Hyundai recently launched the 2022 Tucson SUV in the Indian market. The brand’s new flagship model in India was an instant hit, and Hyundai sold out its 2022 allocation. The India-spec Tucson comes with all the bells and whistles and all safety features, including ADAS on the top variants. Global NCAP or the upcoming Bharat NCAP are yet to test the India-spec Hyundai Tucson.
In November 2021, Euro NCAP tested the new-gen Tucson, and it scored a 5-star safety rating. However, the Latin NCAP has tested Tucson’s base variant with 2 airbags, and it has scored a 0-star safety rating. Right after this, Latin NCAP also tested the 2022 Tucson with 6 airbags. The 6 airbags variant fared much better and scored a 3-star safety rating.
The 2022 Hyundai Tucson with 2 airbags scored 20.09 points for adult occupant protection, which is 50.23 per cent of the maximum score. As for child occupant protection, it scored 2.62 points, which is 5.34 per cent of the maximum score. Meanwhile, the pedestrian protection score was 23.23 points, which is 48.40 per cent of the maximum score.
Protection for the driver and passenger’s neck was good. The driver and passenger’s chests also showed good protection. The knees for both driver and passenger showed marginal protection. This is because they can impact with dangerous structures behind the fascia. Driver’s tibia showed adequate and good protection, while passenger’s tibias showed good protection. The footwell and bodyshell were rated stable.
Side impact: Protection to head, chest, abdomen and pelvis was good. Latin NCAP did not conduct Side pole impact as the base model Tucson does not offer side head protection as standard. Whiplash: The seat showed marginal protection to the adult neck. UN R32: Tucson meets the rear impact structure requirements. AEB City: It comes with optional AEB city, which meets the performance requirements but does not fulfil Latin NCAP preconditions and availability requirements for scoring.
Latin NCAP installed the child seat for the 3-year-old child rearwards using the ISOFIX anchorages and support leg. The Tucson was capable of preventing head exposure and offered good protection. Side Impact: Child Restraint System (CRS) offered full protection.
The Q1.5 was installed rearward facing using ISOFIX anchorages and support leg. The CRS prevented the head exposure. Thus, offering full protection. Side Impact: CRS offered full protection. Several of the CRSs tested for installation failed. Despite having standard ISOFIX anchorages in rear outboard positions marking was not according to Latin NCAP’s criteria.
The rear centre position comes with only a lap belt as standard. Airbag warning when a rearward CRS is installed in the passenger seat meets the Latin NCAP requirements. The Tucson does not have a passenger airbag disconnection switch as a part of its standard equipment.
The Hyundai Tucson meets Pedestrian Protection UN regulations. The SUV showed areas with good protection levels. Upper leg performance showed areas with poor protection. AEB VRU: it offers optional AEB VRU, which shows good performance. However, it does not fulfil the Latin NCAP precondition and availability requirements for scoring.
The 2022 Hyundai Tucson, which comes with 6 airbags as standard, fared much better in the Latin NCAP tests. However, the score was still nowhere close to the Euro-spec model. The 2022 Hyundai Tucson, with 6 airbags, scored 32.64 points / 81.61 per cent for Adult Occupant protection. Meanwhile, for Child Occupant protection, it scored 34.07 points or 69.53 per cent of the maximum available points.
Also Read: ANCAP planning vehicle submergence tests for Adult Occupant Protection