[trek]

I think Hyundai or for that matter any manufacturer would try and skim the market for higher profits in a new segment like the compact SUV which is not mature yet and lacks intense competition.

There will be buyers willing to pay the asking price and Hyundai has a positive perception with the Indian consumers and they will obviously make hay while the sun shines!

In the end they are here to grow revenues and its no crime to price your products higher. As and when more competitors enter and the segment matures, companies will have to offer value for money pricing as is the case with the hatchback market.

[jeetaman]

Originally Posted by anshuman_v

This will be an interesting perspective:

XUV500 w8 pluses over Creta Sx(o)[list]

Creta sx(o) pluses over XUV500 w8[list]

And after visiting the dealer for the launch show, and having seeing Creta (in both on Red and White) I am almost sold to go for XUV 500. White has good presence, Red one just looks like yet another car on the road. I didn't even bother to take TD. Show room delivered one White SX(O) to the first buyer.

[jaibir]

In the Duster vs Creta comparison, isn't the right comparison for the Duster RXZ Plus, the Creta SX+ instead of SX(O) given the equipment levels? If taking this comparison, the difference in on road list price in Bangalore is ~Rs40k (effective will be 70-80k more due to discounts).

[Rover2000]

Looking at the Ex-showroom price at Bangalore and Chennai, I see that Chennai Ex-showroom is at least 5k more than Bangalore. Just wondering why the higher pricing in Chennai in spite of being its hometown.

[atulsian]

I was very disappointed after seeing the price for the AT. I would blindly go for XUV500 instead of spending so much for Creta. I like the look and the features but VFM is not there for me. I will still wait for the official review mainly the AT version as it looks very tempting on paper (Specs, speed and 6 gear AT).

[sathya_g_m]

Though, I am disappointed with its price and will have to go back to Duster. Hyundai isnt too greedy either, Compare the interiors of Duster and Creta, being generations ahead of it would really cost them more to make.

After all Hyundai sells cars to make profit let it find its own takers.

[Nitthari]

So Hyundai now does a Honda, demand a premium where there is no need. Grossly disappointed with the pricing and the disclaimer that this pricing is "introductory" is scarier

Will this pull a customer away from Duster with all the bells and whistles? I doubt. Ecosport will just do fine (unless Ford shoot themselves in the foot). But here is an idea that Ford can explore. Why not bring the full sized Ecosport and play the competing game?

[sngautam]

Originally Posted by Nitthari

But here is an idea that Ford can explore. Why not bring the full sized Ecosport and play the competing game?

Now that is something I'd look forward to. That would be true competition for Creta. It would be interesting if Ford goes that way. I don't see that happening with the current scoops making rounds.

[prakash_ajp]

Here's an all important question - who wants to spend 17 lakh on a Hyundai? In the past, both Maruti and Hyundai found it difficult to sell more expensive cars. It will be interesting to see the market response.

[landcruiser123]

The Creta justifies the premium over the Duster for reasons:

• Safety features on the top trim
• Better Interiors
• More widespread ASS
• More features

From the official preview, forum posts and the account of a friend, I've begun to assume that the backseat isn't wide enough compared to equal price sedans. So in that regard, I think the Creta is a sitting duck in front of the XUV 500.

The diesel variants price themselves in XUV 500's range. The Mahindra has:

• Comparable list of features
• Decent interior quality. Yes, it's lower than the Creta
• 2 seats extra
• Great backseat
• A large service network

The XUV 500 is more car for the money.

[AWD]

9.65L for base 1.4L at my place, simply atrocious I would say. I look for a value preposition, like many Indians do & this in no way appears worth the buck. With such pricing, Hyundai has overlooked the middle class consumers who form the major chunk of buyers. This car won't get the numbers Hyundai must have thought of.

Its an era of VFM cars, be it Sunny, Eco-Sport, XUV, etc. Even companies like Honda find it hard moving out stock of vehicles with premium pricing. Indian consumers have matured a lot, specially in the budget segments & its hard to get them swayed with styling/looks, etc. The car will sell good for sure but won't be able to set sales records.

[Anoorag]

One question that rankles me, and I haven't seen a discussion on this, is why hasn't Hyundai put forth a (real) top end diesel automatic? As in the 1.6D auto in SX(O) trim. Guess they were so bent upon pricing the Creta exorbitantly that they were sure the SX(O) auto would nudge 20L and result in a lot of acrimony with a potentially expanding customer base. So they just didn't launch the model...aha.

[Yeldo]

Even though the Duster and XUV are well within spitting distance of each other when it comes to pricing, both could garner good sales. Those looking for posh interiors, 7 seats and good performance chose the XUV whereas those looking for a more compact footprint and better ride and handling went for the Duster.

With the Creta, potential buyers get a posh, sophisticated and modern car- a miniature and more polished version of the XUV formula, I dare say- and many people are sure to be tempted by it.

Just like some Duster shoppers going for the XUV looking for more metal for their money, some prospective XUV buyers might also think that the Creta is a shrunk XUV without its drawbacks. This would be especially so for those going for W4 / W6 variants which fall right in the Creta 1.6 price band.

Market reports say that Hyundai has 15,000 bookings for the Creta at launch. As the prices were higher than the expectations of many people, some of that 15,000 might get cancelled. But still Hyundai is going to move a lot of Cretas, I'm sure- though not that successful on the Elite i20 scale.

A variable unaccounted for in this guesswork, of course, is what Maruti is going to do with the S Cross pricing.

[printh]

The duster awd on any day will be a better deal than the creta sx(o). Though most bhp ians here point out modern interiors,features and ASS as a justification to the premium,the duster has a few usps of its own like ride quality,handling,robustness which creta misses out. Save for the dated interiors,there is nothing negative in duster to view it below creta.and for the ASS - it's something for which a company should not command a premium. It's a basic necessity and support a company has to provide for the buyers of its cars. And I really don't understand the part that duster has dated engine vs modern engine of creta !!! So what? It's powerful,torquey and fuel efficient and above all reliable warhorse( some member has put up post indicating Logan covering almost 4,00,000 kms). What is it to a car owner about the engine technology when it gives what he wants!
I bet the duster is also equally if not more reliable as a hyundai.
That said maybe a premium of 30 to 50 k is justifiable for the creta but nothing more than it.

[Chillout]

Enough has been said about the pricing, the final icing would be the test drive report. If the road manners are not even 70% of Duster, we are going to see a lot more cancellations and not many new bookings in the coming months.