They say that the numbers don’t lie and when you see the masses rushing to get their hands on a vehicle that is priced in the INR 10 – 17 lakh range, you have to give the product credit for drawing in that kind of response purely on its merit. That is the story of the Hyundai Creta in a nutshell. It is a product that has established its leadership position purely on merit for it delivers on all counts and is the answer to the ultimate urban SUV that people are looking for.
Ever since it hit the road back in 2015, there has been no looking back for the Creta. Now offered with a series of changes, it has only gotten better and frankly I wasn’t surprised to hear that the new Creta got over 14,000 bookings and 70,000 inquiries within 10 days of it being launched. It has a great track record and those who own one, swear by it. The Creta has proved itself to be a reliable machine that is feature rich and convenient too and that is the DNA of its success if you were to ask me. Having said that, Hyundai has managed to make the Creta even better than before as I got to experience from behind the wheel of the new Creta recently.
The design of the new Creta still looks fresh, however Hyundai has made a few tweaks to ensure that the SUV looks even better than before. Taking centre stage on that front is the new grille. Hyundai has given it a bold new look and it is bigger too. The detailing on the slats gives the Creta an imposing presence and it sure looks more upmarket than before. The other changes include the new projector lights (however the overall design of the headlights hasn’t changed), LED DRLs around the fog lamps on the restyled bumper and new 17 inch wheels. Completing the package are the slightly larger looking skid plates up front and at the rear. All said and done, the changes might be subtle, but they do the trick of making the Creta a definite head turner.
Step inside and you will find that the Creta cabin is a rather nice place to be. Not much has changed in comparision to the outgoing model, however there is no reason to complain either. The dashboard boasts of a neat layout and the fit and finish is exactly what you would expect from a vehicle in this price bracket. The cabin is spacious and five adults can fit comfortably on board. To add an element of airiness, the top of the line Creta with the optional pack gets a sunroof which is bound to delight customers. The other major change on the SX(O) variant is the addition of an electrically adjustable driver’s seat. Having said that, I really wish that the Creta also came with ventilated seats up front. After all, Hyundai does offer them on the Verna and when I happened to be helping a relative buy a new car, he settled on the Verna over the Creta purely based on this one feature!
In terms of features, Hyundai is known for offering a plethora of them in all their cars and the Creta is no different. You get a revised touchscreen infotainment system that is quite nice to use, wireless phone charging, cruise control and a rear view camera. Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Mirrorlink are also part of the package as is a smart keyband that allows you to open and lock the Creta. Incidentally, this band also doubles up as a fitness tracker! The instrument cluster has also been revised and the driver information display gives you access to useful information including what position the wipers are in.
The Creta that I had on test was the 1.6 CRDi SX(O) variant and this comes powered by the tried and tested 1.6 litre CRDi unit as the name suggests. The engine is capable of delivering 126 hp and 260 Nm of torque. It is paired to a six-speed manual transmission and is known to be a silent refined mill. It does the job just right and its peppy nature really grows on you.
The Creta powers up really nicely and is great around the city, however it was a highway run that really won me over. Quick to hit three digit speeds, the Creta can cruise all day long without breaking a sweat. Overtaking is easy and you always feel that you have enough power in reserve on such occasions. Speaking of which, the ride quality is also commendable. The Creta soaks up road undulations and remains well planted on the road. It offers a composed ride and the notion that Hyundai cars are too ‘soft’ needs to be forgotten now. The Creta is relatively efficient as well. I managed to get over 14.0 kmpl over the days I had it with me and that includes a lot of city driving, a highway run to Mumbai from Pune and a bit of dirt, gravel and a busted road up to the top of a plateau to get to this stellar shooting location that you see in all these images.
Overall the new Creta is a vehicle that wins you over. It is a practical choice and comes with a host of safety features which include ABS, dual front airbags (side airbags are offered on the SX(O) variant that I had) and electronic stability control. It is built well, looks great and ticks all the right boxes in our books, which is why it makes for the perfect SUV in its segment. You really can’t go wrong putting your money down on this. It is a decision you will not regret.