Hyundai Alcazar Diesel Review: Buy Carens Instead
The Hyundai Alcazar 2024 facelift is an MPV, which is to say that is has three rows, where the third row can be folded to load long cargo:
All my test drives have been petrols, except for this Alcazar. I drove it in the city and on the highway, and evaluated it against my requirements.
My conclusion is not to buy it1. No matter what you’re looking for, there’s a better car. The Alcazar is a 3-row car, and the Kia Carens is a better 3-row car. If you’re looking for a 2-row car car, buy an M.G.Windsor or Tata Curvv EV. If you insist on a fossil fuel-powered clunker, buy the Creta — it’s the best of that outdated technology. Regardless of what you’re looking for, there’s a better alternative to the Alcazar. The Alcazar isn’t terrible, but its competition is excellent. The level of quality and comfort in the market nowadays is excellent!
+ Can buy it in a 2 + 2 + 2 or 2 + 3 + 2 configuration.
+ Both the middle and rear seats fold.
± Leatherette seats
+ D-shaped steering wheel. Asymmetrical shapes like this are better than a circle because it’s easier to see if you’ve rotated the wheel.
+ The steering wheel is easy to rotate at low speed.
+ Tasteful tan interior
± Idle stop start
- One touch down only for the driver’s window
± Auto hold (but when you press the button to turn it on, the button doesn’t light up; instead, there’s an indication on the dash).
- Beeps when someone drives through my blind spot, which happens all the time in India. Thankfully this can be turned off.
Comfort
+ 8-way electrically adjustable seat with two memory slots
+ Good headroom
+ Good legroom
+ Tilt and telescoping steering wheel
+ The wheel doesn’t come in the way when entering and exiting.
- Engine vibration even when idle
- Transmits road imperfections worse than the Creta.
Driving
This diesel engine is mated to a torque converter.
+ Both USB-C and -A ports
- Even flooring it at 90 in Sport produces less acceleration
- Even light acceleration causes the engine to rev up noticeably.
- Moderate acceleration requires more time and revving and two gear changes
- Max speed is 160
- The car is very wide and takes up more than half of the main road in my neighborhood
- Can’t weave through lanes since it’s a long car
- I feel the bulk of the car when going over speed bumps
+ Handles bumps at moderate speed
+ It doesn’t show the current gear the car is in. I like seeing how an automatic system works.
Digital features
+ Both USB-C and -A ports
- CarPlay only via -A.
+ Bose 8-speaker music system that’s the best I heard. My favorite songs were emotional!
Cooling
+ Sunroof
+ Ventilated seats
+ Cooled glovebox
+ Rear window sunshades
+ Climate control
+ Dual-zone
Front passenger seat
+ 8 way electrically adjustable
+ Good headroom
+ Good legroom
Middle row seat
+ Good legroom
+ Exceptional headroom, fitting your hand above your head2:
+ 2 USB-C ports
+ Phone holder
+ Dual AC vents with independent up/down/left/right adjustment. But no on/off control — you have to ask the driver.
+ Can adjust seat backrest angle
+ Center armrest
± Doesn’t beep if you don’t wear seatbelt
+ Seat back tray with a groove to hold a phone.
+ The back of the front front passenger seat has controls to move forward and back and the backrest forward and back. So, when the front passenger seat is empty, and you’re sitting in the boss seat3, you can use these controls to give yourself immense arm room4.
It’s possible that if I’d driven an Alcazar petrol, my conclusion would have been different. But I can’t evaluate hypotheticals; I can only evaluate what I’ve driven.
This photo is from a different car, but included to illustrate how much space I need, so that it feels spacious rather than cramped.
The seat diagonally opposite the driver.
How much space you have if you extend your arms forward.