Hyundai swears by the new Tucson

South Korean carmaker Hyundai has confirmed plans to launch its third-generation Tuscon in India this September, an SUV it hopes to appeal to all buyers thanks to better refinement in styling and luxury quotient.

Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) unveiled the third generation of the Tucson SUV at Auto Expo 2016 and reports indicate that the SUV will be positioned between the Creta and the Santa Fe in Hyundai's India line-up.

''In marketing terms, there are two things – being ahead of the curve and being ahead of the times. The former gives you an advantage over the others, while the latter is challenging for the product. I think that the first Tucson was ahead of its time, but when the Tucson launches now, it'll be ahead of the curve, which will be the biggest advantage and therefore we are confident of the it,'' Autocar quoted Rakesh Srivastava, senior vice-president (sales and marketing), Hyundai Motor India.

The first-generation Tucson, first launched in India in 2005, had no appeal for the buyer and could barely manage 1,810, forcing the company to defer launch of its successor as well.

The latest version of the SUV, which was showcased at the Auto Expo 2016, features an attractive modern design similar to Hyundai's big SUV – the Santa Fe. The cabin comes loaded with luxurious materials and new-age features.

Apart from a better product, the escalating demand for SUVs is also likely to work in Hyundai's favour. Sales of utility vehicles rose 35.87 per cent during May 2016 to 58,793 units and stood at a cumulative 120,963 units during the first two months of this fiscal, representing a growth of almost 40 per cent.

Helped by rising utility vehicle sales, Hundai's market share in the overall passenger vehicle sales in India during 2016-17 rose to 25.53 per cent from 19.90 per cent in the same period a year ago.

''The SUV segment is growing at 26 percent as against the growth in passenger vehicles segment of 4 percent. That's because earlier, when only basic features were offered in SUVs, today, all the luxuries are available. And that's bringing a shift from the sedan segment into the SUV segment. It's a disruptor, which is why premium/executive sedans are facing a challenge,''  says Srivastava.

The company will aim to replicate the success of the Creta with the Tucson when it launches. Hyundai aims to achieve 50 per cent localisation and the SUV is likely to carry a price-tag of around Rs17-22 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).