[Omkar]

2024 Hyundai Creta N-Line Review

Hyundai Creta N-Line Pros

• Distinct N-Line touches set it apart from the regular Creta
• Punchy 158 BHP, 1.5L turbo-petrol motor mated to a 6-speed MT or 7-speed DCT
• Firmer suspension coupled with a weighted steering make the Creta N-Line fun to drive
• Tasteful N Line-exclusive steering wheel, gear selector, red accents, etc. liven up the interior
• Feature-rich equipment list includes LED headlamps & tail-lamps, panoramic sunroof, dual-zone climate control, ventilated seats, 360-degree camera & more
• Price premium over the regular Creta is justified by the additions & improvements
• Safety kit = ADAS Level 2, 6 airbags, TPMS, hill assist, dashcam (only N8 variant), auto headlamps etc.

Hyundai Creta N-Line Cons

• Without a power bump, it feels more like an additional variant rather than a performance-oriented model of the Creta. Hyundai should've tuned the N-Line engine for some more power
• N-Line specific design changes may not be to everyone’s liking
• Although well-priced in relation to the SX(O) variant, it is still an expensive crossover
• Firmer suspension means bad roads & bumps are felt more than in the regular Creta
• 6-speed MT should've had shorter throws & clutch travel should have been shorter in the N-Line variant
• Some misses (no auto wipers, illuminated window buttons, full-size spare tyre on top trim)
• Back seat's width makes it better for 2 adults and a kid, rather than 3 adults

This review has been jointly compiled with Chetan_Rao. Thanks to him for the expert observations!

Since the Hyundai Creta has already been reviewed by Team-BHP, this report will only focus on changes made to the N-Line variant.

To read the full official review, click here.

To read the detailed report on the 2024 Facelift, click here.

Introduction

When Hyundai launched the Creta facelift earlier this year, there were talks about an N-Line variant, and why not? Hyundai has sold over 22,000 N-Line cars of the i20 and Venue. Clearly, there’s an audience that wants a performance-focused variant of the regular car. So, there you have it, the N-Line version of Hyundai’s highest-selling SUV, the Creta. It’s available only with the 158 BHP, 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine and comes with either a 6-speed manual transmission or a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic. There are some tweaks to the exterior and interior to distinguish the regular Creta from the N-Line variant, and there’s a lot to talk about. So, let’s get right to it.

Hyundai Creta N-Line Price & Brochure

N8 and N10 are the two variants in which the Creta N-Line is being offered. Prices start at Rs. 16,82,300 for the N8 variant with the 6-speed manual transmission and go up to Rs. 20,44,900 for the N10 variant (Dual Tone) with the 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (click here for the detailed price list).

The Creta N-Line is available in three monotone and dual-tone colour options - Atlas White, Abyss Black, Titan Grey Matte, Thunder Blue with Abyss Black roof, Atlas White with Abyss Black roof, and Shadow Grey with Abyss Black roof. The Titan Grey Matte paint commands a premium of Rs. 5,000 while you will be paying Rs. 15,000 extra for the Abyss Black roof.

After going through the price list of the regular Creta and the N-Line, you’ll notice that there’s a proper distinction between the two to avoid cannibalisation. In the regular Creta, the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine is offered only with the 7-speed DCT and in a single SX(O) variant. Variant to variant, the N-Line variant is Rs. 30,000 more expensive than the regular Creta.

Additionally, the N-Line is available in a cheaper N8 variant without ADAS, a bigger touchscreen and connected car tech which isn’t the case with the regular Creta. The pricing isn’t aggressive and the top-end is in fact one of the costliest in the segment.

You can download the Hyundai Creta N-Line brochure here: 2024 Hyundai Creta N Line Brochure.pdf.

