Latest news with #GrandCreta
The Citizen
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
PODCAST: Hyundai Alcazar counts on diesel to make an impact
The frugal Grand Creta replacement is ready to take the fight to its Chinese rivals. The Hyundai Alcazar has officially replaced the Grand Creta in the Korean carmaker's local portfolio. The seven-seater SUV slots in above the Creta and underneath the Tucson in Hyundai's SUV family. The three-model range starts at R499 900 and offers a choice of two engines. A naturally aspirated petrol mill that makes 117kW of power and 190Nm of torque and an 85kW/250Nm 1.5-litre diesel engine. Both are hooked up to six-speed automatic transmission. Hyundai Alcazar makes a Pitstop In this week's episode of The Citizen Motoring's Pitstop podcast, we take a closer look at two of the Hyundai Alcazar's main virtues. We believe the diesel engine and its seven-seat configuration give it a definite edge in a tough segment. While there are plenty of Chinese SUVs on offer at the same price point and even lower, they do not offer diesel powertrains. Oil-burners are getting few and far apart, with the recent discontinuation of the diesel Renault Duster a prime example. On paper, the Hyundai Alcazar's 85kW does not seem like a lot. But with 250Nm of torque to boot, there is no shortage of pulling power. ALSO READ: Hyundai Alcazar has an ace up its sleeve against Chinese SUVs Frugal sipper But by far the oil-burner's best attribute is its miserly fuel consumption. Hyundai claims that it will only sip 5.9 litres per 100km and it proved even more frugal during our launch drive. This is much lower compared to petrol-powered Chinese SUVs, which will make a big difference in the long run. In flagship Elite guise, the Alcazar boasts a jam-packed specification list. It features 18-inch diamond cut alloy wheels, panoramic sunroof, rear window blinds, ventilated front seats, push-button start and LED lighting. A comprehensive set of safety features include adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, driver attention alert, forward collision avoidance assist, lane follow assist and rear cross traffic alert. The Hyundai Alcazar is sold with a seven-year/150 000km warranty and three-year/45 000km service plan.
The Citizen
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Hyundai Alcazar has an ace up its sleeve against Chinese SUVs
The Grand Creta replacement's diesel engine delivers exceptional fuel economy. One thing Hyundai just keep doing right is filling little gaps in the market with budget-friendly family cars. The Hyundai Alcazar is another of these. Replacing the Grand Creta nameplate, the Alcazar takes over as a midsize seven-seater SUV that slots in above the Creta and below the Tucson in the ever-growing range of SUVs on offer by Hyundai. Hyundai Alcazar ups the ante 'The new Hyundai Alcazar personifies our business model. To offer real value at an affordable price to buyers. We showed our intent with the recent launch of the Hyundai Exter and the recently upgraded Hyundai Tucson, where we managed to offer an even lower entry-point to the model range, while significantly upgrading our features,' says Gideon Janse van Rensburg, CEO of Hyundai Automotive South Africa. 'The Hyundai Alcazar is not just stepping in for the Grand Creta – it is a major upgrade. For one, it comes with a lower starting price than the model it replaces, making premium family travel more accessible to South Africans,' adds Stanley Anderson, Sales and Operations Director at Hyundai Automotive South Africa. ALSO READ: Hyundai Alcazar officially priced as 'facelift' Grand Creta With the business talk out the way, what does the Hyundai Alcazar offer and drive like? You have the choice of 2.0 litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that delivers 117kW of power and 191Nm of torque to go with a claimed top speed of 190km/h and a fuel consumption number said to be 7.5 litres per 100km. This engine choice is only available on the entry-level Executive spec derivative that retails for R499 900. This is cheaper than the model it replaces. A horizontal lightbar is a highlight at the rear. Picture: Hyundai Power outputs misleading The Citizen Motoring did not drive this derivative at the launch, but we did get to sample the 1.5 litre turbodiesel in top of the range Elite spec. This engine is also available in Executive spec and these two derivatives retail for R599 900 and R669 900 respectively. In a reduced and rationalised range, all three derivatives are paired with an easy shifting six-speed automatic transmission which is perfectly suited to the Hyundai Alcazar's urban, people carrying nature. Talking of which, the turbodiesel plays its part here with a power output of only 85kW that you might think is not enough. But when you add to this the 250Nm on tap, you have sufficient drive and urge for everyday type commuting. What is even better is that even though the claimed fuel consumption number is already set at a low 5.9 litres per 100km, we easily achieved less than this on the media launch drive. And this is what Hyundai is trying to hammer home. You can buy a product from another manufacturer, especially the Chinese, and the upfront price might be better, but when your new vehicle is using close on five