The Creta EV will utilize the SUV’s existing architecture, similar to the Nexon EV and Mahindra XUV400.

The first spy images of what is believed to be the electric version of the Hyundai Creta have surfaced online. The Creta EV (codenamed: SU2i EV) is expected to debut in 2025.

The Creta EV test mule was spotted at a roadside charging station. As you can see, the car was not camouflaged and looked identical to the ICE version.

So, how do we know that it’s an EV? Well, if you look closely, the test car has what appears to be an additional supporting brace for the floor-mounted battery pack.

Unlike the recently launched Ioniq 5, which is based on the E-GMP platform, the Creta EV will utilize the SUV’s existing architecture, similar to the Nexon EV and Mahindra XUV400. It would also allow Hyundai to offer it for a relatively affordable price. That being said, going forward, the carmaker does plan to localize its E-GMP platform as well.

While technical details of the all-electric Hyundai Creta are unknown, rumours suggest that it could use the electric motor and battery from the Kona Electric.

Source: Rushlane

The Honda mid-size SUV will take on heavyweights like the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Toyota Hyryder and the Maruti Grand Vitara.

Earlier this year, Honda teased its brand-new mid-size SUV for the Indian market, and now we have the first test mules roaming our streets.

The spy images suggest that the car will have a good road presence. It has an upright front fascia with LED daytime running on either side, flared wheel arches and a set of roof rails.

Honda’s new SUV will be based on an updated version of the Amaze platform. It is likely to be powered by the same 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine offered in the City, while higher trims could come with the strong-hybrid powertrain. Transmission options might include a 5-speed manual, CVT and an e-drive transmission.

The Honda mid-size SUV will take on heavyweights like the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Toyota Hyryder and the Maruti Grand Vitara.

Source: Autocar India

It was clear that the car has got so much potential & VW has got a lot of the things right. But I'm a little on the fence about the negatives.

BHPian buzzy_boy recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Took a TD of the Virtus 1.5 DSG today. Wanted to see if it can replace my 2018 Creta 1.4 D - which has run 1.3 Lakh kms. Documenting my observations.

My requirements

• City-friendly dimensions and turning radius
• ~100 BHP Per ton power-to-weight ratio
• Crash-worthy body structure
• Decent automatic
• Budget < 20 Lakhs

Positives

• Stunning looks
• The DSG is in the right gear for the situation 100% of the time.
• Decent ground clearance = didn't scrape the undercarriage with 3 on board and no luggage.
• Butter smooth shifts. Relaxing to drive in the city.
• I found the sheet metal to be of decent quality.
• Kick down delay? What kick down delay? The DSG gives you a downshift with zero to no delay.
• Space inside was decent and sufficient. I found the Virtus to be conveniently shaped.
• There's a decent amount of adjustment in the driver armrest to find a comfortable position.
• Full suite of active safety features to complement what's expected to be a crash-worthy vehicle.

Neutral

• It is difficult to use the paddle shifters while turning the wheel. They must have been stationary in relation to the wheel.
• Audio quality was decent, but could have been better.
• At low, the AC was chilling the cabin quite well, but when a specific temperature was set, the cooling wasn't in the same league as the Toyotas and Mahindras of the world. Livable though.
• Lack of a 360-degree camera is a bummer. Though we can live without it, people have come to expect it these days.
• The sunroof is small. I don't fancy a sunroof, but this implementation neither satisfies folks like me nor does it satisfy folks who want a big sunroof. What's more, it eats into the headspace of the driver, and this is a problem for people like me who like to jack up the seat high.
• Decent visibility of the bonnet if you jack up the seat high.
• While the ride was compliant, the vehicle tended to be tossed about on pothole-ridden roads. Leaving this in the neutral section as I believe that the problem was with over-inflated tyres - I didn't check the tyre pressure before the TD.
• The DSG tended to drop down to first quite conservatively, while Hyundai's DSGs tend to hold the second gear until the vehicle comes to a complete halt. I believe that Hyundai has tuned it for comfort while VW has tuned it for reducing slip, and increase drivability.

Negatives

• Interior quality: I understand that the money that VW saved on interiors went towards safety. But, I believe that customers of the GT line would pay a lakh or two more for better quality interiors. VW must learn from the masters = Hyundai does better interiors on the N Line than the regular variants. Huge disappointment.
• While the steering can be adjusted for reach and rake, it should've gone a little further in for a comfortable driving position for me.
• The DCT's crawling function has been implemented conservatively = there's a noticeable lag before the vehicle moves off. While this doesn't make any difference for regular driving, it makes manoeuvring difficult in tight spaces - eg: tight parking spots, and moving off in busy uphill junctions. I had a scary moment at the end of the TD where I had to park up in a tight space which was on a ~ 10-degree uphill slope.
• 205/55 section tyres = recipe for bent alloys on Indian roads. Plus, the less said about the black alloys, the better.
• The vehicle should have gotten proper drive modes. The avg fuel economy in the city was ~ 8 KMPL per the MID. An eco mode would've gone a long way towards improving the fuel economy in the city as we know how sensitive the turbo petrols are to throttle aggression.

