[Jatin247]

Hello everyone
I have tried searching the forum for such a thread on this but as I am unable to find one I am creating this thread. If there is already a thread, my apologies.

We started our search for a new car last year and it has been a very confusing journey. I understand the fact hat there is no perfect car but don't we all desire to get the most value for money product ? We started with an initial budget of 15 lakhs. After deciding to settle on the Creta the most difficult question was to choose an appropriate variant. The most value for money variant in our opinion was either the base or the top end and as we didn't wanted to get any aftermarket accessories we decided to go ahead and book Creta.
Even after booking Creta I wasn't fully satisfied and kept my car search going and as we needed a diesel automatic the options were pretty limited.

Tata Harrier
Though I love the dark edition of Harrier and it is an absolute beast but recently I have seen a lot of niggles reported by the users. It is great car but as we like to keep our cars for long and want a fuss free ownership we dropped the idea of Harrier.

Toyota Innova
The car recently received facelifted and the base diesel at seems good vfm variant but as it is too long and the mileage offered in the city didn't seemed to be appealing. As the car will sometimes be driven by my sister too and she felt like it is too long so we dropped it.

Kia Seltos
How can you look at cars in this budget and ignore Seltos ? Even before the launch of this car I loved the looks but the built quality was a concern and my mom and sister liked the panoramic sunroof of Creta more.

Skoda Octavia
Though it was not going to be offered in our choice of fuel but as I have always loved Octavia we were willing to make an exception. I was desperately waiting for Skoda to price Octavia right but that didn't happen and we had to drop Octavia too .

At this point I felt like there no better car than Creta in our current budget and stopped looking at other cars but then comes the Alcazar.
At almost same price of the top end Creta we can get the base model of Alcazar.

Though we don't necessarily need a 7 seater but at the size of Alcazar it is acceptable and while getting Creta one thing I didn't like was that the base starts at 10L ex-showroom and top model goes till 17.5L ex-showroom, thats really a wide range of models and it always felt like I could have got the same car at 10L too but Alcazar on the other hand feels like a more premium offering.

Though I really feel that Alcazar as 6/7 seater is very underpowered in the diesel lineup but as we are a family of four it doesn't matter much because I would get the same engine with Creta too.
Would Alcazar really feel underpowered with 7 people on board ? With Creta being a 5 seater with 115bhp it is acceptable but Alcazar is a 7 seater with 115 bhp. Wouldn't the power to weight be really less ?

The model of Alcazar which I am considering is Prestige (O) 7 STR Diesel AT.

The following are the features I would miss if I go with Alcazar instead of Creta :
1) Bose sound system (I heard it isn't really very exclusive though)
2) Ventilated seats
3) Electrically adjustable seats
4) Six Airbags

The following are the features/things I would miss if I go with Creta instead of Alcazar:
1) 7 seats
2) More premium car

We are not considering spending more on Alcazar as we are on the verge of replacing our other cars too.

Never in my life I have been this confused about anything .

Please suggest what according to you would be a better pick.

[racer_ash]

Originally Posted by Jatin247

At almost same price of the top end Creta we can get the base model of Alcazar.
.....
Though we don't necessarily need a 7 seater but....


4) Six Airbags
.

You have pretty much answered what you want in your post itself.

You are getting a top variant of a 5 seater which solves 99% of your use case at the same price as the base model of the 6/7 seater.

Also, for an unstable body structured 2.95 star rated car (I say this based on the crash rating of the seltos), the more airbags the better.

[justwheels]

My two cents:
In your case of choice, with Alcazar, the only thing you get are 7 seats option, while you actually get a more premium car in the top end Creta.
So unless 7 seats is a must and will be sorely missed if you don't have it, go for Creta. You will enjoy all the Hyundai bells and whistles. Having a top end car has its own snob value.

[TrackDay]

Originally Posted by Jatin247

but as we are a family of four it doesn't matter much because I would get the same engine with Creta too.

Why go for the Alcazar when you have just four members on board ? I can understand when folk buy expensive 7 seater SUVs to chauffer just one person, but that is a different segment. Not sure if the Alcazar is that much premium/posh over the Creta.

Originally Posted by Jatin247

The following are the features I would miss if I go with Alcazar instead of Creta :
1) Bose sound system (I heard it isn't really very exclusive though)
2) Ventilated seats
3) Electrically adjustable seats
4) Six Airbags

The six airbags are definitely the important factor over the others. It means more safety for your loved over ferrying an empty third row all the time.