litres more per 100km at over R20 a litre of fuel, the long-term impact of this will be felt in your pocket. ALSO READ: Facelift Hyundai Alcazar coming to South Africa not as Grand Creta Lots of creature comforts As expected at this level, you get the convenience of the second row of seats having fold-out tables (Elite only) and all three rows get USB charging. For some added practicality both rear rows fold completely flat, transforming the Hyundai Alcazar from a family SUV into a cargo hauler in seconds. The Hyundai Alcazar has a fully digital instrument cluster. Picture: Hyundai The cockpit features a high-resolution dual-screen display that keeps you connected through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It features convenient touches like wireless charging and easy-to-use climate and audio controls with physical buttons so you don't have to spend forever trying to change the aircon or audio. For safety, the Hyundai Alcazar comes equipped with six airbags, ISOFIX anchors for child seats (top and bottom), and a comprehensive suite of electronic safety systems including stability control and hill-assist features. The Elite model takes safety even further with advanced driver assistance features like blind spot monitoring, lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control, all of which reduce driver fatigue on long trips and can help in preventing accidents before they happen. Hyundai Alcazar pricing Alcazar 2.0 MPI Executive AT – R499 900 Alcazar 1.5 CRDI Executive AT – R599 900 Alcazar 1.5 CRDI Elite AT – R669 900 *Pricing includes seven-year/200 000km warranty and three-year/45 000km service plan.
IOL News
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
First drive of the new Hyundai Alcazar: an affordable seven-seater family SUV
The new seven-seater Hyundai Alcazar replaces the Grand Creta. Affordable seven-seater SUVs are quite a popular choice for families looking for a spacious vehicle to travel around in. If you're looking for one of these in the Hyundai stable, the Alcazar, which replaces what we knew as the Grand Creta, may be a great option worth considering. The Alcazar shares many similarities with the Grand Creta, which has now been discontinued. Interior and exterior The Alcazar measures 4560mm in length, 60mm more than the Grand Creta, and 1800mm in width, 10mm more than the Grand Creta. The height and ground clearance remain unchanged, at 1670mm and 200mm, respectively. This translates to a spacious cabin with impressive head and leg room, especially in the second row of seats. From an exterior perspective, the Alcazar is quite good-looking. Our test unit at the media launch was finished in a dark matte grey colour, which was first seen on the recently launched Creta. Hyundai noted that customers appreciated the array of matte colour options so much that they decided to include them in the Alcazar's offerings. Up front, you get the same design language as the Exter, with LED treatment given to the headlights with a signature 'H' daytime running light design. The Alcazar also includes a solid LED light bar that runs across the front. A contrasting silver lower bumper is found below the headlights. Sporty-looking two-tone diamond cut alloy wheels are also on duty, with the rear featuring LED technology for the taillamps along with an LED lightbar too. Hyundai has also incorporated 'Alcazar' badging within the light bar unit for a sophisticated look and feel. Inside, the Alcazar boasts a leather-wrapped multi-functional steering wheel. Behind it is a digital instrument cluster, which is the same as other Hyundai models we're familiar with.
TimesLIVE
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
Behind the wheel of Hyundai's new Alcazar seven-seater
There seems to be no stopping the popularity of the SUV and crossover segment, which has grown to 45.5% of South Africa's new-vehicle market, ahead of light commercial vehicles (24.4%) and hatchbacks (22.7%). Intense competition in the segment, particularly from Chinese- and Indian-made brands, is seeing legacy brands introducing new SUV models with minimal price increases, or even with price cuts, as Hyundai has done with its recently refreshed Tucson and now the new Alcazar. The Alcazar that touched down in South Africa last week is a facelift of the Grand Creta seven-seat SUV that made its local debut in 2022, but now carries the same moniker used in India, where the car is built. The entry model in the three-car range, the Alcazar 2.0 Executive auto, has been introduced at R499,900 compared with R566,500 for its predecessor. It is priced close to rivals such as the Haval Jolion Pro, Toyota Corolla Cross, Volkswagen T-Cross and Omoda C5, which are all five-seaters. The big price cut doesn't mean any omitted features and the Alcazar Executive still comes standard with seven seats, six airbags, stability control, manual aircon, multifunction steering wheel, cruise control, artificial leather upholstery, LED daytime running lights, wireless smartphone charger and park distance control with a reversing camera. It also has a high-resolution dual-screen infotainment system that wirelessly connects to smartphones through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and all three rows have air vents and USB charging ports.
