Hyundai Creta

The 2024 Hyundai Creta is priced between Rs 10.99-20.14 lakh and competes with models such as the Kia Seltos, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota Hyryder, Volkswagen Taigun, Skoda Kushaq, Honda Elevate, Citroen C3 AirCross, and MG Astor. Sedan alternatives include the Hyundai Verna, Honda City, Volkswagen Virtus, and Skoda Slavia. The mid-spec variants of the Tata Harrier, MG Hector, and Mahindra XUV700 are also worth considering in a similar price range.

There’s no denying that the outgoing Creta’s design split opinions left and right. But with this update, the Creta’s styling has definitely become more conventional.

The front is no longer rounded, thanks to squared-out elements that give it an aggressive look. Its large chunky grille, bumper cladding, and square headlights impart a dominating look, while the LED DRLs add a touch of premiumness. 

However, there is some cost saving going on here, as there isn’t a light strip for the DRL, the Creta instead making do with a simple reflector. It gets the sequential indicator functionality, but that works with just three lights turning on and off. As a result, the setup feels less premium than the Seltos. But in terms of performance, the headlights are now noticeably more powerful.

In a typical facelift treatment, the side profile is very similar to the outgoing model. Only changes can be seen in the new design for the alloys and slightly tweaked fender design. You get 17-inch alloys here, but 18-inch units are available in the sportier Creta N Line. The rear styling, too, has jumped on the connected lighting bandwagon. They span the width of the tailgate and are complemented by the revised bumper design, which also sports the reverse lamp right in the centre. The lamp’s placement is rather low and might not be visible in close bumper to bumper traffic.

So, overall, the Creta’s styling has definitely moved towards the more conventional side of things and if you want a sportier-looking Creta right from the factory, you'll have no choice but to go for the N Line variant. It looks like nothing else in the segment and won’t even burn a hole in your pocket.

Stepping inside the Creta’s interior builds on the premium picture painted by the exterior styling. The design is undoubtedly more attractive than before, thanks to the dual digital screens integrated on the same bezel and the interesting contrasting styling elements on the dashboard. The latter comes in the form of the copper accents on the screen bezel and the extending black element from the passenger side AC vent. 

There’s no soft-touch materials on the dashboard, yet there still aren't any complaints with regards to the cabin’s overall quality. The dashboard has a smooth rubber-like finish which feels nice to touch and you do get soft-touch materials on the door and central armrest. We do wish the padding on the door armrest was a bit more soft, as it can feel hard on longer journeys.

The overall design is definitely a leap ahead from the outgoing model’s, but there still is a complaint from the central AC and audio controls. The panel has multiple buttons, knobs and dials, which make it look rather busy. A switchable semi-digital panel like in the Verna might have made the cabin look more modern. But, you do get used to the controls after sometime, so this tradeoff is acceptable.

But a couple of things to keep in mind are the piano black elements around the central console and the light-colored seats. While the former looks nice and adds contrast to the cabin’s dual-tone theme, the elements pick up dust and scratches very easily. The light coloured seats on the other hand are easy to spoil, especially if you have pets or children in the family. If you do, buckle up to pay extra attention to maintain the Creta’s cabin.

But when it comes to the comfort of those seats, the Creta won’t give you anything to complain about. Both the comfort and support is good, and finding a comfortable driving position is easy as well.

Practicality

The Creta doesn’t leave you wanting for more in terms of cabin practicality. Your water bottles can be tucked away in all four door pockets which also get additional storage space for your knick knacks. Your morning coffee can be stored in the two central cupholders. The wireless phone charging pad can double up as a storage space for your wallet and keys, and those items can alternatively be stored in the open space in the passenger compartment as well. The glovebox is cooled and spacious too and even the central armrest gets a small cubby hole beneath it. 

Rear passengers get seat back pockets for storing their tablets or magazines, while their phone can be tucked away in the space underneath the rear AC vents. Apart from the wireless phone charger, there’s a 12V socket, a USB port and Type-C port up front. Rear passengers get two Type-C ports. 

