After selling 4.67 lakh units of the first generation Creta in India, Hyundai has rolled out the all new Creta at Rs 9.99 Lakh, ex-showroom, India for the base petrol and diesel variants while the turbo petrol trim starts at Rs 16.16 lakh.
The Creta aged really well and played a big role in spicing up the mid-size SUV segment in India. It has also been the bread and butter for Hyundai Motor India by consistently topping the sales charts, year after year. So what does the new Creta bring to the table?
The new Creta is based on Hyundai’s latest ‘Sensuous Sportiness’ design language that was first globally showcased in the Sonata. The Creta gets crescent shaped split LED DRLs and sitting between them are the trio beam LED headlamps. There’s also the signature cascading grille, this time embellished in chrome as well as some matt finished silver. Helping highlight the SUV styling are also the roof rails, the front and rear skid plates and an amplified wheel-arch. At the rear, there are similar split LED tail lamps and a centrally mounted stop lamp. The Sensuous Sportiness design language will be seen in the upcoming 2020 Verna and the Elantra as well.
The new Creta is based on the same platform as the Kia Seltos and it gets the same set of engine and transmission options as well. Firstly you have the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol that makes 115hp at 6300rpm and 144Nm of torque at 4500rpm. This MPI unit can be had with 6-speed manual or a 6-speed IVT. Then there’s the 1.5-litre diesel engine which makes for over 50 per cent of the initial 14000 plus bookings that Hyundai has received for the Creta. It can be had with a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission. And lastly, the one that caters to the enthusiast blood - the 1.4-litre turbo petrol engine that churns 140hp at 6000rpm and 242Nm of torque between 1500-3200rpm, and is mated to a 7-speed dual clutch transmission.
The first generation Hyundai Creta was loaded with features which were seldom offered in a segment above. The same approach continues with the new Creta and Hyundai has offered a range of segment first features like paddle shifters in the higher trims of the automatic variants, rear seat headrest cushions, remote engine start for MT variants, and sporty twin tip exhausts in chrome. That said, you also get the trending panoramic sunroof, electronic parking brake, wireless fast charging deck, 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system that is compatible with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Bluelink connectivity. Bluelink can be connected to your Google, Apple and Samsung smart watches as well.
It doesn't come off as a surprise that Hyundai have priced the Creta aggressively. However, At Rs 9.89 lakh, the Kia Seltos remains the most affordable of the lot, even though by a very close margin. Kia is consistently selling close to 10,000 units of the Seltos on a monthly basis while Hyundai has already received over 14,000 bookings for the Creta. So clearly, the cousins will be engaged in a close tussle in the coming weeks since they're closely matched in all departments. Which ones drives better? For that, stay tuned to evo India on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram until we bring you a proper real life comparo.