Hyundai Tucson Gets The Axe; Full Size Hyundai SUV Bids Farewell To India

After a little more than three years since launch, Hyundai has pulled the plug of its full size SUV, the Tucson in India. Brought to India as a CKD (Completely Knocked Down unit), the SUV was assembled at the South Korean carmaker’s manufacturing facility at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu. Let’s take a look at what could have been the reasons:

Hyundai Tucson Discontinued: What Could Be The Reason?

Launched in 2022, the Tucson, at the time, played the role of Hyundai’s flagship in India giving us a taste of how global Hyundai models felt like. However, while initially sales were good for the segment, over time the SUV failed to capture the minds of Indian SUV buyers and went into a sales slump. September saw a marginal uptick with 85 units of the SUV sold, although it clearly was not enough to keep it feasible for Hyundai, which might have led to it being axed.

Notably, while Hyundai is readying its plans to launch 26 products in India by 2030, sadly, it seems that the Tucson might not figure in these plans.

About The Hyundai Tucson

The Tucson was Hyundai’s flagship SUV at launch and went up against big names in the full-size SUV space such as the Jeep Meridian, Volkswagen Tiguan and Skoda Kodiaq. Outside, it followed up with a sleek and upmarket look with headlamps integrated into the radiator grille. Towards the side, it got 18-inch alloy wheels while also being equipped with a connected taillamp setup at the rear. 

Inside, it got a dual-tone black-white theme and was equipped with features such as a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, 8-way power adjustable driver seat with memory, wireless charger, ventilated and heated front seats, ambient lighting and connected car technology. Safety-wise it got a Level 2 ADAS suite, 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, hill descent control, electronic stability control, electronic parking brake with auto-hold and a 360 degree camera. Notably, it also scored a full 5 stars in the Bharat NCAP crash test.

It was powered by 2.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol and 2.2-litre diesel engines, both of which were offered with 6-speed manual and 6-speed torque converter automatic transmissions. Buyers could also opt for an optional all-wheel drive system with the diesel as well. 

ZigSays…

Hyundai’s Tucson was a high-quality soft-roader that offered oodles of space and a luxurious feel along with the peace of mind and reliability that comes with a Hyundai. 

Sadly though, it never saw immense success with it selling just around 3,692 units in its best sales year of 2023. And with growing competition, it was inevitable that the Tucson would exit the market sooner or later. 

However, given Hyundai’s exciting plans for a new off-road focused SUV in 2027, we are eager to see what is in store for us.

Were you a fan of the Tucson? Let us know in the comments below.