New Hyundai Alcazar First Drive Review – Faux Royalty
The new Hyundai Alcazar for 2025 marks a proper step forward for the popular three-row SUV and has a lot of surprises in store. We drove it in the midst of the beautiful Aravalli Hills in Udaipur.
Imagine serenity being something that can be envisioned in one’s mind. It’s easy sometimes. Take an exotic location, add a spacious and comfortable car, and a big scoop each of natural beauty and fresh air, and it turns out to be a great mix. And, when that car is something one has been familiar with for some time, and when it’s a new take on a classic recipe, it means there is more joy to be had from some considerable evolution.
The new Hyundai Alcazar brings refreshed styling—inspired by the Creta N-Line—and packs in a slew of new features and advanced equipment to make it better than ever before. It has grown, meaning the space is not just intact but made nicer and even more comfortable. At 4,560 millimetres overall, it is 60 mm longer and 10 mm wider than its predecessor, while running the same 2,760-mm wheelbase. A big change is in the choice of colours. There are nine choices of exterior finish, of which two are matte shades—including the Titan Grey Matte we have here—and a dual-tone white-body-black-roof one as well. The highlights are the dark chrome radiator grille with quad beam LED headlights, joined by H-shaped daytime running lights (DRL) along the front. Complementing those are the connected rear LED tail-lights clusters. The painted black cladding and new 18-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels with 215/55 R18 rubber add to its muscular stance and adventurous persona.
Adding the power to back the style is the 1.5-litre TGDI turbo-petrol direct-injection engine is paired with the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and does a fine job of delivering a good dose of power and torque, 160 hp and 253 Nm to be precise. Although the mid- and top-end delivery is sublime, needless to say the bottom-end is second only to the turbo-diesel—which Hyundai seem to have mastered.
Which brings us to the interior—another aspect Hyundai have mastered, and have been steadily improving with each passing model. The cabin is extremely comfortable and well-equipped and the level of fit-and-finish, material used, and overall comfort can easily give the premium German offerings a serious run for their money, while simply obliterating their compact luxury models across every imaginable parameter—snob value aside.
Getting in the new Hyundai Alcazar itself is a new take with the digital key. Using a smartphone’s NFC, up to three users and seven devices can share access to the car, presently restricted to mainstream global brands such as Samsung and Apple, with the phone able to unlock/lock as well as start the car using the push-button starter.
This new Hyundai Alcazar in top-spec Signature six-seat trim gets four captain seats, two each in the first and second row, all ventilated, with plush upholstery, arm-rests and big cushy head-rests. The third row has two individual 50:50 folding seats. There is dual-zone fully automatic climate control with a mix of USB charging ports and a wireless charging set-up for both the first and the second rows. The third row gets a separate blower control and USB type-C ports. In this top trim, the front seats are eight-way power-adjustable and the driver’s seat even gets memory settings. There is plenty of usable space for storage and to keep other bits and bobs, even a magnetic pad for a parking receipt or whatever one needs easy access to. Smart, this thing. Or, I should say, even smarter now.
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