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S. Muralidhar

WE INDIANS are incorrigible! Don't get me wrong on this defeatist opening, but how else do you explain this sudden urge to take to gas-guzzling sports utility vehicles (SUVs), when this very trend among car buyers in the US, and to some extent in Europe, is being ridiculed. The US car dealers are in fact having to deal with "environmentalists' vandalism", where on two different occasions, the SUVs at showrooms were attacked and severely damaged during the past few months. The obvious intentions for the vandals being the gas-guzzling nature of these vehicles and then, again, that is a despicable trait in the eyes of these radical environmentalists because the US continues to be highly dependent on oil from West Asia.

For the "SUV-struck" Indian, who is used to seeing midgets on the roads and has probably only been witness to half-hearted attempts at world-class SUV manufacturing, may be it is the case of the "teenaged" car buyer trying to get into the league of the grown-ups. After all, who does not want to go through college and its myriad ups and downs! One other reason for this itch to go SUVing is probably this feeling among Indians that bigger is better. Maybe that is being a bit uncharitable, so, it can be altered to read bigger, plusher and more power is better.

And so, after the Mitsubishi Pajero, Chevrolet Forester and the Suzuki Grand Vitara XL 7, comes the Hyundai Terracan. But Hyundai Motor India is shrewd. Folks here have a good feel of the Indian market. They know that for the Indian SUV buyer power intoxicates (well, that pretty much how it is with SUV buyers even in the US; increasing sales of the Hummer show that to be true).

So, in the Terracan, Hyundai is offering "Marijuana" (not literally, of course), but has managed to keep the side-effects low. Yes, it is also a guzzler, but at least it runs on diesel. The Chevrolet Forester and the Suzuki Grand Vitara run on pricey petrol. That apart, the Terracan has still retained the raw power, the full-bodied size and the luxury trappings of a real SUV.

Like the Chevrolet and Suzuki SUVs, the Hyundai Terracan is also a full import. The Korean made SUV is Hyundai's flagship model and its largest vehicle in this category. Its smaller sibling — the Hyundai Santa Fe — is a hit in the US market and the company has kept the Terracan away from the touchy American market, though it is available in the UK and some other European markets.

The Terracan features and debuts Hyundai's new, state-of-the-art, turbocharged, 2.9 litre, CRDi (Common Rail Direct Injection), double overhead camshaft (DOHC) engine that generates a generous 150 ps of power at 3800 rpm and 33.94 kgm of torque at 2000 rpm, making it one of the most powerful, yet refined SUVs. The CRDi engine also features an aluminium alloy head and the excellent NVH packaging (noise, vibration and harshness reduction) and the fully automatic air-conditioning make the ride considerably quite for a diesel-driven vehicle.

The Terracan also boasts of advanced off-road capabilities that include a "part-time" four-wheel drive that lets the driver shift between the two- and four-wheel modes at the flick of a knob, an "electric shift on fly" capability that allows the driver to shift between two-wheel and four-wheel drive modes while on the move, and a "limited slip differential" that automatically transfers power to the other wheels if one or more wheels are not grounded.

So, though off-roading is rarely done by 4X4 owners all over the world, this one is sure equipped to handle all the rough and tumble that a trip to the mountains may imply. The Terracan's off-roading capability is aided by its 215-mm ground clearance, 15-inch alloy wheels with tubeless "Hankooks", and the extremely responsive power steering. The double wishbone suspension in the Terracan, which is commonly found in luxury sedans, also ensures a smooth and stable ride and abets better steering control. In fact, despite its size, zipping around the crowded, pothole riddled streets of Chennai's outskirts was a quite breeze.

The rear suspension in the Terracan features a five-link design meant to take in the severity of extreme off-roading and at the same time offers excellent on-road comfort for rear passengers.

The Terracan's frame has been constructed from heavy-duty gauge steel, again to provide good safety and rigidity to suit its image. Safety features include twin airbags and side impact protection bars in the front and rear doors made out of special high tensile strength steel. The vehicle which weighs in unloaded at over two tonnes and can seat seven comes with an anti-lock brake system (ABS).

The ABS features four-wheel disc brakes and an electronic brake force distribution for shorter stopping distances and better control. Large, clear lens head lamp and tail lamp clusters provide better visibility and lend more character to this muscular, stylishly-designed SUV. The interior of the Terracan is as plush as the luxury sedans.

The SUVs interior décor features wood grain trim on dashboard and leather on seats, door trims, gear knob and steering wheel. In addition, the Terracan has also been given a tachometer and an integrated rear view mirror that houses a digital multimeter that combines a clock, digital compass and altimeter. Other luxury features include two 12V power outlets, a six-speaker, six-disc, Alpine music system with remote control and a motorised face plate, speed sensing front wiper, tilt steering and electric adjusted and heated outside mirrors. Chrome door scuffs, a roof carrier, rear spoiler and high-mounted stop lamp and chrome finished door handles add a touch of class to the Terracan. That was quite a long list. In terms of comparisons, the 2,902cc Hyundai CRDi diesel's 150 PS betters the Mitsubishi Pajero's 2,835cc powertrain that generates 118 bhp.

The Pajero, which also gulps diesel, is the only real comparison. The other two, Chevrolet Forester and the Suzuki Grand Vitara, sport engines that are 1994cc and 2,736cc respectively, offering 120 bhp and 154 bhp respectively.

But the Terracan priced at about Rs 20 lakh, is obviously not for the aspiring Scorpio buyer. So, if the SUV bug has bitten you and you belong to that 0.001 per cent of the Indian population that can afford a Rs 20 lakh, king-sized treat, go ahead indulge yourself. The Terracan is waiting to be driven.

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