MG Astor vs Hyundai Creta vs Skoda Kushaq: Space And Practicality Compared

Each of these three SUVs here have their own unique bits to claim themselves as the king of this segment. We find out which is actually worthy of this title.

Sure, the competition in the sub-4 metre SUV segment is quite intense but don’t underestimate their larger siblings. Because there too, the competition for top honors is hotting up. While the Hyundai Creta has been the top dog for sometime even in its newest iteration, it's now got company in the form of the Skoda Kushaq and MG Motor’s most recent addition, the Astor. 

While all three SUVs have their own unique qualities, there can only be one true king of this segment. So in true CarDekho fashion, we put them to the test to see which one offers the best combination of practicality, space, as well as comfort for the family.

Looks

While the MG Astor pips the Creta and Kushaq in length, width, and height, it doesn’t seem to look the part in a visual sense. That could be down to the SUV’s simplistic and elegant design. Possibly the most polished in the segment. On the other hand, the Kushaq commands a strong presence with an aggressive philosophy despite being the smallest of the three SUVs. While the Hyundai Creta’s design may polarise people, it is the curvier SUV of the lot, which does make it look the biggest here. 

Common elements in the three SUVs include LED headlamps with DRLS, LED tail lamps, 17-inch alloy wheels, and fog lamps, but there’s of course their own unique bits. For starters, the Astor’s headlights and front grille grab eyeballs with the red brake calipers adding a sporty feel to it. The Kushaq’s aggressive philosophy can be attributed to its alloy wheels, muscular bonnet, and butterfly grille. As for the Creta, the headlights and tail lamp design give off that polarising feel. To us, Astor is the pick of the lost in terms of looks. But of course, your opinion may differ. 

Boot Space

For an SUV, having enough space in the boot, whether it is for a heavy duty grocery run or a long weekend family getaway, is paramount. Despite the MG Astor having the edge in exterior dimensions, it doesn’t really translate when it comes to boot space. Just putting one large suitcase takes up most of the space. If you start with fitting in medium and small sized suitcases, it makes putting in a soft bag a hassle. Remove the parcel tray, and the space is enough to fit in a large and medium suitcase with a soft bag in the mix.

While the Creta has more boot space than the Kushaq on paper, putting them to the test showcased some interesting results. Compared to the Astor, the Creta can accommodate a large and medium suitcase with a soft bag, without having to remove the parcel tray. And can add another small suitcase if you do remove it. The limitation for the Creta’s boot is the high boot floor. 

Coming to the Kushaq, you can keep everything from the Creta’s boot without needing to remove the parcel tray. And if you decide to get rid of the tray, a soft bag can further be added. The deeper and wider boot contributes to the Kushaq coming out on top in this department. That being said, the Kushaq doesn’t get a flat floor which the Creta and Astor can after folding their rear seats.

Rear Seat Experience And Features

Starting with the MG Astor, the rear seats aren't very supportive. A key reason for that is the low mounting, leaving you wanting for more under-thigh support. Also, because the seat base is not angled upwards, you feel like sliding off everytime the brakes are hit a bit aggressively. It also feels a little stuffy in cabin roominess because of the high window line and small windows. That being said it does get a decent amount of knee and headroom even if you are a tall passenger without much issue thanks to the front seats being mounted higher up, leaving enough room to stretch about. 

The Creta’s rear seats on the other hand are more supportive. Despite the ench being flatter and the under-thigh support being a little less than ideal, the angle of the seat base is the best here, with the backrest helping you sit in a comfortable posture. The Creta also feels the most airy of the three SUVs thanks to a big panoramic glass area, great width inside, and the smaller front seats.  

It’s the Kushaq that is the best in rear seat comfort. It gets well contoured seats which let you fit into them and this snugness keeps you very comfortable over longer jourines. And because the bench is high, underthigh support is the best here as well. And while the airy feel could be better with the addition of a panoramic sunroof, the large windows won't let you complain. The great cushioning and seat base height makes it the ideal pick for two rear seat passengers.

As for features, all three SUVs get niceties such as rear AC vents, charging ports, armrests and cup holders. The Astor however, lags behind with no mobile pockets or window curtains, and the panoramic sunroof’s curtain is too thin which doesn’t absorb heat that well and lets the cabin get much hotter than the other two. The Kushaq has everything from the Astor and gets a clever mobile pocket place in the seatback. The Creta wins out here, featuring extras like window curtains, a reclinable seat back and neck cushions.

Three At The Back

The Kushaq’s well contoured seats come at a price. While trying to fit in an extra person in the middle, it becomes quite uncomfortable for the passengers being pushed to the sides mainly down to the way the seats are shaped and the width being the least of the three SUVs. The Astor, while not very comfortable for two rear passengers, can accommodate a third passenger better due to the better width and more adapting shape of the seats. 

The Creta handles the extra passenger the best thanks to the greater width in the rear cabin, as well as the flat seat base and back rest which makes it easier for the two side passengers to accommodate the middle passenger. That being said, there’s no adjustable headrest or 3-point seatbelt available which is there in the Kushaq and Astor.

Front Cabin Look and Feel

The Astor undoubtedly wins out here, with oodles of leather on the doors, dashboard steering wheel, centre console and the seats. These surfaces feel plush and premium to touch and with all these further boasting a great fit and finish, the Astor sets a new benchmark in its segment. 