[Omkar]

2024 Hyundai Creta N-Line Exterior Review

While the N-Line is based on the 2024 facelift, there are some notable differences like a different front grille and bumper:


Just like the front, there are some tweaks are the rear. The N-Line can easily be distinguished from the regular Creta:


In the side profile, you can see the red highlights extending from the front bumper to the rear:


Thunder Blue shade with Abyss Black roof is specific to the N-Line range:


N-Line's dimensions are the same as the regular Creta's. It measures 4,330 mm in length, 1,790 mm in width, and 1,635 mm in height with a wheelbase of 2,610 mm:


At the front, you get an N-Line badge on the radiator grille. DRL and headlight design is unchanged:


There is a slimmer radiator grille and a taller bumper. Skid plate extends around and onto the air dam and gets a dark brushed silver finish. Overall, the front design looks more aggressive than the regular Creta:


Air curtains below the headlamps have been redesigned and look sharper (reference image). Notice the red highlight on the bumper:


N10 variant is equipped with ADAS Level 2 technology and you get the camera behind the IRVM. N8 variant doesn’t get ADAS but is equipped with a dashcam with a dual camera. Hyundai should’ve figured out a way to provide the dashcam along with the ADAS tech in the N10 variant as well:


N-Line badging on both fenders:


One of the biggest changes in the N-Line is the addition of 18-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels that are shod with 215/55 section JK UX Royale tyres. The N-Line gets red brake callipers:


Even the rear brake callipers are painted red:


Red highlight continues on the black plastic cladding on the running board:


Thankfully Hyundai’s "Lightening arch C-pillar" has been painted black:


Even the roof rails are finished in black:


Spoiler is bigger than the one you get in the regular Creta:


N-Line badge is pasted on the right side of the tailgate:


Unlike the regular Creta, you get dual reverse lights. Rear bumper gets a prominent red highlight which looks ugly IMO. It also gets a diffuser-like design:


What may seem like a reflector at first glance is actually a piece of red tape:


While the regular Creta’s exhaust is concealed behind the bumper, the N-Line gets twin tip exhaust like other N-Line cars (i20 and Venue) which is not concealed. Unfortunately, the exhaust note is the same as the regular Creta and nothing special:


Hyundai has also introduced this Titan Grey Matte paint shade with the N-Line:


Here’s the Creta N-Line in Atlas White...


...in Abyss Black...


...and Shadow Grey with Abyss Black roof:

[Omkar]

2024 Hyundai Creta N-Line Interior Review

To keep the design for all N-Line cars constant, the interiors of the Creta have been tweaked. You get a black dashboard with red highlights:


You get the N-Line steering that we’ve seen on the Venue and i20. The steering is very nice to hold and is of perfect size:


Left spoke holds buttons for Bluetooth and telephony control, while the right spoke gets the lane keep assist button along with the buttons for the MID and cruise control:


"N" branding on the bottom spoke looks cool:


There are no changes to the instrument cluster:


Only the N10 variant comes equipped with Level 2 ADAS:


Gear shift indicator has been provided in the MT variant:


Magnetic pad on the right side of the driver has been retained:


A/C vents are finished in black and the engine start/stop button gets a red coloured ring around it:


Doorpad is all-black. Door handle is finished in glossy black:


Seats are draped in black leather upholstery with contrast red stitching similar to other N-Line cars:


Seats get N-Line branding:


You get sporty metal pedals:


Centre console designs for the AT and MT variants are slightly different. The AT variant, like the regular Creta, gets a seamless piano black centre console which holds the HVAC controls, gear selector and cupholders. In the MT variant, as you can see, the piano black finish is limited only to the gear console:


Red insert runs below the touchscreen head-unit. N10 variant gets a 10.25-inch touchscreen, while the N8 variant gets an 8-inch head-unit:


Sexy-looking N-Line manual gear lever! Red accents and chrome work just perfectly on this gear lever:


Piano black gear console is slightly elevated above the regular hard plastic section:


Passenger side A/C vent gets a red accent that extends onto the dashboard. Ambient lighting is red in the N-Line:


Rear doorpad also gets an all-black theme. Rear sunshade is offered in both variants:


A look at the N-Line rear seats draped in black leatherette with red highlights. No adjustable headrest for the middle passenger:


N-Line branded rear headrest cushions are offered only in the N10 variant:


While a panoramic sunroof is standard in the Creta N-Line, voice commands for its operation are only available in the N10 variant:


Spare is a 17-inch steel wheel (regular Creta gets a 16-inch unit) shod with 215/60 section tyre:

[Omkar]

Driving the Hyundai Creta 1.5L Turbo-Petrol 6-speed MT

Powering the Hyundai Creta N-Line is a 4-cylinder, 1.5L turbo-petrol engine producing 158 BHP @ 5,500 rpm and 253 Nm @ 1,500-3,500 rpm. We’ve driven this engine with the 7-speed DCT in the Hyundai Verna, Kia Seltos and the Hyundai Creta facelift. It’s quite an impressive engine and a worthy upgrade from the old 1.4L turbo-petrol engine from Hyundai-Kia. However, when it comes to the transmission options, only the Verna and the Creta N-Line are offered with a proper 6-speed manual transmission. The Seltos gets an iMT which most enthusiasts turn a blind eye to, and the regular Creta is offered only with the 7-speed DCT.

