Hyundai Alcazar 1.5 Turbo Petrol AT Long-Term Review: City Report

City Report

Living with a three-row SUV in a city like Mumbai can be intimidating. Narrow lanes, dense traffic, and limited parking make you wonder whether a large vehicle is truly usable. Over the last two months, the Alcazar 1.5 Turbo Petrol AT has been my daily driver across Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, so I can tell you whether it copes well with the realities of urban life.

The first thing that struck me about the Alcazar in the city is how well its size is judged. While it is a proper three-row SUV that can comfortably seat four adults, two kids, and carry some luggage, it never feels cumbersome in traffic. That balance is crucial in a city where even a Venue or an Exter can feel stressful to drive during peak hours. The Alcazar feels almost perfectly sized for urban use. It doesn’t feel heavy or intimidating while navigating narrow lanes or bumper-to-bumper traffic, yet it has enough road presence to feel substantial. Parking has also been largely stress-free. This thing fits into most parking spaces in Mumbai without requiring multiple attempts or constant corrections, which is a big win for a family SUV.

Visibility is another strong point. The views from the front and sides are excellent, helped by large windows and a high seating position. Judging gaps in traffic, edging forward at junctions, or squeezing through tight spots didn’t feel like guesswork. That said, the steering is slightly on the heavier side at low speeds, something you will notice while making lock-to-lock turns.

Our Alcazar is powered by a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine paired with an automatic gearbox. In the city, refinement is its strongest suit. The engine remains smooth and quiet, keeping the cabin calm and relaxed. Performance is more than adequate for daily use. Even with a full load of passengers, the Alcazar keeps pace with traffic comfortably. At low revs, the engine can feel slightly lazy, especially when you are gentle with the throttle. But once you cross around 2,500rpm, it picks up nicely and feels eager enough for quick overtakes or sudden gaps in traffic.

The automatic gearbox works well in stop-and-go conditions. It shifts smoothly without lurching. While the default mode is perfectly usable, the drivetrain feels most responsive in Sport mode, where throttle responses sharpen, and the gearbox holds gears more effectively.

One thing I have noticed is that switching to Eco mode doesn’t translate into any noticeable improvement in fuel efficiency. Speaking of which, over the past two months of city driving, much of it during peak rush hours, the Alcazar has returned an average of 10kmpl. Given the vehicle’s size, engine, and traffic conditions, this figure is respectable.

Hyundai’s strength has always been its feature list, and the Alcazar makes good use of it in the city. One of the most useful features is the Auto Hold function. It keeps the car stationary even when the gearbox is in Drive, allowing you to take your foot off the brake at signals or in crawling traffic.

Another standout is the blind spot camera system. As soon as you engage the turn indicator, a live feed from the corresponding side camera appears on the driver’s display. While similar systems are now available in some Mahindra and Tata models, Hyundai’s implementation feels extremely polished. The visuals are crisp, undistorted, and well integrated into the instrument cluster. The camera angle gives a clear view of traffic behind, making lane changes and merges far easier than they should be.

Ride quality in the city is good, though not the plushest in the segment. At low speeds over sharp bumps or broken roads, the Alcazar can feel a bit firm. However, it never becomes uncomfortable. Interestingly, the suspension feels better balanced when the car is loaded. With more passengers, it settles nicely and deals with road imperfections more effectively, which suits its role as a family SUV.

Overall, the Hyundai Alcazar has proven to be an excellent city companion. Its dimensions feel just right for a large-ish SUV, and I haven’t struggled with parking or navigating narrow lanes. I also appreciate how quiet and refined the cabin remains in peak traffic, and how easy it is to see out of from the driver’s seat.

Now that I have a clear picture of what the Alcazar is like to live with in the city, it’s time to stretch its legs and see what it’s like on a long road trip. With the holiday season around the corner, that’s exactly what I plan to do, and you will read about that in our next report in the new year.

Pictures by Kaustubh Gandhi