Hyundai Creta : Detailed Review

There is no doubt in denying the fact that the Hyundai Creta is one of the most talked about cars in recent history. In fact, considering Hyundai’s recent products like the Elite i20, Xcent and Grand i10, the Creta is en route to being a grand success for the Korean manufacturer. So does it have what it takes to really be worthy of all the hype? Well, read on to find out more.

Exterior styling  rating_4.0_rating

The Hyundai Creta actually looks the part of an SUV for starters. At first glance, it does look quite handsome and current too. This is mainly because of Hyundai’s Fluidic 2.0 sculpture that has been used on the Creta which tones down the curves that were present on some of the older cars in favour of a more euro look like we find on the Hyundai Elite i20. So what do we like? Well, we certainly like the large chrome grille and the projector headlamps with the daytime running lights, both features that are bound to go down really well with the Indian audiences.

We also like the adequate usage of black plastic cladding on the front bumper, door sills and the rear bumper which gives the Creta a slightly more aggressive and appealing stance as compared to the likes of some of its competition. The vertically placed fog lamps too complete the front look while the large 17-inch alloy wheels tie up the side profile very well.

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As with most SUVs or compact SUVs in this case, the Creta gets a handsome set of roof rails and a rear-mid roof mounted radio antennae. Around the rear, the Creta gets a distinctive set of tail lamps and a large tail gate which has the Hyundai logo bang slap in the centre. The slightly lower mounted number plate housing and chrome accent piece does add to the overall look but does look slightly out of place. We also like the way the rear bumper is contoured with a use of a silver skid plate and grooves in the bumper that house the rear reflectors. On the whole, the Creta is certainly a good looking car which will without a doubt attract a big chunk of the Indian automotive buying customers.

Interior & space  rating_4.0_rating

The Hyundai Creta’s interiors are surprisingly simple and well designed. The dashboard is generally flat but has a range of contours that make it look well layered. We particularly like the way the dashboard flows into door panels while the speedometer and instrument cluster stands out as an almost independent unit.

Of course, there is a generous usage of beige and grey that makes the Creta look a lot more premium than it would have in a two tone shade of blacks or greys by themselves. The centre console on the top of the line Creta gets a large touchscreen unit with integrated AC vents that have been finished in a shade of silver adding to the appeal of the interior.

The seats, leather in the top of the line version are also well design and have a sense of quality to them. Not only are they quite comfortable in terms of overall support, they feel great to the touch and offer height adjustment for the driver too. The Creta is an SUV and has the space to prove it. Unlike some of its competitors that feel a tad bit cramped at the rear when the front seats are moved back, the Creta does not. The boot too is quite spacious and can easily swallow a family’s luggage for the weekend with ease.

Features & Equipment  rating_4.5_rating

The Hyundai Creta is jammed pack with all the possible gadgetry one can possibly ask for in a car of this price range. Touch screen infotainment – Check. GPS navigation – Check. Climate control – Check. Keyless entry with a start stop button – Check. Rear AC vents – Check. Quite simple, the Creta negate the need to go to an aftermarket accessories dealer to fit a bunch of tacky addons that may or may not work in the long term.

On the safety front, you also get a set of airbags and more importantly, traction control. And while the latter may not send the hordes into a frenzy, considering most western countries require traction control as a standard fitment, having an extra layer of protection isn’t exactly a bad thing afterall.

Engines & performance  rating_4.0_rating

The Hyundai Creta has three engines on offer. The petrol Creta gets a 1.6-litre, four cylinder motor that offers 122PS of peak power and 154Nm of peak torque mated to a six speed manual gearbox. That said, the more popular choice for India will obviously be the diesel motors, a 1.4-litre and a 1.6-litre, both of which are mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. The 1.4-litre turbo diesel makes 90PS of peak power and 224Nm of peak torque while the more desirable and more powerful 1.6-litre turbo diesel makes 126Ps of peak power and 265Nm of peak torque. The 1.6 is also available with an automatic gearbox and in our opinion, it is this variant which will really see a surprising number of takers, especially in leading metros like Delhi and Mumbai.