Sure, the Kushaq may have hard plastics all over but the build quality is solid, and the overall layout looks decent, notably on the dashboard panel which sports a matte 3D texture that blends well with the rest of the gloss panel. However certain areas let you down like the side AC vents and the loose roof liner. 

The Creta goes conservative here, with a layout that feels quite simplistic compared to the other two SUVs. Sure, it's functional, but it is not exactly as appealing as the Astor and Kushaq. Plastics that feel a little too light also drop a few points for the Creta.

Features

All three SUVs come with the basic bells and whistles as expected in this segment and won't leave you wanting more. However when compared to the competition, the Astor does miss out on some practical everyday features such as a wireless charger, auto auto day/night IRVMs as well as ventilated seats. That being said, it partly makes up for that with a 360 degree camera, and a personal AI voice-command-based assistant. The latter can operate in-car functions like opening the sunroof or driver window, change climate control settings and also provide news updates, crack jokes, and answer trivia questions by searching the internet. Its connected car tech also has a cool bluetooth key feature where you can use your smartphone to lock/unlock the car and even drive it.

The Kushaq gets pretty much everything the Astor misses like a wireless charger, auto auto day/night IRVMs as well as ventilated seats, and adds some of its own unique bits such as Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, and telescopic adjustable steering. It also offers a better infotainment experience with a better resolution display, and relatively lag free operation albeit with a few niggles like its poor reverse camera quality and the bugs in Wireless android Auto. 

But it's not without its misses and has a single pane sunroof unlike the panoramic units of its rivals, and misses out on connected car tech, digital driver’s display, electronic parking brake, and a powered driver’s seat. However, none of these features reduce the everyday practicality of the drive. 

The Creta is the best mix of the three SUVs with a decent mix of daily driver and premium features, with the addition of drive and traction modes in its arsenal. The only key missing bit is, strangely, rain-sensing wipers.

Safety

There’s not much to separate the three SUVs when it comes to providing key safety features. All three come with up to six airbags, ABS with EBD, ESC, ISOFIX anchors, hill hold control, and a tyre pressure monitoring system. But the Astor gains an edge with its Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) package. Key bits in this safety package include lane keep assist,  automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, speed assist, rear cross traffic alert, and blind spot monitoring. Also, despite the Kushaq being the only one here with just front wheel disc brakes, it manages to stop on par with its rivals, so it's not really a con in the real world. Also, the Kushaq only gets warnings for tyre pressure deflation, whereas the other two get the tyre pressure display. 

Ease Of Drive and Ride Comfort

Before we get into how these three SUVs ride, there’s a lot in common under the hood of the variants we have on test. They’re powered by turbo-petrol engines with closely matched power figures and are paired with automatic gearboxes. 

Starting off with the MG Astor, its 1.3-litre turbo-petrol and 6-speed automatic setup felt quite smooth and refined with responsive power delivery. Add on good cabin insulation, and the Astor makes for relaxing everyday commutes while listening to your favourite music in peace. But the real party trick lies in how it rides. It handles bumps with relative ease and you’ll barely feel anything while riding on rough roads or speed breakers. Although you might feel a little bit of body movement on highways, it doesn’t hamper the overall experience.

Moving on to the Skoda Kushaq, it provided a comfortable ride, but its sportier suspension setup would leave you feeling rough roads and speed breakers a bit more than the Astor, with a bit of noise in the process. That being said, the Kushaq stabilised itself much quicker over bumps, allowing the cabin to remain well settled even in side-to-side movement on rough roads. The Kushaq also veers a bit on the sporty side with its 1.5-litre TSI engine and 7-speed DSG gearbox. The shifts and speed change can feel a bit rough while making overtakes. So you’ll have to be a little easy on the throttle if you want a smooth driving experience.

While the Creta can handle smooth roads without breaking a sweat, you’ll certainly feel the most jolts while going over harsher bumps. Its softer suspension and lower travel also means there's more movement in the cabin and takes time for it to settle. It lags behind in downshifts and power delivery even in eco mode is a little snappy, which isn't ideal if you’re looking for a smooth ride. 

Price and Verdict

It was a close call between the three SUVs as each one of them made a strong case for themselves in different areas. However, there was one clear winner. The MG Astor scores points for its premium cabin feel, ADAS, and its comfortable ride. But it lacks some key features and practicality when it comes to boot space and the rear seat experience. So if you’re up for a premium cabin experience and a comfy ride, the Astor is the ideal and least expensive option.

The Hyundai Creta is the ideal all-round package, providing the best mix of features and practicality, while being the ideal SUV to seat five passengers. Sure, the cabin quality may not be excellent, and the ride quality isn’t quite ideal, but the Creta continues to be a safe bet in the segment.

The Skoda Kushaq is certainly the more practical option with oodles of boot space, quirky cabin, and a comfortable rear seat experience. But it is only ideal for a family of four as seating three people at the back is a hassle. It also sacrifices a few premium features for strong build quality. So if you’re willing to shell out the most of the three SUVs and use it as a very comfortable four-seater, while coming out largely with flying colours in every other department, the Skoda Kushaq is the ideal choice.