The Hyundai Tuscon N-Line is lovely, but what's so different?
Prashirwin Naidu
The Hyundai Tuscon 2.0D AWD N-Line offers a blend of refinement and solid driving capabilities; it's not the performance-orientated N you would imagine; however, It has the N-trims, sporty dials and subtle nuances to enhance its beefy aesthetics.
Starting with the front-end design, which looks striking with a gloss black and dark chrome grille. I also like the jewel-patterned styling in front, accompanied by the N-Line badge, which is also an elegant touch. One could also admire the wing-shaped LED daytime running headlights and the halogen lamps below.
Due to the sporty N-line theme, its badging is also featured towards the side profiling, followed by flared-out aggressive-looking wheel arches and slotted in between them are black 19-inch alloy wheels. Our test unit came in a colour pallet called Titan Grey.
Towards the rear, you have rear fog lamps with a dynamic-looking tail bar, sporty tip muffler exhausts and a roof spoiler. The boot is also operated via an electronic power tailgate; its capacity offers 539 litres with all the seats down; it's 1,860 litres.
Inside the cabin, you have a smooth leatherette-wrapped, multi-function steering wheel that can be heated. Artificial Black leather and suede interior trimmings on the seats with N-line stitching are also featured on the steering wheel and gear lever.
Front seats have a heating and ventilation function and offer electric seat adjustment, height, and lumbar support. If you're feeling hot, with a click of a button, you can wind down the gorgeous panoramic sunroof and let the summer breeze set in.
Tech-wise, it has an integrated 8-inch digital display infotainment screen and a 10.25-inch Supervision cluster with a multi-function display. The system is Apple Car Play and Android Auto compatible, has Bluetooth Smartphone connectivity, a navigation system, a wireless phone charger, automatic climate control, air-conditioning and a six-speaker sound system with USB interfaces (2 x type A/ x 1 auxiliary connector).
Rear occupants have ample room, two USB-C ports, aircon and two cupholders in the middle armrest and side storage.
Beneath the bonnet, it harbours a solid 2.0l turbocharged diesel engine that develops 137kW and 416NM Torque with a smooth 8-speed Automatic transmission. It's relatively quick and can reach a top speed of 201km/h.
One felt engaged, the handling was smooth, and the diesel motor was silent and responsive. Hyundai's claimed Fuel Consumption was 7.1 litres/100km, and I achieved 8l/100km. The fuel tank offers a decent 54 litres of capacity. The car felt well-balanced, and from a torque perspective, it was adequate. Given that it's AWD, it can hold itself well and gives the added stability assurance.
You have Eco, Normal, Sport and Smart upon driving mode selections. The most interesting one is Smart, which picks up your driving patterns and recalibrates them to your driving style, combining Normal and Sport.
Safety and technology features include six airbags, ABS with EBD braking systems, Central locking with remote, auto-locking and unlocking doors, remote keyless entry, cruise control, rain sensor wipers, rear-view monitor, parking distance warning avoidance assistant, blind spot and forward collision avoidance assist, lane following and keeping assist and Isofix child support.
The Tuscon N-line is priced at R 815 900 and has many valuable features; however, opting for the Tuscon 2.0D Elite without the N-Line package is more than enough, as it still has the same engine, just taking away all the sporty elements.
The Tuscon 2.0D Elite is priced at R779 900. Some competitors are the Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0TDI, Kia Sportage 1.6 CRDi, and Mazda CX-5. Hyundai offers good service and warranty plans amongst its competitors, except for the Kia Sportage, which delivers the same value proportion.
Overall, the Tucson N-Line is rather pleasant and boasts a few niceties; it's a well-rounded package, but I feel the Kia Sportage 1.6 CRDi GT-line(R765 995) that I recently drove, has a lot more going for it overall, priced less, offers a better and more modern premium feel to it inside the cabin. The frugalness in fuel efficiency was also quite astonishing, achieving figures between 5l-7l per 100km depending on the speed with which you're driving. Given its price tag, I thoroughly enjoyed it more than the Tuscon N-line and felt it delivered more.
The Tuscon N-Line comes with a 5-year /160 000km warranty, an additional 50 000km manufacturer's powertrain warranty, a 7-year/ 150 000km road assistance, and a 6-year/ 90 000km service plan at 15 000km intervals.