Originally Posted by Jatin247

Alcazar on the other hand feels like a more premium offering.

Is the Alcazar really that premium ? I have not experienced/seen the car directly, but I believe it wont be that different from the creta. If anything the top end of the Creta would be more premium than the lower model of the Alcazar. However for those who cant stand the sight of the rear taillights on the creta, the Alcazar offers a better proposition.

[CEF_Beasts]

If you are going to need a slightly bigger boot than the Creta, only then consider the Alcazar. Creta SX(O) has some important extra features like 6 airbags, leather upholstery and ventilated seats over the Alcazar Prestige(O).

I don’t think there is any difference in premium-ness between the two, every material used is same. Only difference is colour of the interior, one is beige+black and the other is brown+black. Just that Alcazar gets a 64 colour ambient lighting on the dashboard + all doors vs Creta’s single blue colour only on the dashboard. Alcazar’s seats will be fabric vs Creta’s leather.

Test-drive both extensively, Hyundai has mentioned that the diesel has been slightly retuned to handle the extra 80kg weight of the Alcazar compared to the Creta. Since you are looking at the diesel auto, I expect the 6 spd torque converter to mask the lower down lag pretty well (my assumption at the moment, will have to wait till 25th for the media reviews to be out).

[akash_v12]

Originally Posted by Jatin247

Skoda Octavia
Though it was not going to be offered in our choice of fuel but as I have always loved Octavia we were willing to make an exception. I was desperately waiting for Skoda to price Octavia right but that didn't happen and we had to drop Octavia too .

Hi Jatin! To put a bit more perspective on you dropping the Octavia, I'd recommend checking out the Superbs available with the dealerships since they are currently being sold with more discounts than ever before.

IMO, if you like these Octy and can stretch your budget, you should go for it. Like many BHPians say, if you like something from your heart, go for it. The Smiles per Gallon will be more than you could ever imagine.

The following are the features I would miss if I go with Alcazar instead of Creta :
1) Bose sound system (I heard it isn't really very exclusive though)
2) Ventilated seats
3) Electrically adjustable seats
4) Six Airbags

Do you really feel that any of these except the 6 airbags are important? In terms of safety, the smaller Creta & Seltos didn't too well and I don't see Hyundai having improved anything on the body shell to make it more stable. If safety is your number one priority, I'd recommend looking somewhere else (VW Group/Renault-Nissan/Tata are doing a great job in terms of safety).

The following are the features/things I would miss if I go with Creta instead of Alcazar:
1) 7 seats
2) More premium car

Like TrackDay said, is it really that much of a premium offering? As much as I genuinely like the Alcazar, the two things that would stick out like a sore thumb to me is the fact that the Alcazar is nothing but a 7-seater extended Wheelbase Creta with Brown Interiors.

In the end, if you are hell-bent on choosing between the Creta/Seltos & Alcazar, I'd recommend going for the former options because of the number of airbags if not for anything else.

[VKumar]

Odd one out here: Alcazar takes my vote

Why so? A more flexible car is always more comfortable too. 6 airbags do matter, but I have some serious trust issues with the side and curtain airbags of most of the budget offerings. Having six of them is good, no doubt - but still if I have to choose between the safety of Creta vs flexibility of Alcazar, I will go with the latter.

My airbag statement may sound absurd, but I am the one who will choose an Innova Crysta base trim with three ugly HVAC control knobs, 3 airbags, and el-cheapo looking console against a fully digital and tech loaded SX(O) Creta. Why? Because there is one factor called absolute comfort, and that matters a lot.

So, what's just a Creta with a bigger boot for many, is a more comfortable and usable daily car for me.

What's added 80 kilos for some, is an assumption of better ride quality for me

An Alcazar with 4 nice captain seats, wireless charging in front and back, and a big boot for the luggage of any size is a perfect all rounder IMO. No matter what you need it for, the Alcazar will serve the purpose. 7 guys to party, big fat shopping, people with luggage for a long trip; you just ask for it - Alcazar does it.

To sum it up in one statement:
"An Alcazar can do everything a Creta can, even better in a few areas - but the vice versa doesn't apply!"