At idle, the engine is refined, and you don’t hear it inside the cabin at all. Right off the bat, you will notice that the clutch travel is a bit long like most regular Hyundais. You’ll get used to it like in most Hyundais and getting off the line is pretty smooth. At low speeds, you don’t really feel any turbo lag. There’s enough grunt at low revs for puttering around in the city. Unlike most turbo-petrols, which feel very spiky and eager to pounce, you can drive the Creta N-Line MT smoothly. Of course, flex your right leg and the car is more than capable of putting all those horses to good use. But in the hands of a sedate driver, the N-Line won’t feel out of place. The lower gears are tall and you won't feel the need to constantly shift when driving in the city.

Get on the open road and you will be able to properly stretch the legs of the Creta N-Line. With 158 BHP on tap, the straight-line acceleration is impressive. The turbo kicks in at ~1,500-1,600 rpm and you’re greeted with a strong surge of acceleration. The engine pulls hard and you will reach triple-digit speeds in no time. The meat of the power band is from ~2,000 rpm to 5,000 rpm after which the power starts tapering off. As is the case with most turbo-petrol engines, the redline is conservatively marked at 6,500 rpm. The engine however revs only till 6,250 rpm after which the rev limiter kicks in and the fuel cuts off aggressively. So if you’re planning to hit max revs before upshifting, not a good idea. You’ll see the 1st gear max out at ~52 km/h and the 2nd gear at ~95 km/h.

Even on the highways, the driveability is good and you can munch miles comfortably. In 6th gear, the car cruises at 100 and 120 km/h at ~2,100 and 2,500 rpm respectively. In most cases, you won’t have to downshift if there’s no traffic around and you can get ahead of other cars quite comfortably. Only if you need to pass a car very quickly will you need to drop down a gear and in some rare cases, two gears. At no point, will you feel that the engine lacks the power to overtake.

As mentioned earlier, the clutch travel is not as short as you would expect in a performance-oriented car. The good thing is that the clutch is light. It's just that the long travel takes away some of the fun when pushing the car and moving through the gears quickly. The clutch feel & travel is very similar to the older Seltos 1.4 turbo-petrol 6-speed MT. Talking about the 6-speed MT gearbox on the Creta N-Line, the gear knob is lovely to hold. The throws, however, are long and we would have liked them to be shorter. There is a hint of notchiness in the shifts, especially when moving between 2nd and 3rd gears. Note that these comparisons are keeping in mind that this is a performance-focused variant. Drive it like a regular car and you probably won't find anything to complain about. The gearbox is sure-slotting for you to enjoy shifting gears.

Noise, Vibration & Harshness (NVH)

When we drove the Creta facelift recently, we found the NVH levels impressive. The engine is very refined and you can barely hear it while driving around in the city. However, this being an N-Line we were expecting an enthusiastic exhaust note. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. The exhaust is barely audible inside the cabin. If you’re expecting a fruity exhaust note like the i20, you’ll be disappointed. At high rpms, the engine gets boomy and isn’t something enthusiasts will enjoy.

Mileage & Fuel economy

The Creta N-Line comes equipped with an auto start-stop feature that helps fuel efficiency in city driving conditions. The ARAI-certified fuel efficiency for the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol 6-speed MT is 18 km/l which is a little better than that of the Seltos 6-speed iMT (17.7 km/l). Of course, the real-world FE numbers will be much lower considering that turbo-petrol engines are very sensitive to driving style. We’ll wait for some ownership reviews to get a better picture of the real-world fuel efficiency. The fuel tank capacity remains the same as the regular Creta at 50 litres.

This 1.5L, 4-cylinder turbo-petrol engine makes 158 BHP @ 5,500 rpm and 253 Nm @ 1,500-3,500 rpm:


6-speed manual gearbox should’ve had shorter throws:

Suspension

Ride Comfort

Compared to the regular Creta, the N-Line's ride is noticeably different. The car rides on 18-inch alloy wheels shod with 215/55 section tyres as opposed to 17-inch wheels on the regular Creta. Furthermore, Hyundai has stiffened up the suspension to make it sportier. While driving around at low speeds, you feel a lot of the road. Small potholes and speed breakers register themselves sharply. If ride comfort is an important deciding factor for you, you’re better off with the regular Creta. The N-Line’s ride is on the stiffer side and very similar to that of the pre-facelift Seltos.

