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-   -   Hyundai Tucson - The Silver Fox Comes Home.. (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-drives-initial-ownership-reports/97492-hyundai-tucson-silver-fox-comes-home.html)

Background and the decision making process

After having driven my Maruti gen2 Zen for more than 5 years, i started searching for an new/used SUV. I somehow never liked sedans.

My requirements were :

1) Compact SUV - 5 seater
2) 4WD
3) Decent fuel efficiency
4) Low upkeep costs
5) Budget - Around 10-12 lakhs with car loan and 6-7 lakhs without car loan

Grand Vitara was the only SUV which could fit into my requirements but didnt want to buy a new one as it was out of my budget and i could hardly find good used ones in my budget.

After i discovered team-bhp and after reading number of reviews of happy Safari owners, i was almost sold out on the safari but i could not convince myself due to the minor issues and niggles associated with the safari reported by safari owners in this forum.

Circa 2010, I happened to come across a Nissan X-trail (A/T) up for sale in one of the embassies in Delhi, put a bid and surprisingly won the bid to become the proud owner of a well maintained Nissan X-trail. But the only problem was that it was a petrol version and the fuel bills started pinching my pocket and there was always a constant worry in my mind that if major problem comes up in the car then getting it repaired will make me bankrupt after having learnt about the high cost of spares and maintenence of Nissan X-trail in India. Sold the X-trail after a month with a heavy heart.

Since the last one year, i have been searching for a used Tucson in a good condition but have only come across abused ones with second owners or the ones with reversed mileage.

Sometime in Feb 2011, i was going through the classified section of sunday newspapers and i came across an ad of carnation which had a 2007 Tucson listed, called up the sales rep. and booked an appointment for the same day.

Took a test drive, verified the documents, negotiated the price and booked the car and in the process also agreed to exchange my six year old friend, my maruti zen in the deal itself.

I have already driven the car for about 4000 Kms till date including a 650 Kms trip to Jaipur. I also use the car for daily commute to office.

The detailed booking / ownership thread is as follows :

Booking and Delivery

I bought the car from Carnation Gurgaon. Even though they say that they are no road-side dealer, but my experience with them proved that they are no better due to the following reasons :

1) Even though they talk about a 160 point check. The only thing they got done on my Tucson was a under-body rust protection coat and interior/exterior cleaning. A leak in the fuel filter water sensor was found when i gave the car for service to a Hyundai service center which went undetected in their '160 point' check ! It costed me around Rs. 1500 to get the same replaced.

2) They did not have the second key of the car and i was told about this only after i made the payment. I had to follow up with them for 2 -3 months after which they got a new key made from Hyundai. I had to pay for the remote from my own pocket.

3) I got the transferred RC only after 3 months !! that too after escalating the issue to their pre-owned cars sales head who sits in their corporate office. The Gurgaon center folks are pathetic to deal with.

4) I had to follow up with them a number of times for the insurance / NCB transfer.

5) During the test drive i found that the headlight level adjust switch was broken. I was promised that the same would be replaced before delivery which never happened. I had to get it done myself during the post delivery service from Hyundai service.

6) No warranty on Diesel cars even though they advertise a 1 year warranty in the newspaper ads.

7) The central locking radio control unit was left hanging in the footwell and i was lucky that this did not result in a major accident as during the drive back home after delivery, the RCU just fell between the brake and the floor. This also went un-noticed in all their checks !

and other issues which i will not write about as this is an ownership thread. I would advise all BHPians to stay away from Carnation Gurgaon for pre-owned cars. However , I am not sure about their service division or other outlets dealing in pre-owned cars.

Overall build quality and fit & finish

The car has a overall solid build and the exterior fit and finish is good. The car sides are protected with ABS/plastic cladding which is very useful against scratches. My cars had a few contours slightly out of place since it is a pre-owned car.

Interior, space and comfort

The interiors are utilitarian. The beige interiors are quite a dirt magnet. Fabric seat covers do not give a plush look.
The AC is a chiller but there are no rear vents. Not sure of the reach of the AC for the rear seats as i only drive the car myself with a co-passenger, my wife.
There are a couple of small pockets/compartments to store things and is very useful. The sunglasses holder right above the rear-view mirror is also quite useful.

Engine performance & driveability

The 2.0 litre CRDI mill is a very torquey one although there is a very evident turbo lag blow 1500-2000 rpm but once the rpms shoot past the 2000 mark, there is no looking back. I have reached a max. of 140 Kmph on the Delhi - Jaipur highway and without any signs of fatigue from the engine, but then i had no courage to rev more as i had never reached such high speeds earlier.

It is a bit difficult to drive the car in city traffic ( read Gurgaon traffic ) as the clutch has a large throw and it is very taxing on the left leg. I also feel that the min. speed in the second gear is a bit high for the gear and there is some tuning required to bring it down (although not sure if this is possible).

The gear shift is notchy sometimes, but smooth most of the times. There is a slight pushback from the gearbox when i shift from first to second and the first gear is a bit hard to engage except when the car is completely stationary. I will get both these issues checked when i give the car for a major service in a week or so.

The cabin is also very well insulated from the engine noise. At high speeds, there is hardly any engine noise and you seldom feel that the car is powered by a diesel motor.