[car_guy1998]

If 7-seater is not a need for you, then I would suggest you go for the Creta only, and another advantage if you go for Creta SX(O) AT over Alcazar Prestige(O) AT is you get an extra 4 airbags when compared to the base variant of Alcazar!

If you need the 7-seater, then it is recommended to go for Alcazar! You might miss the extra 4 airbags in the Alcazar base version but it gets a list of safety features like ESP, VSM, VSA, HA, BA, etc!

Even we are in the same situation whether we should go for the Creta SX(O) Diesel AT or Alcazar Diesel AT (variant undecided yet) as a replacement for our 10-year old Innova 2.5 VX though the 7-seater is not a requirement for us anymore!

Why are we considering the Alcazar not because of its features and bling but it's fresh and we aren't keen on getting another Toyota as everyone owns the same car within our circle and got bored of Toyotas even though the Crysta is the king of the MPV segment!

[The21st]

Wait for reviews.

If the second row seats of Alcazar are not as spacious as Creta or if the seating position is bad compared to Creta, take a Creta. Also 6 airbags and ventilated seats are nice to have.

Take Alcazar if you feel it is more beautiful than Creta and if you need that extra luggage space. There is a big car feel for Alcazar and the price may go up.

I believe the resale value will be more for a base variant Alcazar than a Top end Creta.

My choice is Alcazar because of it's looks alone.

[Jatin247]

Thank you so much everyone for your valuable opinion.

Originally Posted by akash_v12

Hi Jatin! To put a bit more perspective on you dropping the Octavia, I'd recommend checking out the Superbs available with the dealerships since they are currently being sold with more discounts than ever before.

IMO, if you like these Octy and can stretch your budget, you should go for it. Like many BHPians say, if you like something from your heart, go for it. The Smiles per Gallon will be more than you could ever imagine.

There is no way I wouldn't have gone for Octavia but as other 2 are die for replacement too in the coming years, going the extra mile and even compromising on my choice of fuel doesn't seem a good decision and as this car will also be used on rough roads the extra ground clearance would come handy.

If Skoda does launch 1.5 tsi option by the time we will be replacing our other cars I would definitely consider it.

Originally Posted by VKumar

Odd one out here: Alcazar takes my vote

Why so? A more flexible car is always more comfortable too. 6 airbags do matter, but I have some serious trust issues with the side and curtain airbags of most of the budget offerings. Having six of them is good, no doubt - but still if I have to choose between the safety of Creta vs flexibility of Alcazar, I will go with the latter.

My airbag statement may sound absurd, but I am the one who will choose an Innova Crysta base trim with three ugly HVAC control knobs, 3 airbags, and el-cheapo looking console against a fully digital and tech loaded SX(O) Creta. Why? Because there is one factor called absolute comfort, and that matters a lot.

So, what's just a Creta with a bigger boot for many, is a more comfortable and usable daily car for me.

What's added 80 kilos for some, is an assumption of better ride quality for me

An Alcazar with 4 nice captain seats, wireless charging in front and back, and a big boot for the luggage of any size is a perfect all rounder IMO. No matter what you need it for, the Alcazar will serve the purpose. 7 guys to party, big fat shopping, people with luggage for a long trip; you just ask for it - Alcazar does it.

To sum it up in one statement:
"An Alcazar can do everything a Creta can, even better in a few areas - but the vice versa doesn't apply!"

Exactly and this was the major reason I was considering Alcazar and for almost same money a bigger car wouldn't hurt. Though I wouldn't be using the extra seats in regular usage but they would definitely come handy.

Originally Posted by car_guy1998

If 7-seater is not a need for you, then I would suggest you go for the Creta only, and another advantage if you go for Creta SX(O) AT over Alcazar Prestige(O) AT is you get an extra 4 airbags when compared to the base variant of Alcazar!

If you need the 7-seater, then it is recommended to go for Alcazar! You might miss the extra 4 airbags in the Alcazar base version but it gets a list of safety features like ESP, VSM, VSA, HA, BA, etc!

Even we are in the same situation whether we should go for the Creta SX(O) Diesel AT or Alcazar Diesel AT (variant undecided yet) as a replacement for our 10-year old Innova 2.5 VX though the 7-seater is not a requirement for us anymore!

Why are we considering the Alcazar not because of its features and bling but it's fresh and we aren't keen on getting another Toyota as everyone owns the same car within our circle and got bored of Toyotas even though the Crysta is the king of the MPV segment!

