Preview: Hyundai Creta

[igp_79]

I think one other factor that is very important in deciding if the pricing is justified is to look at how the creta rides.
When the duster was launched, One of the main factors favouring the duster against the xuv was its better dynamics.
A similar example was the comparo between the verna and the vento. Vento was poorly specd compared to the verna. Yet it sold decent numbers because there were a large number of customers who wanted the superior handling and ride.
Now the creta duster xuv and ecosport are competing in a higher price bracket where the customer is more discerning. While the creta will no doubt sell for its novelty value, features, power and ASS, how many it will sell depends on how good it rides compared to, say the duster. If it rides lika a boat like the verna, the duster may still be the choice for discerning buyers. Also there is a possibility that the duster may get a face lift ( god knows it's overdue), with almost all features the creta has except for climate control.

[Ragavsr]

Originally Posted by bhuvan_prasad

I think this is one of the most hotly discussed price announcement on Team BHP ever!!

I for one, theoretically speaking, would much rather pick the sedan version of such crossovers (Civic instead of CR-V, Verna instead of Creta) , which given the laws of physics will have much better performance, FE, handling at the cost of space and scraping a few speed humps. I don't care about the status symbol of a so called crossover, so did not include that.

I personally don't care about what people think of me based on the car I drive and could care less about people with such shallow thinking.

The Verna, Creta and the Elite i20 are all based on the same platform and Creta is priced at a premium of 60-70 % premium over the i20. While the extra excise duty may account for 18% of the cost difference and the extra manufacturing cost of a crossover will be 10-15%, the rest 25-35% is Hyundai simply laughing all the way to the bank.

Another good option for would be Creta buyers is the Mahindra Scorpio S4 + 2WD with Airbags and ABS.At only 9.9x L ex showroom, it's sheer value for money and would be my first choice even over competing sedans.

[romeomidhun]

If duster/terrano is replaced by Qashqai which is thoroughly modern car at the same price point, it is R.I.P. creta.

[sudeepg]

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

7) All those who have seen the car from up close will agree with me when I say this - it simply doesn't command a 17 lakh pricing, no matter how high the quality is. Hyundai has typically been offering the same high quality in other offerings at a competitive price in their respective segments (Grand i10, Elite i20, Etc.)
8) Now, the price of the SX+ Petrol is ~13 lakhs OTR. For that kind of money, I add a measly 10,000 more to get the XUV 500's W4 variant! Diesel, 7-seater, acres of space all around, humongous boot if 3rd seat is folded, newly launched, 140 PS power, 330 Nm of torque on offer, dual airbags. Only stuff I would be missing is the 7" AVN, steering-mounted buttons and more premium plastics and interiors.

Mechanically and reliability aside, how can the Hyundai SX+ petrol now justify it's glaring pricing similarity with the XUV diesel variant? We are talking about a full blown 3-box proper SUV with a monochrome design, much bigger engine, more torque, more power, robust mechanicals, tried and tested offering over the years.

I believe this is a fundamental point. Many car buyers, even not so informed ones will look at the on road pricing and decide if they really want to spend this kind of money for a 5 seater car, apparently a tight fit too at the back. In that direction, people shifting to Sedans OR considering XUV500 is a no brainer. Sedans costs less and you get all the bells and whistles too. Don't forget the fact that there are many out there who are less informed than the members of this community who are blessed with tons of information. I say so because many folks working in corporates will eventually factor in only the cost and what kit they get along with it. For many of us, safety is paramount and therefore the base variant is not even an option. Hyundai seems to have tried to captialize on the lack of general awarness among buyers.

For enthusiats, the T-BHP review will be the one to decide. I was seriously contemplating giving up my Honda and considering the Creta. I almost put up an ad and thought of waiting for the prices. (Even the home ministry approved). But with this pricing, bye bye Creta!

For folks in Bangalore, owning the creta is definitely going to be a very expensive proposition, but I assume that there will be many out there with spare money who will be ready to purchase the Creta. The initial days will definitely see some good sales as far as I can see. The pricing is definitely going to be its Achilles heel. Imagine even if Hyundai were to cut prices later on, they are going to have some very upset customers who would have paid more. So it's kind of turning into a catch 22 situation.

Thanks for the all the info so far! I can really feel your misery in your posts.

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by romeomidhun

If duster/terrano is replaced by Qashqai which is thoroughly modern car at the same price point, it is R.I.P. creta.

And what makes you think they will launch Qashqai at Duster prices? If the world's cheapest SUV- Dacia Duster is sold at a premium here(with Renault badge and beige interiors) i guess they would set a 20 lakhs starting price for Qashqai if it ever comes to our market. For now it might be R I P Duster!

[Ksingh544]

this thread has gone from "cant wait" to "wait the what ?" in 11 hours.

All the same while its fair to compare the Creta pricing to the competition in the market i think its better if people actually test drove the car and then commented upon what they were being asked to pay for.

Which is exactly what i am going to do. Being a Scorpio owner for the past 7 years i am looking for an upgrade and the Creta is on my radar for sure. But will reserve comments for once i've driven it.

