The Alcazar is a premium SUV from the stables of Korean auto giant Hyundai and is an attempt to capture the three-row SUV segment. It is based on its smaller sibling, the Creta, but rather than extending the rear overhangs to add an additional row, Hyundai has extended the wheelbase to create space for the additional row. The Alcazar gets a new engine not seen on the Creta, a whole new set of features on top of the additional third row seats. If you’re in the market for a reliable SUV for seven people, here’s a complete guide on buying a Hyundai Alcazar.
Hyundai Alcazar Specifications
| Hyundai Alcazar Engine and Transmission | ||
| Engine | 1.5 L Petrol Turbo GDi | 1.5 L Diesel CRDi |
| Transmission | 6-speed Manual & Automatic | 6-speed Manual & Automatic |
| Power | 160 PS | 113.42 PS |
| Torque | 253 Nm | 250 Nm |
| Mileage | 18.1 kmpl | 20.4 kmpl |
| Hyundai Alcazar Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4500 mm | |
| Width | 1790 mm | |
| Height | 1675 mm | |
| Wheelbase | 2760 mm | |
| Boot Space | 180 litres with all rows, 579 litre with third row folded | |
| Hyundai Alcazar Safety | ||
| Airbags | Standard – 6 airbags | |
| ABS with EBD | Standard in all variants | |
| Rear Parking Sensors | Yes | |
| All wheel disc brakes | Yes | |
| Reverse Parking Camera | Yes | |
| Electronic Stability Programme | Yes | |
| Tyre Pressure Monitoring | Yes | |
| ISOFIX Mounts | Yes | |
| Hill Hold Assist | Yes | |
| Hill Descent Control | Yes | |
| Hyundai Alcazar Features | ||
| Ventilated Seats | Signature variant | |
| Air Quality Control | Signature variant | |
| Alloy Wheels | Standard | |
| Leather Upholstery | Signature variant | |
| Panoramic Sunroof | Standard |
Why you should consider the Hyundai Alcazar
Great Engine Options
The Hyundai Alcazar is a SUV which takes premium to the next level. It has everything Indian users loved about the Creta and elevates it further. Despite its sheer size, it’s easy and light to operate in the city. It comes with great engine options, dynamic styling, premium interior cabin and a never-ending feature list. The Alcazar ticks all the right boxes making it a great value choice for users looking at Indian premium SUVs.
The Alcazar being a big SUV, needs a solid engine to lug its weight around with optimal ease and comfort and the car does exactly what is expected of it. The turbo petrol engine is smooth, quiet and refined just like most other Hyundais. It is super light and easy to navigate around the city which is a huge advantage for a car of its dimensions. The diesel engine is incredible and can deliver a much improved performance, especially on long distance drives. This is because low range torque is readily available which makes it far more effortless to get it up to speed.
Premium Interior
Hyundai’s approach to the interior design is to take the Creta’s cabin and make it more upmarket and premium. As one enters the car, the first thing to notice is the all-new fully digital instrument cluster which looks great. There’s a dual tone tan and black theme on the dash and upholstery which gives it a premium outlook.
The large infotainment screen is well placed, the seats are comfy and it has great connected car features such as ventilated seats, a panoramic sunroof, Bose sound system, an air purifier and a lot more. The seats are well-cushioned, wide and supportive and even come with comfy neck pillows. A big plus point is the center console Hyundai has provided between the two seats. It shows that the Alcazar does have one of the best interiors in the premium SUV segment.
Ride and Handling
This is Hyundai Alcazar’s strong selling point – the ride and handling is so smooth and well balanced and is easily one of the best driving Hyundais around which is a big compliment. It comes with several driving modes and it handles better than its competitors such as the MG Hector Plus and the Tata Safari.
The suspension setting has been firmed up a bit more than Creta owing to the fact it has to carry extra passengers around and it doesn’t squat as much, thus dealing better with the additional weight. The Alcazar has the uncanny ability to deal with bad roads with utmost ease and it is barely felt in the cabin, moving through with a fair amount of composure. At highway speeds, it feels planted and composed. Overall, it rides and handles very well and has the edge over its competition.
Why you should not consider the Hyundai Alcazar
There are some areas where the Hyundai Alcazar does disappoint. It does come at an accessible price range, so you would expect it to have the full package. Although the Alcazar is a pretty well-rounded car, it is priced pretty high when compared to its competitors and that could be a concern for some buyers. Also, for a car of its size, the cabin space is just about adequate and the legroom is found wanting especially in the second and third rows respectively.
High pricing
The Hyundai Alcazar is quite expensive when looking at SUVs in the premium segment space. It is priced significantly higher than the competitors such as the MG Hector Plus, Tata Safari and the Mahindra XUV500. The top-end variants of the Alcazar undercuts the Safari’s top-end variants plus offering a plethora of features, but the base variant is much higher than the Safari’s. The top-end variant of the Alcazar goes all the way up to Rs. 21.13 lakh and is around 3 lakh over the Creta on the higher variants which is a lot considering the segment difference.