Having driven the 1.6-litre diesel, we can merrily report that it is without a doubt one of the most refined engines in this segment. Not only is the overall noise and vibrations much lesser than what we expected, the engine also feels smooth and linear on full throttle acceleration. Yes, there is a hint of turbo lag at lower RPM but it quickly disappears once you pass the 1500-1700rpm mark. We also particularly like the gearshifts on this 1.6-litre model. The 6-speed box feels easy to use and light enough to shift with just one finger making the Creta an easy car to drive. The lightness continues with the clutch too which does provide good bite but still isn’t cumbersome to use at all.

Ride and ease of driving  rating_3.5_rating

The Hyundai Creta with its 17-inch wheels rides like a car twice its price...maybe even better. There is an almost minimal amount of pitching or bounce on large bumps and the Creta even take broken tarmac with relative ease. Of course, chucking it into a corner at higher speeds does take its toll on the overall composure of the car, but more on that a little later.

Every Hyundai car in recent times has differentiated itself by being easy to drive. Whether that means a light steering, light clutch or light gearshifts, most Hyundai’s do not tend to give you general fatigue either in the city or on the highway. And the Creta is exactly the same. Being quite a bit larger than the i20, etc, the Creta does not feel large both because of its easy to drive controls and also due to the fact that the large greenhouse offers almost unrestricted views of your surroundings. Of course, having height adjustable steering and a height adjustable driver’s seat also helps.

Handling & braking  rating_3.0_rating

Being a high riding SUV, one might expected the Creta to handle like a marshmallow. It does not. It isn’t exactly a race car, but Hyundai has clearly worked a lot on the overall suspension settings to tune the Creta’s handling dynamics to suit the general public. Although it does have a fair bit of body roll in long sweeping faster corners, the Creta does feel quite comfortable at highway cruising speeds. Yes, there are other SUVs like the Duster that would outhandle the Creta but as an overall package and especially in the city, The Creta is certainly a more livable package.

Coming to the brakes, this is possibly one of the only aspects of the Creta that did disappoint us a little. Its not that the brakes aren’t good enough to stop the car in time, it is just the fact that the pedal does not have any solid feel and feedback to inspire confidence from the get go. Maybe the Creta’s brakes just need getting used to but on a personal level, it definitely needs a bit more bite.

Price and Fuel efficiency  rating_4.0_rating

The Hyundai Creta is on the slightly expensive side and has received considerable flack for the same but lets be fair, it does also offer a lot for its price range. While the petrol ranges from Rs 8.60 – 11.20 lakhs, the smaller 1.4-litre diesel is priced at Rs 9.47-11.45 lakhs. The larger and more premium engined 1.6-litre diesel however is more expensive ranging from Rs 11.60-13.60 lakhs. And although some might not see the value proposition for paying this level of money for what is essentially a compact SUV, the Creta does in our opinion make a lot of sense vs some of its almost similarly priced competition. Talking about fuel efficiency though, while the petrol returns a mileage of 15.29kmpl, the 1.4-litre diesel offers an impressive 21.38kmpl! The 1.6-litre diesel with a manual gearbox offers 19.67kmpl while the automatic offers 17.01kmpl.

Verdict  rating_4.0_rating

The Creta is one of the few cars that does not need a complicated and fancily worded verdict. In our opinion, the Creta is a genuinely good product that Hyundai will have no trouble selling at all. It looks quite good, has great interiors, is jammed pack with features and of course has a range of engine and gearbox options that caters to almost every type of buyer out there. And although we would have liked it even more if it was priced maybe a lakh or so lower than what it is priced at today, the Creta also looks like great value for money for anyone looking for a premium compact SUV with genuine levels of luxury. All said and done, if you are in the market for a compact SUV, the Hyundai Creta can probably be your answer. Stay tuned to zigwheels.com to find out how it fares vs its competitors and the detailed video review of the all-new Hyundai Creta.