A 7 seater is not a need for me but at just a length of 4.5 meter it isn't very long for driving in city and at almost the same price as Creta we would get the extra bling too.

The reason I didn't liked Creta even after booking it was that everyone in my circle had one at home and same goes for Innova too. These cars have gained so much trust with their reliability that it is the safest option in this budget.
The fresh look of Alcazar is truly an added bonus.

I would suggest you to consider Safari too. Alcazar might look great but when comparing to Innova, it might lack the punchy engine and better seating which Innova has to offer but if you just need a 5 seater with a boot larger than Creta then do checkout Alcazar.

[Raghunath Singh]

Here is the brochure for Alcazar. Side and curtain airbags is available in Platinum and Signature trims. The only difference between Platinum and Prestige is the option of ventilated seats in the latter. Also, Platinum has only 7 seater option and Prestige 6 seater.

Please note the above is for MT only.

[arvishnu]

I have also booked Creta D SX(O) AT. Like you i was confused as well, but i decided to go with Creta after personally looking at Alcazar. Below are some observations

1. Cabin feels exactly like Creta except the colour
2. 3rd row is useless for adults
3. Captain chairs dont lye flat but recline angle is comfortable
4. 3L extra (on road Bangalore) for D Signature AT 6 str over Creta D SX(O) AT just for 2 extra seats which are not usable and some additional features. You will probably used as 4 str, Alcazar is not worth the extra money.

Basically you are getting a 4str by paying more money. These are my views for diesel, Petrol scenario may be different as it gets a bigger engine. I wanted only diesel as my running is high.

[car_guy1998]

Originally Posted by arvishnu

I have also booked Creta D SX(O) AT. Like you i was confused as well, but i decided to go with Creta after personally looking at Alcazar. Below are some observations

1. Cabin feels exactly like Creta except the colour
2. 3rd row is useless for adults
3. Captain chairs dont lye flat but recline angle is comfortable
4. 3L extra (on road Bangalore) for D Signature AT 6 str over Creta D SX(O) AT just for 2 extra seats which are not usable and some additional features. You will probably used as 4 str, Alcazar is not worth the extra money.

Basically you are getting a 4str by paying more money. These are my views for diesel, Petrol scenario may be different as it gets a bigger engine. I wanted only diesel as my running is high.

++1

Felt the same when I had checked the Alcazar today as we are looking for a replacement for our Innova!

The third row is the worst and in fact, I felt the third row in our 10-year-old Innova is much better in comparison with the Alcazar even after pushing the middle row seat to the maximum!

Even I felt the Creta much better and comfortable than the Alcazar!

After having a look at the Alcazar, I felt that instead of spending 3L more on the Alcazar, it's better to go for the Creta if 7-seater is not a necessity or else if 7-seater is a necessity, then go for the Innova Crysta GX AT, which costs same as Alcazar Signature(O) AT and in fact, it is cheaper than Alcazar top-end version by few thousands of rupees!

[CEF_Beasts]

Originally Posted by car_guy1998

After having a look at the Alcazar, I felt that instead of spending 3L more on the Alcazar, it's better to go for the Creta if 7-seater is not a necessity or else if 7-seater is a necessity, then go for the Innova Crysta GX AT, which costs same as Alcazar Signature(O) AT and in fact, it is cheaper than Alcazar top-end version by few thousands of rupees!

The value for money proposition the Crysta GX AT offers is truly unparalleled at ~₹23Lakh!! Has the best 3rd row and boot space with all rows up. Only grouse is the spartan features list.

[car_guy1998]

Originally Posted by CEF_Beasts

The value for money proposition the Crysta GX AT offers is truly unparalleled at ~₹23Lakh!! Has the best 3rd row and boot space with all rows up. Only grouse is the spartan features list.

I agree with you! The only thing which I'm missing in the Crysta GX AT when compared to our 2011 Innova VX is climate control, front foglamps (will get it installed at the dealership during delivery), and reverse camera (which I'll again get it done from the dealership itself)!

And, the Crysta GX AT has Apple Carplay/Android Auto, which is a necessity, at least for me!

Regarding the features list, I feel these are not much important as the car will be used by my dad, who doesn't care much about the bling and features!

The only thing he needs is comfort, space, and FE!