Performance – The 2018 Hyundai Tucson 4WD is available only in the 2.0-litre diesel AT variant. The oil-burner produces the same amount of power and torque as in the 2WD model – 185 PS and 400 Nm. Performance is very similar to the Tucson 2WD model. Hyundai’s diesel engines are known to be the most refined and the 2.0-litre unit is no different. There is a good amount of low-end and mid-range punch but the powerplant gets vocal as the speeds rise, hence the top-end is quite noisy. The diesel mill redlines at around 4300 RPM and the turbo lag is well contained. The 6-speed automatic transmission is slick shifting but only on part throttle. Floor the accelerator pedal and there is a perceptible lag in the shifts. There are three driving modes – Eco, Normal and Sport. The Sport mode increases the fun factor by a small amount while the Eco mode lowers down the performance slightly to offer better mileage.
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Highlight of this 2.0-litre oil-burner is its low and mid-range performance
According to our VBOX tests, the Tucson 4WD did the 0-100 km/hr in 11.36 seconds
Due to the 4WD, the weight of the SUV has gone up. The 4WD transfers power to all the four wheels, if need be. Predominantly, power is channeled only to the front wheels but if there comes a circumstance where power has to be sent to the rear wheels, the system will take care of that as well. Additionally, power can be transferred to an individual wheel with the help of the Advanced Traction Cornering Control (ATCC) and the Tucson 4WD system also gets a Lock Mode which when activated splits the torque distribution in the ratio of 50:50 between the front and rear wheels. Fuel-efficiency of the Tucson 4WD is slightly lesser when compared to the 2WD model and one can expect around 9 km/l. Couple that with the large 62-litres fuel tank, a range of 500 plus kilometres is guaranteed.
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Due to the added weight, the Tucson 4WD feels composed at all times
Driving Dynamics – The Tucson 4WD handles and drives just like the 2WD variant but there is more grip on offer thanks to the 4WD. However, it tends to understeer near the limit but overall, the car feels composed. The steering does weigh up well although the feedback is artificial. The suspension is slightly on the stiffer side and the ride quality for most parts is good. You will feel and hear only the big potholes inside the cabin. High speed stability is good and the all-wheel disc brakes are sharp and shed speeds without any drama.
