When you hear a Hyundai SUV, you’d think of a Creta or Venue- two pretentious crossovers. The closest the Korean marque gets to an SUV today is probably the Tucson- still a soft-roader. However, it once had a proper body-on-frame SUV on sale here- the Terracan. A rare find today, a clean example was recently featured in a video by ‘Motowagon’ channel.
The video shows a well-maintained Hyundai Terracan from Tamil Nadu. Finished in a shade of Silver, it remains true to the stock form, except for a pair of aux lamps. The host explains the history of this lesser-known SUV from the Korean giant. He further says about the product history of Hyundai India, and how the Terracan became the fourth product after the Santro, Accent and Sonata. The vehicle featured in this video is a 2005 model.
It was more or less an experimental flagship launch for Hyundai. This ladder-frame SUV had a price of 25 lakh back in its day. It was the category that had products like Fortuner and Pajero. It was indeed an aspirational placement for the brand, which was still in its growth phase, and Terracan failed to achieve commercial success in India.
The SUV has butch styling. It’s got the signature Hyundai grille and handsome projector-beam headlamps at the front. The tail lamps too have been retained in their original form. The SUV also gets chunky body cladding all around its body. This gives a serious character to the design. This particular SUV also has an aftermarket rearview camera.
The host further shows the interior. The equipment levels, materials used, finish and detailing are impressive for a MY2005 product. The seats get perforated leather upholstery.
Key features on the inside include a 2DIN CD player ( which seems to have been replaced with an Android-based system by the owner), a waterfall-themed centre console ( found on several Hyundai models of the time), faux wood finish on the steering wheel and dashboard, premium quality roof liner, height-adjustable seatbelts, power windows with auto up/down electrically adjustable steering wheel, climate control, and a lot of storage spaces.
One of the most impressive things inside is the roof-mounted AC vents with individual blower controls and the small display that sits near the IRVM which displays the time, direction, altitude etc. The central tunnel also has controls for the 4WD system. Yes! The Terracan was a proper 4×4 SUV. The analogue instrument cluster has a tiny MID screen as well.
This SUV has three rows of seats. The second row offers good room and comfort. The design and bolstering are good. Key amenities for second-row occupants include storage spaces, ashtrays, charging points, bottle holders etc. The third row has two side-facing seats and the boot also comes with hooks and other practical bits that would be of use if you were to go camping with this vehicle.
The Terracan also comes with hydraulic struts for the bonnet. In terms of specifications, it is powered by a 3.0L longitudinally mounted CRDi diesel engine that produces 160hp and 343 Nm. The host is seen driving the SUV, which has 2.54 lakh km on the odo at the time of filming. The hood gets a functional scoop that ensures smooth breathing for the intercooler.
Even though it managed to sell very few units in India, the Terracan was a global product that was sold in several international markets, and quite popular in many of them.
Featured image courtesy PracticalCaravan
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