Low on cabin space
Overall, the Alcazar has huge road presence and size and one would expect it to translate into the interior. Sadly, the passengers in the rear seats find themselves in quite a squeeze. Although the seats themselves are supportive, plush and wide, it’s the legroom which gets tight and makes it tougher for passengers during long journeys. Meanwhile, the third row seats get even tighter and are more ideal for kids, not adults. Some legroom can be liberated for the third row passengers by sliding the second row forward, but knee room is already at a premium there. Given it’s a premium SUV, the cabin space turns out to be disappointing and its competitors are better spaced on the inside.
Hyundai Alcazar Variants
The Hyundai Alcazar comes up with plenty of options for the user to choose from. There are 17 variants in total, both with 1.5-litre petrol and diesel variants with manual and automatic options available. The base-range Prestige variants start at Rs. 16.77 lakh, then comes the mid-range Platinum variants and are capped off by the high-range Signature variants which rise all the way up to Rs. 21.13 lakh. The Alcazar also gives the option to choose between the 6-seater and the 7-seater variants across all variants and it has got all the bases covered.
| Variant | Engine | Ex-Showroom Price |
| Prestige 7 STR | 1.5 Turbo Petrol | Rs. 16.77 lakh |
| Prestige 7 STR | 1.5 Diesel | Rs. 17.73 lakh |
| Platinum 7 STR | 1.5 Turbo Petrol | Rs. 18.68 lakh |
| Prestige (O) 7 STR | 1.5 Diesel AT | Rs. 19.20 lakh |
| Platinum 7 STR | 1.5 Diesel | Rs. 19.64 lakh |
| Platinum (O) 7 STR | 1.5 Petrol DCT | Rs. 19.99 lakh |
| Platinum (O) 6 STR | 1.5 Petrol DCT | Rs. 19.99 lakh |
| Signature 6 STR | 1.5 Diesel | Rs. 20.13 lakh |
| Signature (O) 6 STR | 1.5 Petrol DCT | Rs. 20.28 lakh |
| Signature (O) 7 STR | 1.5 Petrol DCT | Rs. 20.28 lakh |
| Signature 6 STR | 1.5 Diesel Dual Tone | Rs. 20.28 lakh |
| Signature (O) 6 STR | 1.5 Petrol DCT Dual Tone | Rs. 20.33 lakh |
| Platinum (O) 6 STR | 1.5 Diesel AT | Rs. 20.76 lakh |
| Platinum (O) 7 STR | 1.5 Diesel AT | Rs. 20.76 lakh |
| Signature (O) 6 STR | 1.5 Diesel AT | Rs. 20.88 lakh |
| Signature (O) 7 STR | 1.5 Diesel AT | Rs. 20.88 lakh |
| Signature (O) 6 STR | 1.5 Diesel AT Dual Tone | Rs. 21.13 lakh |
Best Hyundai Alcazar Variant to Buy
The Hyundai Alcazar has several options to consider, hence picking the best variant out of the lot might seem a difficult task. The Platinum 7-Seater Diesel is one of the best selling models in the range and gives maximum value for the money spent. It comes with a 1.5-litre diesel manual and gives out a respectable 20.4 kmpl. The price gulf between the petrol and diesel variants isn’t too high (the diesel is around 10,000-15,000 more expensive), and would function better as a long-distance family car.
The diesel is clearly better to ride than the petrol and being in the higher mid-range, the Platinum 7-seater does come loaded with premium features. Although it misses out on certain features such as ventilated seats and traction control, it covers all the other bases well. At an ex-showroom price of 19.64 lakh, the Platinum 7-Seater Diesel offers great value and is the best Alcazar variant to buy.
Hyundai Alcazar Warranty & Service Cost
Hyundai Alcazar comes with flexible warranty costs with different options. Standard warranty option is 3 years/1,00,000 kms. The other options include a 4 year/60,000 kms or a 5 year/50,000 kms. Based on the usage, the buyer can choose an option of warranty. The estimated service cost of the Hyundai Alcazar for 5 years is Rs. 23,905. The first service after 10,000 kms and the second service after 20,000 kms is free of cost.
Summary
The Hyundai Alcazar is pretty much everything one would expect from a premium Indian SUV. It is extremely nimble and easy to drive around the city, the car is not cumbersome despite its length and has good visibility as well. It also comes packed with premium features across all variants making it an intriguing option.
It rides extremely well, is great on highways and is quite comfortable inside. It has improvements in the chassis which suits its purpose and a wide range of drivetrains to choose from, with the diesel easily being the pick of the lot. The Hyundai Alcazar ticks all the right boxes and just like the Creta dominating the mid-size SUV segment, the Alcazar looks like it’s here to stay and dominate the premium SUV segment in the Indian market.
