Completed my final test drive today, earlier in the afternoon.
Needless to say, I am impressed with the Creta and am going through the buying process right now.
The reason I didn't post anything from my earlier 2 test drives because they were relatively short and were restricted to inside the dealership premises. Today, I was allowed to take her out on the road for a short jaunt and that helped me test it's riding manners, handling and braking.
Here are my overall impressions:
- At first glance, this compact SUV has the quality to overwhelm you by it's looks and size, more so when it's in that fantastic White shade.
- The best color shade for the Creta is undoubtedly White, followed by Red, Black, Stardust, Silver, Beige, in that order. Mystic Blue somehow doesn't suit the Creta's contours and demeanour.
- The overhangs in front and back are really short. This, coupled with protruding tail lamps and head lamps, will make one wary of city traffic on all sides, specially rash bikers.
- The roof rails look tacky on an otherwise excellent looking side profile.
- The micro antenna actually suits the Creta more than the shark-fin one, which looks completely out of place.
- The roof has ribs for added rigidity.
- Trapezoidal foglamps look unique and are also quite effective.
- The low beam from the halogens is quite dim at night. It begs for better bulbs, if you are driving frequently on the highways.
- Side indicators protrude a bit from the ORVMs. Be careful of vehicles larger than/similar to the Creta's height when they come too close. Seems to be safe from bikers, hatches & sedans, IMO.
- The wheels fill up the wells quite nicely. 17-inch rims should have been standard on all variants.
- The 17-inch diamond-cut alloys are absolutely smokin' hot! The 16-inch, 10-spoke clear silver ones simply can't hold a candle to them, or to any other chunky ones for that matter. The ones on the Zest & the Linea are the ones to match, IMO.
- Side black cladding looks the best on lighter colours such as White, Silver & Beige. Don't look all that prominent on Red, Blue & Stardust.
- Front underside cladding feels very plasticky to the touch. Back one seems firmer.
- The chrome bar on top of the rear numberplate housing looks very, very loud and garish! I expect a lot of future owners to either get this painted, or removed completely. Of course, it's a delight for chrome lovers!
- Boot loading level is a bit high. Thankfully the Creta's boot door swings way up and liberates a lot of width to throw in the suitcases.
- Two reverse sensors sit flush on the rear bumper. Not an ideal location, IMO, and are prone to damage from rear-ends by other drivers.
- Interiors of the SX(O) are very much a level above the rest of all variants. For this reason only, I expect the SX(O) to be priced at quite a premium over all other variants (expecting at least 1-1.25 lakhs over the nearest SX+ manual variant).
- The seat compound is firm and bolstered, and will hug your medium-built figure nicely. Anyone more well-fed (read 80 kgs and above), and you might find the seats a tad smaller for your liking.
- Overall ambience from the front seats is quite wide, roomy and spacious. The view from the front passenger's seat is excellent. All-round visibility is superb.
- If you are a 6'0" like me and use the seat-height adjuster judiciously, you can easily see the two edges of the bonnet from the driver's seat. Someone with a lower height (say 5'4" or lower) might find this problematic, specially if going for a lower variant without this extremely useful feature.
- All controls are within reach and fall to hand easily. The sheer number of buttons all around (on the steering wheel, on the central console) can get a tad confusing and overwhelming (specially on the S & SX variants). Thankfully the 7-inch touchscreen HU (of the S+, SX+ & SX(O)) doesn't have too many buttons.
- Sound clarity from the system is extremely good. Bass sounds softly punchy and treble levels are good, just perfect for my tastes. A rare Hyundai which has a good sound system inside it. I tested the sound on the SX(O) & the SX+, so can't comment about the other variants.
- The reverse camera's display is quite sharp, and the adaptive guidelines + sensors make parking a breeze. No need to be apprehensive while turning when reversing now.
- Gear slotting is sure and precise. There is a slight rubbery effect felt though. The Volkswagens remain the best in class in this regard.
- The first gear is excellent on the petrol. You can rev quite high on it and the engine doesn't feel strained. The pull comes from the second gear and it's quite addictive and free-revving too. For the diesel, there is some turbo lag in the lower two gears, and the engine only comes into it's own by the 3rd gear while the RPM nears the 2,000-mark. There is a nice "whoosh" effect in the diesel, too!
- Riding comfort is absolutely top-notch. Small undulations and holes are dismissed without a fuss.
- The steering, although feeling heavier in the diesel, still lacks that exact feel of where the wheels are. Not sure why all Hyundais have this inherent problem. Anyone who has driven the Honda City diesel in slower, city-ish speeds will know exactly what I am talking about. The steering weighs up a bit on higher speeds, but it's no Fiat or Maruti in it's precision. Ford's units, quite simply put, are in a different league altogether (except the EcoSport).
- Braking is top-notch as well, specially in a straight line. The bite is a bit softer than my City's.
- Body roll is well controlled, specially in city conditions. Not sure about this on the highways.
- You can feel the suspension working through it's paces when you hit a rough patch on the road. The lane leading from the main
bazaar to the dealership was very uneven, but I am glad to report that the Creta handled herself quite well. Mind you, I was at 30-35 kmph speeds, so can't comment on how she would behave at higher speeds than this.
- The gripping of the tyres on the SX+ seemed inadequate specially when turning, while the SX(O) stuck quite firmly to the road. Maybe it was a drawback of having Goodyear Assurances on the SX+. The 17-inch Bridgestones of the SX(O) are an absolute must for this car.
- The petrol is very silent, even from the outside. The diesel has a soft and continuous thrum like a throbbing heartbeat, which can be felt if you pay close attention to the ABC pedals. Of course I am nitpicking here. Overall NVH levels are best in class.
- Seating inside the Creta is spacious for 4 people. A 5th fully-fed passenger in the rear seat could be unwelcome, even though he gets a separate head rest. I would say the Creta is a strict 4+1 seater, instead of a full 5-seater.
- The boot is very wide and large, although not too deep. It has enough space to tuck in 4 medium-sized suitcases, with enough space left for 2-3 bags on the sides.
Overall, as a package, the Creta makes a big case for itself when pitted against the likes of the EcoSport, the Duster & the Terrano. It is no match for the Scorpio, which I feel is in a segment above than the Creta. In-cabin space, refinement levels, features list, and the premium feel-good factor - you get all these with the Creta.
I am happy to report that I am satisfied with my choice, and I hope she validates my choice with a fuss-free ownership in the future.