Features

The Koreans have a tendency to spoil their customers with creature comforts and the case is no different with the Creta. Not only do you get a slew of premium features but they have been well executed as well.

The dual 10.25-inch digital screens, for example, work really well. The graphics are crisp and the infotainment responds well to commands. They work lag-free while navigating between the various menus, which is also easy, thanks to a clean interface. We just wish that connectivity for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay was wireless. As it stands you have to plug your phone into the USB port to get that functionality; it doesn’t work with the type-C port.

The surround view camera works well too. The camera quality, the frame rates and the multiple views are all well executed and make maneuvering the Creta in tight spaces much easier. Also neat is the blind spot monitor, which takes up space on the digital driver’s display. It works well at night too and is really helpful in spotting those troublesome two-wheelers in your blind spot.

The Bose sound system doesn’t leave you wanting for more and there’s no scarcity of convenience as features like dual zone climate control, powered driver seat, auto IRVM, and panoramic sunroof, all of which help elevate the Creta’s overall experience.

Now compared to the Seltos, you miss out on two main features – one touch up/down for all four windows and heads-up display. But these features are not essential and not having them won’t make you feel like you’re missing out on something as the overall feature experience is  rather fulfilling. 

Safety

The pre-facelift Hyundai Creta had received a 3-star safety rating from Global NCAP. Now, Hyundai did divulge that they strengthened the structure with reinforced elements. But how well those new elements perform can only be answered with a new crash test result and we hope the Creta can improve on its previous score.

But as far as the safety kit goes, there are no misses, with 6 airbags, numerous electronic aids, tyre pressure monitoring system, and ISOFIX mounts offered as standard. Top-spec variants further get a rear defogger, surround view camera and level-2 ADAS features. 

The Creta’s ADAS is a camera and radar-based system, which isn’t there just for bragging rights, and can actually be used out on highways and expressways which have proper markings. It has been tuned for Indian driving conditions and features like lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control and autonomous emergency braking make the Creta a great mile muncher. You can turn all these ADAS features off entirely via the infotainment system and they will stay turned off even after restarting the vehicle.

Rear seat experience

One of the areas where the Creta impressed us the most is its rear seats. If you were planning to use it as a chauffeur-driven car or were looking for a comfortable back row for your parents, then the Creta will be the perfect for you. 

Average-sized adults with a height of around 5’8” won’t have any issues with the space on offer. Knee room is plenty; head room and underthigh support is adequate; and you even get decent space to stretch your feet ahead despite the front seat being in its lowest position. Only slightly taller passengers above 6ft will find the headroom to be restricted.

You can also seat three people here comfortably because the seat back and bench is mostly flat and you have a wide cabin. Although, the central passenger won’t be the happiest on long journeys, given that there is no central headrest. 

As for the comfort of the seats, their cushioning is balanced and it feels comfortable on both short and long journeys. Only complaint is with the side support, which could’ve been slightly better because the seats don’t really hold you in-place all that well. But you get adjustable seat recline, central armrest, rear AC vents and sunshades, which add to the overall convenience and comfort of these rear seats. Special mention for the neck pillows, which feel really comfortable when taking a quick nap on those long journeys.

Hyundai emphasises structural changes with increased use of advanced high-strength steel in the Creta's body. Standard safety features across all variants include 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control, hill start assist, vehicle stability control, ISOFIX child seat mounts, tyre pressure monitoring system, and rear disc brakes. Top-spec variants also boast Level 2 ADAS functionality, offering features like adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, forward collision warning, auto emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert/safe exit warning, and blind spot detection.

With a storage space of 433 litres, the Creta’s boot space isn’t the segment-best, though it can still gobble up quite the luggage with some proper planning. You have a wide loading bay, but because the boot floor is high, you don’t get adequate area to stack items one on top of another. Use multiple small or medium sized suitcases here and you’ll still have space for a duffle bag or two. 

So four people’s weekend getaway worth of luggage isn’t an issue and you can store additional items by folding the 60:40 rear seats. They fit flush with the floor so you can store some long items as well.