Handling & Dynamics

Thanks to the stiffer suspension setup, the high-speed stability is pretty good. On the expressways, there’s no unnecessary bounciness or floatiness at triple-digit speeds. The car is planted and has good composure. Expansion joints of the city flyovers are also absorbed nicely.

Dynamics is where the N-Line has had major gains. The stiffer suspension setup allows you to carry more speed into the corners. You can attack some really tight corners and there’s very little understeer. Body roll is well controlled and the car doesn’t feel like it will lose composure at any point. Traction control does limit you if you go too aggressive, but it doesn’t cut off the power sharply. Even high-speed corners are handled very well by the N-Line. The JK UX Royale tyres managed to provide enough grip, but they did chirp quite a bit when pushed hard. If you want to extract some more performance, you should definitely upgrade to wider Michelin or Yokohama rubber.

Steering

While the difference between the steering of the regular Creta and the N-Line isn’t much, the latter does feel a little more direct. The EPS is well-tuned and light at city speeds. As you build up speed, it weighs up fairly, but considering this is an enthusiast-focused car, we’d have wished that there was a bit more weight. In corners, the steering feels light, but has a more consistent feel to it. You can turn into a corner carrying good speed smoothly and straighten out without feeling too nervous.

Braking

The braking in the Creta N-Line 6-speed MT was surprisingly very different from the Creta DCT that we drove in January. Where the brakes in the DCT variant felt over-served and extremely sharp, the pedal feel of the N-Line 6-speed MT was a lot more consistent. The brake pedal felt a lot more progressive in corners and allowed the car to shed speed smoothly. Emergency braking situations were handled well and the car managed to stop without any drama.

Disclaimer: Hyundai invited Team-BHP for the Creta N-Line test-drive. They covered all the travel expenses for this driving event.

[Omkar]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line.

[naveen.raju]

Brilliant review as always.

What I feel:
1. Like mentioned in the review, this feels like a "special edition" rather than a N-Line. The exhaust is also disappointing. i20 and Venue N-Line sounds much much better.
2. Loved the front and less use of red accent. But overdose of these red accents on the side and rear. Even surrounding the screens. Wont that be distracting to the driver? I would simply repaint this in black.
3. Like in the regular Creta, the HVAC controls look cheap. They should have retain the first gen controls.
4. I feel the harsh suspension even in the first gen Creta while driving at low speeds. Wonder how harsh would this be.

[omranga98]

Introducing Hyundai Creta N̶-̶L̶i̶n̶e̶ Red Tape Edition.

[Col Mehta]

Not really impressed.

When we saw the N line a few days ago, though it looked nice and butch, the excessive use of red accents put us off. This will have fewer takers, mainly due to all black interiors plus less compliant ride quality. But I like the front exterior design better than the regular Creta.

[DivyanshuDiv]

Thank you for this comprehensive review.

Few observations -
1. This external design looks much better than regular and very close to a possible E(electric) version of Creta.
2. The interiors looks sporty as well as beautiful to my eyes.
3. The magnetic pad is a waste of real estate, as it has a cloth on top layer, which looks untidy after few weeks on regular Creta, but should age longer on this version.
4. The excessive use of piano black in the center and other parts, though looks well on this variant, will be prone to scratches and smudges, may not age well.
5. And Shadow Grey with Abyss Black is the best-looking color.

[Bhodrolok]

That shadow grey looks sick as does the blue!

Now if only the crash ratings would be declared.

[07CR]

So how is it with respect to Seltos (GT/X Line 18 inch) in following-

Low speed ride quality
High speed manners
steering feel


I am disappointed with the no difference in exhaust note despite having twin exhausts. In seltos GT Line, with dual exhausts the exhaust note is very sporty.
External looks while better than normal creta, still don't feel showstopper good. Interior again looks better than regular Creta and certainly eye catchy.

Secondly isn't the RPM for manual a bit too high? Seltos DCT does 100 in 1.8 K rpm and 120 in 2150-2200 RPM.

