Hyundai Creta launch tomorrow

Hyundai will launch the Creta Compact SUV tomorrow to grab a share of this growing SUV segment and if Hyundai has its way with the wide variety of engine and transmission options, the Creta could well jump to the top of this list. Major rivals in this segment are the Renault Duster and Nissan Terrano while the S-Cross crossover will also enter the market a few days later.

The Creta is an handsome SUV drawing inspiration from the larger Santa Fe. It comes with projector lamps and LED DRLs, a large chrome strapped hexagonal grille, muscular bumpers and wide haunches to give it a purposeful look. Blacked out A and B pillars add to the sportiness and large 17 inch wheels give the Creta a excellent stance. 

While looks do matter a lot in this segment, a good set of mile munching powertrains do too and there are plenty to choose from with the Creta. In petrol, the Creta will come with a 1.6-litre mill producing 123PS of power and 155Nm of torque. In diesel, Hyundai will bring two engine options – the smaller 1.4-litre 90PS mill that we have already seen on the Elite i20 and a 1.6-litre 128PS unit from the Verna. They make 220Nm and 259Nm of torque respectively and come mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. However, the latter will also come with a choice of a six-speed automatic transmission as well.

The Creta will also boast of excellent comfort and safety features. The top-end SX(O) variant comes with comes with 6 airbags, Electronic stability control, and faux leather on the steering wheel, gear knob and upholstery. ABS is offered across all variants as standard equipment along with power windows, USB and AUX connectivity and central locking. The higher variants also get a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation, climate control and projector type headlights.

Tentative prices for the Petrol Creta will be from Rs 9.13-11.78 lakh and for the diesel 1.4 Creta from Rs 9.97-11.99 lakh. The 1.6-litre Creta that is sure to be a hit among those who do plenty of outstation trips, will be tentatively priced from Rs 12.14-14.18 lakh.