available on the entry-level Executive spec derivative that retails for R499 900. This is cheaper than the model it replaces.

Power outputs misleading

The Citizen Motoring did not drive this derivative at the launch, but we did get to sample the 1.5 litre turbodiesel in top of the range Elite spec. This engine is also available in Executive spec and these two derivatives retail for R599 900 and R669 900 respectively.

In a reduced and rationalised range, all three derivatives are paired with an easy shifting six-speed automatic transmission which is perfectly suited to the Hyundai Alcazar’s urban, people carrying nature. Talking of which, the turbodiesel plays its part here with a power output of only 85kW that you might think is not enough. But when you add to this the 250Nm on tap, you have sufficient drive and urge for everyday type commuting.

What is even better is that even though the claimed fuel consumption number is already set at a low 5.9 litres per 100km, we easily achieved less than this on the media launch drive. And this is what Hyundai is trying to hammer home. You can buy a product from another manufacturer, especially the Chinese, and the upfront price might be better, but when your new vehicle is using close on five litres more per 100km at over R20 a litre of fuel, the long-term impact of this will be felt in your pocket.

ALSO READ: Facelift Hyundai Alcazar coming to South Africa not as Grand Creta

Lots of creature comforts

As expected at this level, you get the convenience of the second row of seats having fold-out tables (Elite only) and all three rows get USB charging. For some added practicality both rear rows fold completely flat, transforming the Hyundai Alcazar from a family SUV into a cargo hauler in seconds.

The cockpit features a high-resolution dual-screen display that keeps you connected through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It features convenient touches like wireless charging and easy-to-use climate and audio controls with physical buttons so you don’t have to spend forever trying to change the aircon or audio.

For safety, the Hyundai Alcazar comes equipped with six airbags, ISOFIX anchors for child seats (top and bottom), and a comprehensive suite of electronic safety systems including stability control and hill-assist features. The Elite model takes safety even further with advanced driver assistance features like blind spot monitoring, lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control, all of which reduce driver fatigue on long trips and can help in preventing accidents before they happen.

Hyundai Alcazar pricing

• Alcazar 2.0 MPI Executive AT – R499 900
• Alcazar 1.5 CRDI Executive AT – R599 900
• Alcazar 1.5 CRDI Elite AT – R669 900

*Pricing includes seven-year/200 000km warranty and three-year/45 000km service plan.