Steering, suspension & ride quality

The steering is not a light as on the scorpio. It is a bit on the heavier side although the Hyundai service advisor feels that it is fine and i have no other option than to believe what he says.

The ride quality is excellent on most of the roads but bouncy on bad or uneven roads.

Mileage, cost of upkeep & maintenance

I have not been able to calculate the exact mileage but my guess is that i am getting something more than 10 Kmpl with AC running all the time and 50:50 of city and highway driving.

Most of the spares are decently priced. I have got the following replaced till date.

Hyundai also has a very efficient logistics and most of the parts i have ordered have come in about 7 - 10 days.

1) Clutch plate
2) Pressure plate
3) Bearing
4) Slave cylinder
5) Fuel filter water sensor
6) Front and rear wipers
7) Headlight leveller rotary switch

The damage on the pocket till date on the above is about 30 grands.

Accessories added

1) Pioneer AVH-2390-DVD touchscreen HU
2) Hertz Dieci DSK-165 components in the front
3) Hertz Dieci DCX-165 coaxials in the rear
4) MapmyIndia Vx240

Accessories planned

1) OEM rear bumper guard
2) 4 channel amp and woofer
3) K&N air filter
4) Travel fridge

Posting some interior pics. Sorry for the quality of the pics as i shot them using my X10 and it is quite gloomy in Delhi today. Will post more later.

Let me be the first to congratulate you! Great choice. I have always been a keen admire of the tucson. The car looks really well maintained.
Why didn't you go for a new 4wd scorpio instead? Why a compact suv? Just a query, overall excellent choice. This car certainly feels exclusive and has a good presence.
How about some interior pictures?

Congratulations Kamal for being a proud owner of the Tucson.

Kamal, what price did you get the beast for, did you manage with or without finances :D ?

I did drive the Tucson while in the US (a rented one), was a nice meaty vehicle with good road presence and astute ride and handling.

Happy Motoring !!

This is one of the very good but underrated SUVs in India and I like the overall feel of this vehicle a lot. I was also on a lookout for a decently maintained beast but did not find one and hence bought a new Punto. Well congrats on your purchase and happy motoring. PS - Kindly post some interior pictures as well.

We recently picked up a used Tucson 2005 and after driving it I realised that the Safari actually handles like a boat on turns.

It has got an amazing engine and can cruise at 100-110 all day long with 5 people comfortably seated. It beats the Safari and Scorpio when it comes to handling though its not as comfortable as the Safari on bad roads at high speeds.

On the maintenance front:
1) Clutch plates are known to be an issue with the Tucson. If you notice when you press the clutch fully you are not pushing it so much down on the floor as you are pushing it into the firewall. I find it much different than a Safari and is more prone to half-clutch gear changes so please be careful about that. As a preventive thing, do get your clutch plate changed right away. Surely a must-do for a used Tucson.
2) Check for brake pad wear. You don't mention the mileage on your Tucson but do get the pads checked for remaining life.
3) If you feel lights are an issue, would be good to change to osram nightbreakers. They work wonderfully for this vehicle.
4) Mileage with relaxed cruising at 100-110 on an expressway was about 11-12. Of course I have upsized tyres which may alter numbers.


Good luck with your Tucson! Nice to see another on the forum :thumbs up

Cheers,
Adi

Ok, so the million dollar question..

How much did it cost. If you don't feel comfortable sharing it, please PM me. I may consider one if it is priced well.

Congrats on the acquisition. Despite the Tuscon being a small SUV, it is a good package none the less. And is built quite well also.

Even I am curious to know the price.

And finally, looks like Carnation gathered some good points on this Forum for selling you a good Soft roader. (Referring to the slandering they are facing on the other threads) and the vehicle looks to be in good form

I have paid around 8.5 lakhs for the car but have to spend about 30,000 more to get the clutch and timing belt replaced.

Good car and great choice man. Your Tucson, with those body colored cladding and rear spoiler looks great. Also, it seems that the first owner has really maintained it beautifully.

Congrats on the butch Tucson.Looks well maintained.Also nice additions .At 8.5 lakh ,it is really a steal.Is the spare parts availability a chore and does the spares costs a bomb?
Drive safe and wear seatbelts.
Sreehari

Congrats on your buy. Please tell about the driveability at slow and high speeds. And the fuel economy part as well.

Forgot to mention the mileage. The odo was at 58400 when i got delivery of the car. The odo now stands at 62400 after 4 months of blissful driving.

I also wanted some advice from fellow bhpians on the following :

1) Where in Delhi ( Palika bhavan or Khan market ) can i get the OEM rear bumper guard from ? I have checked with Rajnath auto but the quote i got was quite high ( Rs. 18000 for the rear guard )

2) The Tucson underwent a major service at 52000 Kms before i bought it. I want to move to synthetic oil for the Tuc. Where can i buy the oil from at a good price ? and also any good service center which can undertake the oil change for me.

You can buy the oil and ask the dealer to do the oil change. But, honestly, hold on, I will know more about real performance of Delvac 1 in next few months...

Hi Kamal,

Hearty congrats on your buy. Its a fantastic all rounder. In fact, this was on my priority when I went out for pre-worshiped. But it was difficult to find Tucsons leave alone low mileage examples. Finally settled down for Civic.

Wish you miles of safe and happy motoring:thumbs up