Hyundai lines up SUV Alcazar for month-end debut

New Delhi, Apr 08 (PTI): Hyundai Motor India is all set to further strengthen its presence in the fast growing SUV segment in the country with the launch of an all-new model later this month, as per a top company official. Christened as Alcazar, the new premium SUV would come with both petrol and diesel powertrains mated with six speed manual and automatic transmissions.
The petrol trims would be powered by 2 litre BSVI engine which churns out 159 PS of power while the diesel variants would be offered with 1.5 litre BSVI powertrain which generates a power of 115 PS. The Alcazar, which is to be positioned between Creta and Tucson, would feature six and seven seat configurations. “The Indian market used to be a dominant hatchback market in the past. It still remains strong but the SUV segment is growing much faster and we expect this segment to even grow further. We (Hyundai) have already experienced such situations in other global markets like Europe and the US,” Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) MD and CEO SS Kim told PTI.
He noted that Creta and Venue have tasted success and now it is the turn of Alcazar to join the bandwagon.
“We are bringing the model with a lot of benefits and special features for the customers. It would be a great value for money offering from us and we strongly believe that we will grow this segment,” Kim said.
As SUVs are safer and also offer better drivability considering current road conditions, the segment has been posting robust growth in the country, he noted.
Elaborating further, HMIL Director (Sales and Marketing) Tarun Garg said the company always believes in creating a segment rather than looking at the market shares.
He was responding to a query regarding sales expectations from the upcoming model.
“We believe that if we are able to match customer expectations then volumes will automatically come. Whether Santro 1998, Creta in 2015, i20 or Venue, we have created segments,” Garg noted.
With Alcazar, the automaker is entering into a new segment as there are so many customers who would want to upgrade to a premium experience with a versatile car that has a flexible seating, great interiors and good drivability, he added.