Few random points-

- The Creta website is one of the most confusing and badly laid out i have seen
- is the pricing (delhi ex showroom) of the 1.6 diesel 6 speed manual Sxo (13,60,156) AND 1.6 diesel 6 speed auto SX+ (13,57,772) actually the same ?? as given at http://www.hyundai.com/in/en/Shoppin...ote/index.html

- the TVC is so lame, as if the SUV's are made for risky overtaking on hills, pulling turns in the gravel and then driving past an office building. i know this is off topic but what is the obsession with using foreign looking actors for an India launch #fail

Looking forward to the TD reviews and of course the BHP review.

cheers

K

[raghav135]

I read somewhere that hyundai has given creta a monthly target of around 5000 units or so. I feel it would easily achieve the same, making it a successful product.

I had expected aggressive pricing, but instead got "on par" pricing.

Folks like me who wanted a car with full safety (mainly ESP) or full safety with automatic for around 12 lakhs would have to go ahead with ecosport automatic.

For others seeking a high quality suv with good space would go with creta or scross. SCross would have an edge if you exclude the automatic and SX(O) variants.

Overall, good quality product but I am cancelling my booking of SX(O) !!

[predatorwheelz]

Originally Posted by nik_kapur

I have posted many positive things about the Creta on this forum and its only today that i actually got to see the car in person.
Its really well finished inside and i am happy to have supported this car inspite of the price bashing it has received. The doors close with a thud like VW and that is commendable. The attention the car received at the launch in the showroom was mind boggling to say the least.

And you should have posted some pictures about the launch. Thankfully there was another tbhpian in attendance.

The launch event was at JW Marriot Aerocity. Quite a budget they had, going by the scale of the event. I apologize for the quality of the pics. There is only so much that one can do with a BB Q5 phone camera.

The first sight when you walk in



The Creta body shell cutout was the first point of display. The general body shell (made of normal steel) was silver. The high tensile steel (HTS) and ultra high tensile steel (UHTS) portions were marked out in blue and orange respectively. Some points I noted were:

1. There is a UHTS brace across the lower body, behind the rear axle. According to Hyundai it reduces NVH as well as increases vehicle stiffness.

2. The roof has 7 ribs (as opposed to 5 in most cars) which will increase strength of the bodyshell.

3. The engine mounting is surrounded by a layer of UHTS.





There was one car on display in the outside lawn, with a partial cover that was quite pointless.



People swarmed the car, climbing in, checking out all the features.



I did manage to jostle in and check the interiors. Unfortunately couldn't take any interior pics. Some points I noted:

1. The steering wheel and gear lever are the same as my Elite i20 Asta. The dashboard feels roughly the same, except there is a large touchscreen entertainment system with integrated GPS.

2. Interior plastic quality is excellent. Not only the dash, but all plastics that you can touch inside.

3. Front legroom was remarkable. Rear legroom not so much. Headroom wasn't an issue either.

From the front the vehicle looks handsome. My general feeling (which a non petrolhead friend who accompanied me also confirmed) was that this vehicle doesn't look or feel like a crossover. It feels like a proper SUV.

I also loved the 17" alloy design and the DRL design.



Boot space is humongous. The parcel net helps to keep loose items tied down.



After a round of tea, we proceeded to the auditorium for the main event to start.



A nice laser show, followed by the Creta full TVC.



Then the MC came on and spoke usual gibberish.



She was followed by Hyundai India's CEO, Mr Bo Shin Seo. His English accent was difficult to understand, and his speech seemed kind of like news reading. Then my friend pointed out 2 LED screens that had been placed strategically behind the audience. The CEO's idea of a speech was actually reading out somebody else's material from a teleprompter!



Karan Wahi and Archana Vijay came on to play a couple having a romantic conversation with each other, where every nuance of each other's is covered through a feature of the Creta. For example "Darling you know how much I hate it when you pack so much luggage for a weekend trip. But with the Creta we will never have an issue, because it has XXX ltrs of luggage space". Hackneyed marketing tool, but always useful.



This was followed by a spectacular laser show where a white cutout of the Creta was focussed on from various angles to highlight the key points. Fantastic.



Finally the real cars rolled on to the stage. The one you see here is the SX(0) 1.6 CRDI with the works.



This one is a lower model, as it didn't have the DRLs.



The final act was a stand up comedy show by Sourav Pant. That, then a fantastic high tea meal, and we were handed thank you packs before heading out.

One thing I like about attending customer launches is the freebies they give you.

Creta branded pen drive.



Creta branded office stationery.



JBL bluetooth speaker



Also a fantastic full color brochure with full vehicle details (not pictured).

[NowNew7]

Originally Posted by raghav135

Folks like me who wanted a car with full safety (mainly ESP) or full safety with automatic for around 12 lakhs would have to go ahead with ecosport automatic.

Even I was hoping (a bit unrealistically?) for something that gave me an alternative to Ecosport as a modern entry level AT Mini-SUV, especially considering I am a staunch Hyundai fan due to it's VFM vis-a-vis competitors.