Summary

The TD was a bittersweet experience. It was clear that the car has got so much potential, and that VW has got a lot of the things right. But I'm a little on the fence about the negatives. My ideal Virtus would be the 1.5 TSI with the six-speed TC and better interiors.

PS: Special thanks to Mr. Vikram from Ramani VW Coimbatore for arranging the TD.

Here's what BHPian Cresterk had to say about the matter:

• That's the way the paddle shifters should be. It is designed to stay under your corresponding hands even while turning the steering wheel for light to medium turns. It's not meant to be used during u-turns when you spin it all the way around. BMW, Mercedes, Audi etc comes with the same type of paddle shifters. The only car I have driven that had stationary paddle shifters was the quirky Citroen C5 and you have to take your hand off the steering wheel to shift during turns which negates the entire point.
• It will be fine. I have been using 195/55/16 tyres which have even smaller sidewalls on my diesel i20 for the past 7 years. We use the car as a beater and it has seen its fair share of pothole-ridden roads that we don't even bother slowing down much for. No damage to the rims yet.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The Creta is currently available with 1.5-litre petrol and diesel engines only.

Hyundai appears to have discontinued the 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine. It is no longer listed on the brand’s official website and hasn’t been mentioned in the brochure either.

There had been reports suggesting that Hyundai was unlikely to update the 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine to comply with BS6 Stage II regulations. Instead, it is said that an RDE-compliant 1.5-litre turbo could be on the cards. That being said, there won’t be a turbo-petrol option available on the Creta for now.

Hyundai launched the 2023 Creta earlier this month. The SUV is currently available with 1.5-litre petrol and diesel engines only. The 1.5-litre petrol engine develops 113 BHP @ 6,300 rpm and 143.8 Nm @ 4,500 rpm, which is paired with a 6-speed IVT, while the 1.5-litre diesel puts out 114 BHP @ 4,000 rpm and 250 Nm @ 1,500-2,750 rpm. 

Both engines are now RDE-compliant and E20 fuel ready. The 2023 range also gets an integrated starter generator (ISG) with an Idle Start & Go function that is said to improve fuel economy in heavy traffic.

The 2023 Creta and Alcazar get 6 airbags and updated RDE-compliant engines with Idle Start / Stop function.

Hyundai has announced the launch of the Creta and Alcazar for the 2023 model year. The updated SUVs now come with a host of active and passive safety features as standard.

The 2023 Creta and Alcazar get 6 airbags in total, including driver, passenger, side and curtain airbags. The SUVs are also equipped with ESC, Vehicle Stability Management (VSM), Hill-Start Assist Control and get disc brakes all around. Besides this, all variants of the Creta now come with a 60:40 split rear seat.

Hyundai has also updated its engine line-up with RDE-compliant powertrains. The Creta is offered with a choice of 1.5-litre petrol and diesel engines, while the Alcazar comes with 2.0-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engine options.

Hyundai claims that the updated powertrains are more eco-friendly and are E20 fuel ready. Additionally, the 2023 line-up gets the Idle Start & Go function, which uses an integrated starter generator (ISG) to improve fuel economy in heavy traffic.

Hyundai has also updated the Venue for the 2023 model year. Besides a revised features list, the compact SUV now comes with the same 1.5-litre diesel engine that powers the Creta.

The 2023 Creta will get RDE-compliant engines and several new features and safety systems.

The Hyundai Creta facelift isn’t coming to India anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean that the popular SUV won’t receive an update for the 2023 model year. 

While the 2023 Creta will not sport the Tucson-inspired exterior design, it will be equipped with several new features and safety systems. It is said that 6 airbags, ESC, VSM, HAC and height-adjustable front seat belts will be standard across all variants. The SUV will also get ISOFIX and a 60:40 split rear seat. The most notable change though would be the introduction of rear disc brakes and Idle Start / Stop. 

Hyundai will be launching the Creta with RDE-compliant engines. The updated 1.5-litre petrol engine will also be E20 fuel ready.

At present, the Creta is available with a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that makes 113 BHP @ 6,300 rpm and 143.8 Nm @ 4,500 rpm. It is paired with a 6-speed manual and iVT. The SUV also comes with a 1.5-litre diesel engine that puts out 113 BHP @ 4,000 rpm and 250 Nm @ 1,500-2,750 rpm. Customers get a choice of a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic with the oil burner. 

