Introduction: Hailing as a direct descendant of the Grand Creta, Hyundai have done an impressive job in launching a slightly longer version, keeping the seven seats, but now called the Alcazar. Hyundai named the Alcazar after the Spanish word "alcázar," which refers to a type of Moorish palace or fortress. The name was chosen to evoke a sense of grandeur, spaciousness, and solidity, fitting for a premium three-row SUV. Hyundai pitch this compact SUV as an upmarket vehicle that offers customers something seriously to consider when delving into this market that is as jam packed as a stadium hosting a Rugby world cup final! Engine/ Drive/ Economy/ Comfort: The 1.5-litre turbodiesel delivers 84.6 kW and 250 Nm of torque and comes with a six-speed automatic gearbox. The Alcazar drove like a charm, and I was super impressed with the overall driving experience by myself or loaded up with children and playdate mates. The drive was comfortable and whether it be racing between traffic lights to test acceleration and braking or simply cruising around Durban as a glorified uber driver, aka Executive Daddy Day care taxi service, I thoroughly enjoyed driving this vehicle. I never got close to the claimed 5.9 Liters per 100-kilometre combined fuel economy but instead added another 2 Liters to that average, mainly because I only did town driving in the Alcazar.
Interior/ Exterior/ Boot: The dashboard is functional, and I found the plastic material used to be of good quality and practical. The 20-centimetre infotainment screen is side by side with the instrument cluster and fits splendidly into the dashboard. I liked the screen merging into the dashboard as opposed to it sticking out like in some other vehicles. The interior is roomy with plenty of legroom in the front and rear, with a third row of seats too, that even have their own aircon vents and usb charging points. The premium artificial leather works really well and gives the vehicle a premium feel. The exterior of the Alcazar is to me, a winner, with bold lines and a marvellous design that exudes confidence and prowess. Everybody that saw the vehicle commented on how amazing it looked, and everyone loved the H headlights, also used in the bigger Santa Fe. There are fold out tables like in an aeroplane in the second row of seats, which was a first for me and the sliding blinds are an absolute winner to keep the sun off the occupants but especially if you have a baby. I can remember many years ago, folding blanket over the rear window to keep the sun out my babies face and then listening to the flapping for hours on end, whilst on a long road trip! The boot with all 7 seats up offers 180 Liters of space which fitted both my daughters school bags in perfectly and when folded down flat into the rear, the space increases dramatically to a huge 579 Liters, big enough for my family and a mate to come away on a long weekend away to one of the many incredible self-catering options in gorgeous KZN. Ground clearance is a legendary 200 millimetres and such a bonus if you are venturing into the great outdoors with mates and or family. This ground clearance is better than many SUVs and personally is an excellent benefit to add to the abundance of reasons as to why this vehicle ticks so many boxes.
Features: An impressive array of features include; Blind Spot Collision Avoidance Assist (BCA), Lane Follow Assist (LFA), Forward Collision Avoidance Assist (FCA), Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Delay Exiting On head lights, Delay Exiting On Interior lights, Headlight Auto On/Off Function, Headlight Type LED, High Mount Stop Light, Daytime Running Lights Standard- LED, LED Rear Combination Lamp, tyre pressure monitor, rear parking sensors, a somewhat underwhelming reverse camera, Adaptive Cruise Control, Driver Attention Alert, Lane Keep Assist, panoramic sunroof, wireless charging station, climate control and many more.
Price/ Warranty/ Service plan: R669900, 5 Year/ 150 000 km Manufacturer's Warranty; 5 Year/ Additional 2 Year / 50 000 Km Manufacturer's Powertrain Warranty; Perforation Warranty 5 Year; Roadside Assistance 7 year / 150 000 km; Service Plan 3 year / 45 000 km; Service Intervals 15 000 km
In summary: I absolutely loved driving this car. Would I buy one – I would without hesitation. The price difference between the bottom and the top of the range is R170k, giving the discerning buyer a few options to either forgo or enjoy. Whichever model you choose, there are more than enough excellent reasons to give the Alcazar a test drive.
You will be suitably impressed and who knows, you might just be making one of your best decisions ever, by buying one!
*This article is written in my opinion only. For detailed accuracy of all specs contact Hyundai SA*