Alas it may be time to shift loyalties!

[Chinmayd]

Creta pricing may well put off a lot of expectant buyers but how does it impact the overall Hyundai brand in India? With their recent products from Verna, Elantra, Sonata, even the i20 Elite Hyundai they seem to be attempting to take the Hyundai brand at a different level. Their design, styling, feature list, build qulity, fit and finish have all impressed a lot of people.

Maybe Creta was a logical next step at further building this premium image. With solid i20 Elite and Grand i10 sales figures they can afford to take a few pricing risks here. If Creta can impress on other fronts even with limited sales figures it will do the Hyundai brand a lot of good.

[damager21]

I think two major launches this year have kind of disappointed consumers in terms of their pricing.

To start with, Honda we thought overpriced its top variants, did not offer a good mix of colors to choose from and did not offer features in their top variants.

Hyundai on the other hand delivered a feature packed Creta with good mix of colors but they priced it high.

Of the two, I think overall Hyundai has done a better job because while the pricing may seem about a lac higher than what most of us thought, even if someone was to buy it, he or she will always have that feeling of driving a compact SUV which looks premium inside out and there are No cost cutting measures in terms dummy cap or switch.

I think Creta will do well and in fact it will consistently sell more than EcoSport and Duster month on month for the next 6 months to a year.

[arpanjha]

Spectacular laser show, and branded pen drives to notebooks, does all this justify the Greed that hyundai could not hide? I want to point out to a blog which says that some Mr. Srivastava (presumably a senior Hyundai executive) had said that the then unnamed Creta would be aptly priced and its going to eat away into any competition that nears. But practically all such talks have gone amiss. They have gone the Duster way, everyone knows Renault literally mints money out of the Duster, and the Koreans just could not keep their greed at bay. Ofcourse who had imagined they would have, seeing the i20 pricing circus repeat itself with every upgrade, it screams greed from every angle. I am not a Hyundai hater, but its time for the market to mature and get the corrections in place.

http://autosidebar.blogspot.in/2015/...to-crater.html

[romeomidhun]

Originally Posted by .anshuman

And what makes you think they will launch Qashqai at Duster prices? If the world's cheapest SUV- Dacia Duster is sold at a premium here(with Renault badge and beige interiors) i guess they would set a 20 lakhs starting price for Qashqai if it ever comes to our market. For now it might be R I P Duster!

Yes, only if common sense prevails for nissan/renault!

Qashqai is priced just 2.5L above scross in uk. So, they can launch a stripped down version here at around 10L, I assume.

[Bhodrolok]

I couldn't agree more. Just watched it on TV & I can't believe Hyundai has released such an irresponsible TV commercial for its halo product aimed at the discerning customer.

Originally Posted by nemo

What a pathetic TVC! As if rash driving that we see on a daily basis on our roads are not enough these idiots are instigating people to get even more mad😡

[methecupid]

At the cost of going a bit OT on the thread, it's really painful to find buyers jostling and head-banging for little sweet nothings in the Indian market now. Notwithstanding the technological advancements that we have witnessed over the past decade and half, we have been subjected to continued dilution of the car as an asset and the government with its ridiculous tax structures have been the main contributor to having such a scenario. The 4m rule, the displacement rule, the GC rule and then some more, have all resulted in the plight of the Indian consumer who now has to choose between his requirements and wants, his needs and his aspirations.

Case in mind, previously we had a very clear distinction of A,B,C,D and the luxury segments. Then with the regulations in mind, the manufacturers had to squeeze in the concept of "CS" in between the B and C segments. Of course this couldn't have been possible without a natural upward revision of prices for the C segment. The CS versions will have the pedestrian performance measures of the B segment, but play with the dimensions that give the manufacturers some leverage. The C segment crept up to levels previously held by D segment cars. I remember gawking at the Opel Astra and Ford Mondeo with such admiration, whilst dad evaluated the Honda City and Chevy Optra. Now with the slew of releases of the so called Compact SUV, the prices are neighbouring what used to be D categories. All this while giving no more than what the C segment cars give but only adding some height or in rare cases dimensions. At the crux of the buy, we still end up with a car that can seat as many as a Maruti Swift can take. I was aghast to find the seating arrangement in the Ford Ecosport, which for all its fancies was still not worth the buck. Cars are still aspirational for most, and specially for occupation generated income class. Our salaries grow in a certain curve, the car prices with respect to its classes go on in a completely different tangent. A blanket question to all, aren't you supposed to get quality interiors, great engines, reliability and assurance of A.S.S when you end up paying a million rupees for a car? A space that had such aspirational cars, not so long ago? I am sure everyone here has weighed in their options when they advocate why we should pay the amount asked by Hyundai. But the reasons of quality and A.S.S shouldn't be ones. The irony is that we will still buy cars at a higher price because of this ridiculous revisions in segments that we have witnessed in recent years.

What we have earned in options in the number of cars, we have lost in options that really command our aspirations.