The changes that are being made to the engines could affect their overall output.

Thanks to BHPian Dextor for sharing this information with other enthusiasts!

I've shortlisted Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Mahindra XUV700 and MG Hector.

BHPian NithinR recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello there, fellow petrolheads!

I hope everyone's doing fine. I'd like your help to decide on my first car (we have a 12-year-old Tata Manza Diesel, but it's a family car bought by my father, and this is going to be my first purchase).

My requirements

I'm a techie living in Chennai, so most of my driving is going to be in the city and in traffic. My hometown is 500 km away, so maybe I would be driving on the highway once a month. Also, I'm planning to get married in the near future, so I might plan some sudden trips. I like driving, so I want a fun-to-drive petrol SUV (since diesel is slowly disappearing from the market) with an automatic transmission (I do want to save myself from future knee pains).

My budget

Rs 25 lakhs (maybe I could stretch it by 2 lakhs tops, but not more than that).

Let me give a quick summary of what I like and don't like about the cars I'm looking at.

Hyundai Creta

Likes

• Strong overall performance.
• Hyundai's after-sales service quality.

Dislikes

• I'm not a fan of Creta's styling (only my POV).
• DCT issues.
• Backseat space.
• Could I afford a larger vehicle within my budget?

Kia Seltos

Likes

• From my perspective, I adore Kia's styling and sharp features.
• Good performance from the engine.
• More features and premium interiors than Creta.

Dislikes

• Should I hold off until the 2023 model?
• Backseat space
• DCT issues
• Could I afford a larger vehicle within my budget?

XUV 700

Likes

• Engine has a lot of power.
• Spacious and well-designed interior.
• ADAS as well as other features such as audio, a sunroof, and memory seats.
• Good automatic when compared to DCT.
• Stronger road presence.

Dislikes

• No Ventilated seats
• A lengthy waiting period

Hector

Likes

• Reasonably priced given the features and space.
• Lots of connected features and a huge infotainment.
• A smooth and comfortable ride.

Dislikes

• I'm not sure about the Argyle front grille (I haven't seen the 2023 model yet).
• Inadequate petrol engine for its size and weight (will you sacrifice occasional highway performance for city comfort??)

I request my fellow BHPians to give their views and help me zero in on my first car. Kindly add any other cars that you consider to be good choices that I have left out.

Here's what BHPian revsperminute had to say about the matter:

Do take a look at the 1.5TSI Taigun/Kushaq. They are comfortably in your budget, have enough space, are fun to drive and safely built. On top of that, those cars are so easygoing in the city given their relatively compact footprint and high GC.

I would suggest you to give the Hector a miss. It’s the furthest thing from fun to drive. It has soft suspension, an engine that’s always wheezing due to the amount of weight it has to carry and a CVT box singing the songs of its people.

PS- The Virtus GT is also a great shout. It has oodles of ground clearance.

Here's what BHPian bijims had to say about the matter:

In my opinion, the Mahindra XUV700 would be your best bet, but you should probably get the diesel automatic variant instead of the petrol, Diesel engines in larger SUVs and luxury cars are not going away anytime soon, moreover, the price difference between the petrol and diesel XUV700 is hardly 80k, but the mileage difference would more than make up for the price. Moreover, performance is exemplary too.

Another alternative you could consider is the Tata Harrier, but you considering its facelift is due in less than a year's time, I wouldn't recommend the current generation. Moreover, there have been many niggles reported in the current-gen Harrier which should also be taken into consideration.

The Toyota Innova Hycross could have been considered but you only get the CVT petrol model within your budget, moreover, it ain't likely to be the best performer either, the Hybrid, on the other hand, was worth a shot, but an MPV isn't necessarily required considering your current scenario.

The Skoda Kushaq/VW Taigun DSG could have been potential options for their excellent performance, safety, and driveability but I think you would prefer a bigger car considering your budget.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I was requested to not write an email to the company because that would cost the service advisor his job.

BHPian SolidusSnake recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I had taken my Creta for its 3rd service yesterday and as per routine procedure engine oil was drained before fresh oil could be put in. Then the wheel alignment guy came in and sat in the car and to my utter shock started the car!

I immediately shouted that the car had no oil and then he turned off the engine. I immediately raised the issue with the service advisor and the CRM also came. They said the car was turned off immediately and that no damage would have occurred and that I should not write a mail to Hyundai because the service advisor would lose his job.

As the service advisor is known to me, I relented and said that CRM should write a mail to me acknowledging the incident, which she wrote on the second try (in the first mail she simply said an incident occurred without describing it).

