Hyundai Tucson SUV teased ahead of Auto Expo 2016 debut

Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) has dropped the first teaser image of the Tucson SUV that will be debuted in India at the Auto Expo 2016 starting 3 February. The Tucson SUV will fill the gap between the Creta and the Santa Fe SUVs in Hyundai's India line-up and the launch is expected in the Q2 of the current year.

The teaser image shows the face of the SUV which is dominated by signature hexagonal grille with three vertical chrome slats. The grille is flanked by LED headlamps. The Tucson's design is in line with the company's Fluidic design theme. However, unlike the Creta SUV that possess a boxy style, the Tucson has more rounded body panels.

The Tucson is built on a new platform that offers larger cabin space. The SUV is being offered with electronic driving aids such as autonomous emergency braking system, lane keeping assist system, rear traffic cross alert, blind spot detection, speed limit information function and an active hood system. However, which of these features will be part of India-specific model remains to be seen.

The India-spec Tucson is expected to be powered by a 2.0-litre diesel engine producing 180bhp and 400Nm of torque mated to six-speed manual transmission. The AWD version of Tucson is also expected to be introduced to the Indian market.

The first generation of the Tucson was sold in India during 2005-2010, but it was discontinued due to poor sales. Hyundai is likely to import the new Tucson initially with a starting price of approximately Rs 18 lakh.