The
2020 Hyundai Creta has three BS VI engine options. There is a 1.5 litre MPI
petrol engine which has two transmission choices, a 6 speed manual and an
automatic IVT. Then there is a 1.4 litre Turbo GDI petrol engine mated to a 7
speed DCT. You also get a 1.5 litre U2 CRDi Diesel engine which has a choice of
a 6-speed manual as well as automatic transmission. We got to drive the 1.5
litre diesel model with a 6-speed manual transmission.
Exteriors
The
new Creta has a new signature face with cascading grille. The new Creta comes
with trio-beam LED head lamps and crescent glow LED DRLs. The side profile continues to have a sporty
touch to it. It reminds you of the earlier model of the Creta. Now you get to
see a dual tone here. The blue coloured car we were driving had a dash of
silver running as a thin stripe over the window line and almost covering the C
pillar. Hyundai calls it the lightening arch C Pillar The vehicle sits on 17 inches smart alloy wheels. Both the front and the rear tyres come with
disc brakes.
As you move to the rear, you will notice there are
changes here too. You get to see new, LED tail lamps and aerodynamic
rear spoiler. The roof rails, shark fin antenna, panoramic sunroof (this is
voice enabled too) and the skid plates add to the sporty and rugged looks of
the vehicle.
Interiors
The
Creta now has premium interiors and spacious cabin with comfortable seating.
Interior colour themes feature a combination of 2 tone black & greige. For
those who have not heard of the word “greige”, it basically means a colour
between beige and grey. It has plush leatherette upholstery. Other features
include a 10.25 inches HD Infotainment
with BlueLink, 7 inches supervision
cluster with digital display, Bose Premium Sounds System (8 Speakers), Tyre
Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), a sporty D-Cut Steering (the steering which
comes with several controls can be adjusted for tilt but is not telescopic), Android
Auto, Apple car play compatibility, etc. The cabin comes with a blue ambient
lighting. There is also an auto healthy air purifier. The air purifier which is
fitted somewhere on the front arm rest area, can be controlled via the
touchscreen as well as from the unit itself. Charging points in front (o the dashboard towards the floor console)
include a 12 V/ 18oW point, as well as two USB slots, one of them being a high
speed one for mobiles. There is also a wireless mobile phone charger too but
for that your mobile phone needs to be compatible to the Qi technology. On the
floor console, one gets the electronic parking brake button with auto hold
which is a very useful function on hilly terrains.
The
new Creta has Advanced Blue Link that offers over 50 connectivity features. Customers
can now experience voice enabled functions by just saying ‘Hello Blue Link’ to
control essential vehicle features.
The
Blue Link connectivity gives freedom to remotely start engine for AT as well as
MT (1st in Industry feature). Thus, you can start your vehicle through this
blue link app on your mobile / touch screen, lock and unlock your car, set the
cabin temperature, etc. Even the buttons
on your auto dimming inside rear view mirror provide functions like SOS, Towing
and BlueLink app functions. The 10.25
inches system also provides a plethora of functions via the BlueLink. There’s
more for the customer with the Blue Link Integrated smart watch app.
For
all internet related functions, a SIM card is a must and thus the car comes
with a SIM card which is tucked away inside the vehicle and the service for the
same is provided free of charge for around three years by the company. The air
within the cabin can also get a fragrance with the help of the touch screen
function.
The
drive seat can be electrically adjusted. You get an 8-way adjustment. The front seats are also ventilated. When it
comes to storage spaces within the cabin, there are plenty. It has a cooled
glove box.
It
has a personalised second row with 2 step reclining seat, window sunshade, seat
headrest cushion, USB charger, LED reading lamps and centre armrest. The arm
rest has cup holders too. The second row gets dedicated air vents. In the SX
model we were driving, the rear seats have a 60:40 split.
Performance
The
Creta comes with a start/stop button. The diesel engine is quite responsive and the moment you
step on the accelerator, it gets moving fast. Though it has slightly less power
that the earlier 1.3 litre diesel engine, I felt the power was adequate, especially
when it goes beyond 1500 rpm. The steering I felt was light and the gear shifts
smooth.
The
cabin insulation too is adequate and all unwanted noise from outside is kept at
bay. The suspension, I felt was well tuned for city roads and absorbs unwanted
bumps on the road with a lot of confidence. The vehicle scores decent on the safety front
as it comes with only two airbags. Six airbags come only in the top variant.
But one can take solace from the fact that features like Electronic Stability
Control, Vehicle Stability Management, disc brakes, ISOFIX, rear camera with
steering adaptive parking guidelines, etc are available in the SX variant. All in all, the new 2020 Creta scores on the
technology as well as looks front.