Now what worries me is that these turbo GDi engines are very sensitive and whether this incident would impact the longevity of the engine and the full impact of this incident may reveal only after some thousand kms. I am in a dilemma that whether should I let go of the incident or pursue it further.

Here's what BHPian sagarpadaki had to say about the matter:

Sheer carelessness on the part of the employee.

If the car was switched off within 30 seconds, there will not be any lasting damage.

Here's what BHPian CrAzY dRiVeR had to say about the matter:

Had an incident which was far worse, but on a much simpler engine. My old bike (a Bajaj Pulsar 180) was delivered post-first service without engine oil and I rode around a few kms before realizing this from the changed engine sound.

The dealership gave their mistake in writing and also agreed to provide an additional year (2+2+1) of dealer warranty for any engine issues that may arise. Needed none of that though- the bike ran without any issues till around 10 years/56k kms when I sold it.

Would advise the same here - get the dealership to admit in writing that they will take care of any issues that will arise. Since you immediately noticed the incident and got them to switch it off, I think there may not be any issues after all.

Here's what BHPian tjsi had to say about the matter:

Well you can't really actually drain all of the oil from the engine, some amount is always left behind, so unless they really, really flushed it out (which is unlikely) then probably no critical damage was done.

The technician surely needs to be sent back to training though. The negligence is increasing across all service centres, even the Honda and Toyota ones are caught slacking.

I wonder what really happens with our cars when we're not present there.

Here's what BHPian shankar.balan had to say about the matter:

Oh no! This is just completely stupid.

Now, for exactly how many seconds did the engine remain on? It is important to diarize this piece as well.

While the oil indeed is drained there will still be a thin coating of residual oil but this is not sufficient to keep the engine lubricated. Therefore you absolutely have every right to inform HMIL CRM or even higher authority.

Here's what BHPian MT_Hyderabad had to say about the matter:

My questions to you would be the following:

• How much time passed before the engine oil was drained from the last start with oil?
• For how long exactly was the car started?

If a long time elapsed (let's say more than half an hour) from the last time the engine was started and this time when the engine was started without oil, there could be some chances of engine damage.

If the engine was immediately switched off, no damage is foreseen.

Although I am very envt. conscious, but in this particular case, I would recommend running the engine with the old filter and new oil for 15 mins and then draining the oil and then refilling with the new oil and new filter.

This drained oil should be observed for metal particles, if they are observed, I leave it up to you what to do.

As the incident happened yesterday, I would recommend getting new oil filled from them today/tomorrow as a courtesy; of course free of cost.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

While I am disappointed that the issue has not been resolved, I must point out that the dealer team has been prompt in trying to resolve the issue.

BHPian iamitp recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Posting an update after continuously getting the same Transmission Control Malfunction error despite two workshop visits to my Hyundai service station, and one home visit by their technical team. I have also been in touch with the Hyundai area parts manager.

Sometimes the car does not engage even-number gears, till it is restarted. Sometimes it engages all gears but I still get the error message on HUD and the check engine light. I just do not get any peace of mind.

While I am disappointed that the issue has not been resolved, I must point out that the dealer team has been prompt in trying to resolve the issue.

My DCT failure issue remains unresolved even after 2 years and almost 40,000 KMs.

Here's what BHPian heydj had to say on the matter:

DCT / DSG gearbox are not made for India. Before buying one knows it's possible there will be issues.

I bought Rapid DSG in 2015 hoping no failure however DSG failed after 20k kms and 2 years of ownership out of blue

My friend bought a Creta DCT and exactly 1 year later on highway while with his family it failed and since then he keeps saying replaced dct does not have same driving feel.

Hence my input is driving pleasure is not just about gearbox instead about gearbox engine mating. Hence don't buy dct car instead look for alternative car with good engine and gearbox combo.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Hyundai plans to launch the updated Creta in India next year. Also, it won't be the same as the international version.

The second-generation Hyundai Creta is being sold in India since 2020 and is due for an update. While Hyundai has introduced the Creta facelift in the international market, the carmaker is unlikely to launch it in India this year.

According to the company, the Creta facelift will arrive on our shores in 2024. It is also said that the Indian version will be different compared to the one showcased at GIIAS 2021.

The updated Creta currently on sale globally has a Tucson-inspired design. It features a large 'Parametric Jewel' grille with integrated daytime running lights. The SUV also gets a redesigned tailgate with boomerang-shaped LED taillights.

Inside, the Creta facelift comes with a 4-spoke steering wheel with paddle shifters and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. It is equipped with an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), a 360-degree camera, a panoramic sunroof and more.

So, if you have been waiting for the launch of the Creta facelift, I'm afraid, your wait just got longer.