The Creta still comes with three engine options: a NA petrol, a turbo-petrol and a diesel. While the NA petrol and diesel engines have been carried over from the outgoing model, the turbo-petrol engine is new and has been sourced from the Verna. It is also the same engine available in the Kia Seltos.

But our test vehicle had the NA petrol and CVT gearbox combination, which is best suited for city commutes and occasional highway use. The engine won’t give you much to complain about, as the refinement levels are good, you rarely feel any vibrations. It offers a good drive in the city while its highway performance is acceptable as well.

Its performance isn’t exciting in any sense, but the acceleration is smooth and linear. Picking up speeds from lower RPM is easy and it feels at ease in heavy bumper to bumper traffic. It is easy to cruise at speeds of 100-120kmph on the highway, but you can’t expect quick overtakes here. Especially if you’ve got some load onboard, the engine takes time to build speeds over 80kmph, so you will have to plan your overtakes. 

Making the drive even smoother is the CVT gearbox, which has been tuned soo well that it doesn’t even feel like a typical CVT. Its operation is smooth, effortless and you won’t have to worry about any jerks. Even when you demand a sudden acceleration while cruising, it steps down quickly and you can even alternatively use the paddle shifters for taking manual control of the gearshifts. 

The Creta, irrespective of the engine option, gets three driving modes: Eco, Normal, and Sport. These modes change the throttle response and gearbox tuning. As a result, in Sports mode, the  throttle response becomes quicker and the transmission holds a higher RPM before changing to the next gear.

If your driving is mostly going to consist of highway runs or if you want some driving thrills, you can pick the new 160PS turbo-petrol engine. It has punchy performance and the DCT gearbox is also quick to shift gears, which makes for a great recipe for some fun driving in the city and highway equally. But don’t expect double fuel efficiency figures with the turbo-petrol, especially in the city. 

Even with the NA petrol engine, the fuel efficiency wasn’t impressive: 10-12kmpl in the city and 14-16kmpl on the highway. So if you have a really high running which comprises both city and highway driving, you can pick the diesel engine. It is an all rounder which offers both performance and fuel efficiency. However, it won’t be as refined and as smooth as the NA petrol engine.

Hyundai has somehow managed to strike the right balance between comfort and dynamics with the Creta’s suspension. It absorbs everything that our city roads can throw at it – from small potholes to rough roads to no roads. It works silently and rarely translates any jerk or movement inside the cabin. It’s only when the potholes are too deep that you will move around in the cabin. But even then, that movement is acceptable and isn’t something you’ll complain about.

Furthermore, its high ground clearance will also give you confidence to take those bumps without a sweat. On a highway too, the Creta feels stable as it maintains comfort and remains planted over undulations or expansion joints. But you might feel some constant up and down movement if the surface isn’t smooth, which can become discomforting on longer journeys.

Despite being a comfortable family SUV, the Creta doesn’t ask for a compromise in its handling. It maintains its stability and impresses around a corner, to the extent that it beat cars like the Seltos and Taigun in our cornering test. But if you find yourself attacking corners around ghats or if you simply like to drive the car spiritedly, then you can go for the Creta N Line. It is sportier than the standard Creta, but doesn’t ask for much of a compromise in comfort.

The Creta already used to deliver on all fronts that you’d expect from a family SUV. With this update, it not only continues to deliver but even exceeds expectations on some fronts. Not only does it look premium from outside it also feels premium from inside. Its features list could put some cars a segment above to shame and there’s no scarcity of space and practicality either. 

The powertrain options are numerous with three engines on offer, each offering multiple gearbox options – making it easier for you to pick the combination which suits your usage the most. So whether you were looking at the Creta as a daily city commuter, or as a car for the entire family outings and road trips, the Creta has all the traits to keep you happy.

Moreover, its second row truly is accommodating and comfortable, not just for you or the kids, but for your elderly parents as well. And its plush ride quality will ensure that comfort will be maintained at all times. The only thing missing is its BNCAP safety rating, after which the purchase decision will become even easier, because you can’t really ask more from a car in this segment.