The Citizen
11-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Hyundai Alcazar officially priced as ‘facelift' Grand Creta
Name change not only represents a more upmarket push, but also as a means of separating the Alcazar from the now Indonesian-made Creta. Alcazar has been dramatically redesigned to now resemble the smaller Exter. Image: Hyundai Teased for the first time last month, Hyundai, this past week, officially unveiled the facelift Grand Creta that finally adopts the Alcazar name it has been sold under in India since debuting in 2021. Facelift means 'new' name Approved for South Africa last year, the name change, according to Hyundai, represents a more upmarket product than the Grand Creta, with no inherent relation to the standard Creta which, since 2022, has been sourced from the Cikarang Plant in Indonesia rather than the Chennai facility in India. Stylistically, the Alcazar's updates comprises the H-shaped LED headlights from the Exter, a lower mounted grille, central light bar connecting the light clusters, a redesigned front bumper and skidplate, new bonnet, wider wheel arches and silver roof rails. ALSO READ: Hyundai starts teasing Alcazar as Grand Creta's 'replacement' At the rear, a complete restyling has taken place to include a new bumper and skidplate, H-shaped light clusters also connected by a horizontal LED light bar, stacked light reflectors on the flanks of the bumper itself, and a new tailgate. Compared to the Grand Creta, Hyundai has reworked the colour palette to offer six hues: Atlas White, Abyss Black, Starry Night, Titan Grey, Fiery Red and Titan Grey Matte. New inside Again furnished with seven-seats as standard, and without the optional six as in India, the Alcazar's interior restyling consists not only of improved materials, but also a new dashboard which, surprisingly, omits the pair of 10.25-inch displays offered in its home market. Instead, all South African variants come standard with a 4.2-inch TFT display and an eight-inch infotainment system, the latter equipped with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for the first time. Carried over from the Indian Alcazar are the new air vents, the new climate control panel with an LCD display and physical switchgear, and a USB port in each row. Spec On the model front, the Alcazar range spans three variants compared to the Grand Creta's five, which has involved the removal of the entry-level Executive manual and the petrol Elite fitted with the automatic transmission. The line-up, therefore, kicks-off with the Executive automatic, whose specification sheet includes 17-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights, folding electric mirrors, imitation leather upholstery, a wireless smartphone charger and a multi-function steering wheel. Further additions include: cruise control; rear parking sensors; reverse camera; keyless entry; tyre pressure monitor; LED headlights; Hill Start Assist Although restyled inside, South Africa loses out on a few features offered in India. Image: Hyundai As the range's flagship once again, the Elite replaces the 17-inch alloy wheels with new diamond-cut 18-inch wheels, the manual air conditioning with the mentioned climate control, and the standard cruise control with Adaptive Cruise Control. Included further are the following: electric driver's seat; front parking sensors; ventilated front seats; panoramic sunroof; push-button start; rear window blinds; LED mood lighting; Lane Keep Assist; Blind Spot Monitoring; Driver Attention Alert; Forward Collision Avoidance Assist; Lane Follow Assist; Rear Cross Traffic Alert; drive mode selector (Eco, Normal, Sport, Sand, Snow and Mud) Same engines Up front, and as previously alluded to, Hyundai has retained the same engine options as the Grand Creta, meaning option of either the normally aspirated 2.0-litre petrol or the 1.5-litre turbodiesel. As before, the latter remains an auto-only affair with the six-speed self-shifter sending its 84kW/250Nm to the front axle. In place of the newer 1.5 T-GDI also used by sister brand Kia in the Seltos, the Alcazar's petrol develops 117kW/192Nm directed to the front wheels through the six-speed automatic 'box now that the manual has been dropped. Price Priced lower than the Grand Creta in the case of the Executive despite the three-pedal option's departure, the Alcazar's price tag includes both a seven-year/200 000 km warranty as well as a three-year/45 000 km service plan. Alcazar 2.0 Executive AT – R499 000 Alcazar 1.5 CRDI Executive AT – R599 900 Alcazar 1.5 CRDI Elite AT – R669 900 ALSO READ: Facelift Hyundai Alcazar coming to South Africa not as Grand Creta
