2018 Hyundai Creta Review: The Trend-Setter

Sport Utility Vehicles or SUVs remain the flavour of the season and the Hyundai Creta has led that charge for its maker, very effectively. Hyundai India has been on a roll, since 2017, as we got the new generation Verna and there have been massive updates, to the Grand i10, Xcent and very recently to the i20. Of course, the Creta SUV was the next in line and finally, the 2018 Creta Facelift has arrived in India. And we got our hands on the New Hyundai Creta and got to spend some quality time behind the wheel. We must say, Hyundai has worked really hard to upgrade the Creta to rival the likes of Jeep Compass, Tata Hexa and the two Renault's- Captur and Duster in the market. Hyundai India heard the feedback of its audience and has given the 2018 Creta facelift some valuable changes visually. Both the exterior and the interior has received contemporary changes and once again, Hyundai India has done what it does the best. Set a trend with the 2018 Creta Facelift.

Also Read: 2018 Hyundai Creta Facelift: Variants Explained In Detail

Also Read: Hyundai Creta Facelift: All You Need To Know

(The Hyundai Creta Facelift comes with some considerable amount of exterior updates)

The biggest change to the exterior is up front and the Hyundai Creta facelift wears the family look, with the new cascade grille. The bi-focal projector lamps are now on the top-spec variant; the fog lamp housing too is new and the DRLs surround the fog lamps, giving it a signature look. Those 17-inch diamond cut alloy wheels too look good on the car; but these are available only on the top-spec variants, while the rest get 16-inch alloy wheels. And the dual tone colour, of course, is an added advantage.

(The new cascade grille and other updates make the 2018 Hyundai Creta look longer)

The Hyundai Creta facelift looks bigger due to that bold new face; but, overall, the silhouette on the side and tail end remains identical to the pre-facelift Creta. The focus, of the upgrade, is to keep the Creta relevant; and so, a bunch of features have been added. Hyundai has upgraded the level of kit, on every variant of the Creta. It has slimmed down the variants on offer too and now there are a total of 5, as against the earlier 7; but there are no changes to the engine line up and of course the car retains its roomy cabin and boot.

(The new Creta facelift comes with an updated cabin with some new features as well)

The base E trim retains its standard safety features, like dual-front airbags and ABS; but now the seat gets height adjust and a front sliding armrest. The big features, however, are the ones that most people have been waiting for. At the top end, there's a sunroof, cruise control, a touchscreen infotainment system, which comes with Apple Carplay and Android Auto, Navigation, not to forget, wireless phone charging, which is also a segment first. Then there's a wearable device, on offer, too; something that we've already seen on the Nexon. It's available with the top-spec variant of the Hyundai Creta facelift and we've seen these wearable devices becoming a big part of the automotive world. It keeps the owners engaged with their car. It gives you a whole bunch of information and also tells you how much you've walked, throughout the day. The smart band will also let you go keyless, for the car's operation, of course. Hyundai says that there are no less than 13 additional features, on the Creta, and most of them connect customers, to their cars.

(The 2018 Creta get new features including a sunroof, new alloys and more)

The cabin is similar to what we've seen on its predecessor and it's spacious enough, with the occupants, in the second row, getting rear AC vents. The engines too are same. There are the 1.6-litre petrol, 1.4 litre diesel and the 1.6 litre diesel on offer. We're driving the 1.6-litre diesel and though the folks at Hyundai say that they've tweaked the car a bit, for a sporty ride; well frankly, there's a minimal difference, if it exists. It's a powerful engine though and churns out 126 brake horse power and the torque of 260 Nm is available, from 1500 rpm, which has always deserved a big thumbs up. Power delivery is linear till the turbo kicks in and then you really feel the surge in power. The clutch is light too but the long travel means that you will regret driving in traffic conditions. But the strong mid-range of the engine makes all the difference on the highway and we're certain that given some more time behind the wheel of this one, we'll have a better perspective of things. There's no difference in the way it rides; as it easily soaks in any of the bumps, on the road. Hyundai also mentions that the fuel economy figures, on the petrol, have gone up, by 3 per cent and 4 per cent, on the diesel.

Also Read: Hyundai Creta Facelift VS Rivals: Detailed Diesel Price Comparison

(The updated Hyundai Creta gets the same engine options on offer, we drove the top-sec 1.6 diesel)

Priced between Rs. 9.43 lakh to Rs. 15.04 lakh (ex-showroom India), the Hyundai Creta facelift is Rs. 15,000 more expensive than its predecessor, for the base petrol version; whereas, the top-spec petrol is more expensive, by Rs. 57,000. On the other hand, prices for the base diesel variant remain unchanged, while the top-spec variant costs Rs. 52,000 more, given the tech upgrades.

(Th 2018 Hyundai Creta offers an automatic transmission in both petrol and diesel versions)

The endless list of features and the fact that automatic transmission is on offer, on both fuel types, all point to the Hyundai Creta facelift, quite likely, retaining its king of the hill status, especially with the Kia SP still a year away and the Captur failing to fire, for Renault.