Hyundai Nishat recently introduced a new base variant in the Tucson lineup which is pitted directly against the Kia Sportage’s base Alpha variant. Hyundai Tucson & Kia Sportage are regarded as sister products and they share the same 2.0L engine and 6-AT gearbox and are priced similarly too, with Tucson’s variants being marginally pricier than corresponding Sportage variants.
The base Tucson GLS is priced at PKR 73.65 lac while the Sportage Alpha retails at PKR 73.0 lac. While there are a lot of features & equipment common between the two, the base variants have some differences too. Let’s find out.
Related: Obsolete Hyundai Tucson Gets a New Base Variant for PKR 73.65 Lac
As expected, a lot of features that are available in regular Tucson & Sportage variants have been omitted from the base variants. These include the projector headlamps which have been replaced by halogen units. However, the rear light cluster in Sportage Alpha is a conventional one with bulbs in place of the LED units. Whereas the rear combination lights in Tucson GLS retains the LED setup.
Hyundai Tucson GLS
In terms of safety, both are equipped with 2 airbags but miss out on ESC, traction control, brake assist, as well as hill-start and downhill assist systems. The Sportage Alpha has a slight edge as it has heated side mirrors, while the base Tucson GLS hasn’t. Both the CUVs get conventional parking brakes in place of electronic ones.
Related: Hyundai Tucson vs Kia Sportage in Pakistan
On the outside, the Tucson GLS has a slight edge as it comes equipped with 18-inch wheels and roof rails, while the Sportage Alpha has 17-inch wheels and comes without roof rails. Both wear 255/55 tires. Also, while Sportage Alpha comes with half-chrome door handles, the Tucson GLS comes with body-colored ones.
Kia Sportage Alpha
Inside, while both get a 3.5-inch TFT instrument cluster, the Tucson GLS wins with a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system in comparison with the 7-inch unit found in Sportage Alpha. However, the Alpha gets an edge with having a dual-zone automatic climate control compared to a manual one in Tucson GLS. The Sportage Alpha also has an engine push-start button which is absent in Tucson GLS. Lastly, the gear shift knob as well as the steering wheel in Tucson GLS is urethane while the Sportage Alpha has leather wrapped.
Related: 5th Gen Kia Sportage Completes Two Years
Being entry-level variants, it is understandable for Hyundai Tucson GLS and Kia Sportage Alpha to miss out on features that are offered with more expensive trims. However, with a price tag that exceeds Rs 7 million, it shouldn’t be a compromise on safety. What is your take on the pricing vs features & equipment of Tucson GLS & Sportage Alpha, let us know with your comments.
Interestingly, we still get the obsolete generation models of these two in Pakistan, whereas, in the rest of the world, the comparison looks more like this.
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com