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by 07CR

Secondly isn't the RPM for manual a bit too high? Seltos DCT does 100 in 1.8 K rpm and 120 in 2150-2200 RPM.

The gear ratios for automatic and manual gearboxes are usually different, with the latter being short. This can be seen on the diesel Creta/Seltos manual and automatic.

All thanks to these shorter 6th gears, these cars remain in turbo zone when driving in 80-120kmph range and feel lively. Overtakes seldom need a downshift.

[Chetan_Rao]

I was looking forward to this drive.

Creta is wildly popular; it's no mean feat selling as many copies of a 2 million rupee car as some entry-level hatchbacks do. And while the driving experience has gradually improved to what one would call neutral, nobody can claim with a straight face that Cretas are fun-to-drive.

So when Hyundai said they're giving it the N-Line treatment, I wondered if they'd be able to make it fun. Did they? Let's just say it's not a YES/NO question, for me.

Visually, I'm not a fan of the current-gen Creta's exterior. What I like about the N-Line though, is the tweaked bumpers giving it a squared-off look that's much better (compared to the regular Creta). The side profile is still jarring, primarily because of the rounded front fender design and the C-pillar kink that disrupts the shoulder line. It would look so much better with a squared-off fender and a straight shoulder line front-to-back.

Not a fan of the red bits; they should've left it at red callipers and N-Line badges for the visual differentiation. Subtle is sexy.

Interiors, I'm pro-all-black, any given day. The red is again overdone. For me, red stitching on the leather stuff, plus a few well-placed thin highlight lines on dashboard & console trim, now that'd look fantastic! I love the physical buttons on the center console, and how the ICE and driver cluster screens are wide, not very tall and out of the eyeline. Materials, I have the same complaint as I had with the Verna. The all-black treatment looks great, but a few well-placed soft surfaces would make it F-E-E-L great too. Scratchy hard plastics on a car that'd cost 2.5+ million rupees in top trim, no no.

What I was really keen on, was how it drives. MT for test drive car? Check!

The motor is great. I've driven it on the new Verna and Seltos, but it isn't available with a proper MT on either of the Korean CSUV twins.

The motor revs clean up to ~6200 rpm, lag is well-managed low down, gearshifts with that oh-so-sexy N-shifter and a light clutch are clean enough to not bother you even in traffic, this car can cruise all day. Ride is stiffer, both due to the 18-inchers and the tweaked suspension, but not bad enough to be a deal-breaker like the 1st-gen Seltos. It rides flat, isn't unsettled by undulations or around corners, and feels steady at triple-digit speeds with quick lane change manoeuvres.

But is it F-U-N? Try driving it spiritedly, and chinks in the armor rear their heads. Long-travel clutch and long-throw gearbox, on a 'sporty' car, are totally out of place. The shifter is a little too tall (Omkar & I both agreed it'd be perfect if the knob was at the height the lift-to-engage-reverse collar is). The armrest (non-sliding if I recall correctly) gets in the way, and I was constantly bumping my elbow when trying to shift quickly.

The biggest killjoy though, is the aggressive fuel cut-off at redline. You'd expect a sporty motor to hold revs and bounce off the limiter, but this one feels like someone turned off the ignition, and you either have to get off the throttle or upshift to lower the revs and bring it back to life again. Reminded me of the JTP I had, which behaved the exact same way. Not cool. The exhaust doesn't pop & crackle like it does on the i20 N-Line, is barely audible inside the car, and if you stand beside the car and get someone else to rev it, you wish you didn't. The motor drones out the muted burble out back.

We got off the boring expressway and had a little fun pushing it around on a vacant pit-stop lot, and boy does it put a smile on your face, quirks and all.

There's a fun car in there, but the MT and conservative ECU mapping get in the way. Let's be honest, nobody buys an MT for convenience anymore, and this MT is not the best for spirited driving. The DCT, as long as one can live with the known devil, is probably the better jack-of-all-trades choice. Not something I expected to say, oh well.

P.S. I L-O-V-E the shadow gray color, IMO the best one on offer.

[yogesh498]

It's more like cosmetic(red color) changes on the interior and exterior than the normal creta top variant model.
That red color border on cladding and bumpers looks like aftermarket work at first look.

[LaRoca]

To me this looks like a downgrade in terms of design (except maybe the interiors). I liked the new Santa Fe though! Come-on Hyundai don't skimp on your best sellers. This one looks like part 2023 and part 2024.

Exterior: 6/10