Skoda Kushaq vs Hyundai Creta: Space And Practicality Compared

‘The one true king’ vs the king of the Segment. Which king will serve your family better?

The Skoda Kushaq, by virtue of its name, is claiming to be an emperor. However, the people will only accept it to be one if it can defeat the current king of the segment - the Hyundai Creta. In this comparison, we pit the Kushaq against the Creta to figure out which one offers better space, practicality, and comfort for your family.

#1 Front Cabin

Look and Feel

The Kushaq has a premium dashboard. It starts with the two-spoke steering with chrome accents and rotary dials. Then there’s the glittery-gloss finish and the matte 3D hexagonal pattern, which look classy. The large touch screen takes centre stage and does not disappoint.

However, there are certain areas where the quality leaves you wanting for more. For example, the side AC vents feel flimsy, the handbrake lever feels a bit too hard and crude, the sun visors could have been better, and the roof panel near the front lights also feels loosely fastened. Overall, the Kushaq delivers an upmarket experience. 

The Creta’s interior never set any benchmark, remaining very functional. The plane dashboard with red accents in the turbo variants looks subtle. However, the plastic quality is pretty average throughout. It won’t impress, but surely won’t disappoint you either. 

Practicality

Skoda Kushaq's cup holders

Both cabins offer similar cubby spaces. They get large door pockets, two cup holders, under-armrest storage, a space to store your knick-knacks, and a cooled glovebox. The Skoda further adds a few clever touches like an elastic string in the door pockets to keep your belongings fastened and rubber stoppers in the cup holders so you can open a bottle or a sealed mug with just one hand. 

Features

Both SUVs get top-of-the-line features like ventilated seats, climate control, auto headlamps, cruise control, sunroof, and wireless charger. However, the Creta takes the lead, offering premium features like a powered driver’s seat, a digital instrument cluster, an integrated air purifier, electronic parking brake, drive and traction modes, and a panoramic sunroof. 

The Kushaq, on the other hand, gets telescopic adjustment for steering, rain-sensing wipers, and touch-based climate controls. 

Infotainment

The Kushaq gets a much better infotainment experience, thanks to its 10.25-inch display. The system runs a powerful processor that’s quick to act and pair phones with. Plus, you get wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, which, combined with the wireless charger, is a huge convenience. The 7-speaker sound system, while not a branded unit, offers impressive audio on par with the Creta’s Bose sound system. 

A few shortcomings here are the bugs with wireless Android Auto and the reverse camera quality, which feel out of place for the Kushaq, more so, for a Skoda. 

The Creta’s infotainment is a user-friendly unit as well. While the display is not as bright or sharp as the Kushaq, it is easy to use and has a logical menu layout. It gets Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (but not wireless). And when compared to the Kushaq, the rear camera quality is a lot better and has dynamic guidelines too. 

However, it is the Kushaq that aces this particular parameter. 

Conclusion: Overall, the Kushaq takes the lead in the front cabin with a more premium dashboard, better infotainment experience, and practical touches. 

#2 Safety

Both cars are well-equipped in terms of safety. The common features are ABS, EBD, ISOFIX mounts, six airbags, hill-hold control, rear parking sensors, and a camera. However, the Kusahq further offers ESC as standard and multi-collision braking. What's missing in the Skoda are rear disc brakes and pressure readouts for tyres. Also, the AT variants get only two airbags. The 1.4-litre turbocharged Creta DCT gets six airbags, rear disc brakes, and a proper tyre pressure monitoring system.

Hyundai Creta co-driver airbag

#3 Rear Seat 

Comfort And Space

The rear seats of the Kushaq are well contoured. This aggressive bolstering allows passengers to remain seated firmly when there’s movement inside the cabin. However, there is a flip side. Because these have been contoured for two passengers, it becomes hard to fit a third. And when you do that, the passengers who are pushed to the sides start feeling uncomfortable.

Other than this one drawback, the Kushaq’s rear seat experience is a pleasant one. There’s ample space even for six-footers, and the cabin feels nice and airy. Hence, the Kushaq works well as a 4-seater, but won't be as comfortable as a 5-seater. 

The Creta, on the other hand, gets a flat seat base and backrest. This, combined with the wide cabin, allows three passengers to fit in comfortably. There’s plenty of space inside, and along with the panoramic sunroof and smaller front seats, the cabin feels airier than the Kushaq. 

Features And Practicality

Both cars are almost tied in this regard. Both SUVs offer basics, including rear AC vents, charging ports, door pockets, armrest with cup holders, and adjustable headrests. In addition, the Kushaq provides a space for phones in the front seat-back pockets, two type-C USB chargers, and an adjustable headrest for the middle passenger.

The Creta is not to be left behind. It offers window shades, a slot for your phone, soft neck pillows, and a reclinable backrest. These help you relax on a long drive.

Conclusion: The Kushaq and Creta are better off as 4 and 5-seaters, respectively. And while the former packs everything you’d need during daily urban commutes, the latter offers an improved rear seat experience, thanks to the large panoramic sunroof, window shades, and a reclining backrest.

#4 Ride Comfort

The Kushaq is a comfortable ride, typical of an SUV. This means it can tackle even the larger bumps, speed breakers, and potholes with relative ease. The suspension is also quick to settle after a bump, allowing the cabin to stay composed. Side-to-side movement is felt only on the worst of surfaces. Even on highways, the Kushaq remains firmly planted and well settled, so you can travel miles without the fatigue setting in. Moreover, courtesy of the noise insulation, you can barely hear any commotion (traffic sounds and other noises) happening outside.

The Creta is also comfortable, but not as much as the Kushaq. The softer suspension compresses easily here, and therefore, there is more movement inside the cabin. Because of this, occupants feel more of the surface and the bigger bumps inside the cabin. Out on the highway, the Creta rides well. It remains stable at triple-digit speeds and does not feel bouncy. 

Conclusion: The Creta is a comfortable SUV. However, the Kushaq is a lot better at absorbing undulations and cushioning its occupants. Be it within city limits or out on the highway, the Kushaq’s suspension is certain to offer a better ride quality. 

#4 Boot Space

On paper, the Creta’s 433-litre boot is 48 litres more than the Kushaq’s 385 litres. However, once you start loading them up, the reality is quite different. Of our test luggage of three suitcases and two soft bags, the Creta could accommodate just the smallest suitcase with the largest one placed first. The Kushaq, however, accommodated all three suitcases plus a soft bag. This is because of the Skoda’s deeper and better-shaped boot. Also, the loading lip is lower, so you don’t have to lift heavy bags higher, and there is a smart pull-down handle for closing the boot. 

The Creta’s boot sits flush with the loading lip. This helps to pull out any heavy luggage. Also, it can accommodate larger articles better. While both SUVs get a 60:40 split backrest, it’s the Creta’s rear backrest that folds to make a flat floor. The Kushaq, because of its deeper boot, creates a bump, making loading bigger items a little tricky. 

Conclusion: In this parameter, the Kushaq is better for family use, whereas the Creta is suitable for occasions when you have to carry something large or long, like a table. 

#5 Verdict

Both cars make a strong case for themselves, but for slightly different reasons. 

The Creta is the more capable SUV here when it comes to seating five. It also offers a better rear-seat experience. Plus, there’s a long list of features, including a few premium ones. Its boot, though smaller with the seats up, is certainly more versatile, particularly because it creates a flat floor.

However, when comparing the premium feel inside the cabin and the ride comfort, the Creta isn’t as good as the Kushaq. All in all, if you have a big family and want a feature-loaded SUV, Creta is the better choice. 

The Kushaq is a better SUV for a family of four (or the quality-conscious buyer). The boot is large, the rear seats are supportive, and the front cabin experience is upmarket as well (of course barring a few not-so-solid elements). And though it misses out on a few premium features, it’ll not leave you wanting. And then there’s the ride comfort, which is really appreciable. All of this put together makes the Kushaq a fantastic urban SUV for a nuclear family. 

Sure, you will have to compromise on a few areas. For example, the Kushaq looks a size smaller and doesn't have the same presence as the Creta. Also, the rear-seat width and the strong seat bolstering mean it is best used as a 4-seater (instead of five). If you have a smaller family and prioritise build quality over premium features, the Kushaq will make perfect sense.