You know a model has invoked great interest if even after two days, it still shows a spike in trends. Hyundai products usually receive a rousing welcome in our market. However, it seems that the Creta has become a craze. When we last checked, the bookings had crossed 18,000. Those who were waiting for the price announcement can now call it value-for-money. Why, even our King Khan is the first owner of the new Creta. We have been inundated with messages on our social media platforms about which one to go for. While COVID19 ensures that social contacts are less and our immediate comparison has been put off for some time, the online specification comparison, as well as variant-wise break-up, has been explained right here.
So this is going to be 18 variants versus 14, with the Creta on the lower side. This is because the 1.4-litre turbo petrol engine offered in the Creta doesn’t come with a manual option whereas the Seltos has a 6-speed manual as standard across variants. Now that this piece of information is out of the way, we can concentrate on which variant offers what.
Kia Seltos HTE vs Hyundai Creta E
As is evident from the table, the Creta is costlier by Rs 10,000. Hyundai doesn’t offer a petrol engine with the E trim whereas Kia offers in both the fuel options. For the extra Rs 10,000, the Creta offers follow-me-home headlights, cooled glovebox as well as a tyre pressure monitoring system. The Seltos diesel gets rear disc brakes while a sharkfin antenna is standard. Technically, you don’t stand to lose out much even if you choose the base Kia here.
Kia Seltos HTK vs Hyundai Creta EX
A price gap of Rs 30,000 is there between the Hyundai Creta and the Kia Seltos petrol (expensive) while that between the diesels is just Rs 5,000. This trim allows the customer to choose petrol or diesel engines with manual transmission. As far as features are concerned, the Kia justifies the premium by offering projector fog lights, driver monitor view and a rearview camera. While Rs 30,000 might be a tad too much for the aforementioned features, the fact is that the Creta doesn’t get these. One can still live without the extra features that the Kia offers for more money.
Kia Seltos HTK+ and Hyundai Creta S
The Creta is costlier here by Rs 23,000 for the petrol and diesel versions over the Seltos. At this point in time, one realises that the Creta is not offering anything significantly over the Seltos but instead brings in the HTK features. We find that the Seltos here is more value-for-money given that it gets driver one-touch up and down power window, mood lighting and auto-folding mirrors.
Kia Seltos HTX vs Hyundai Creta SX
The Creta trims are now Rs 37,000 over that of the equivalent Seltos. So, the Creta now offers a panoramic sunroof and rear disc brakes as standard. In contrast, the Seltos brings with it ice cube fog lamps, auto air purifier and more. While we might not have recommended the sunroof, we understand that a majority of Indians indeed think this as a bragging rights opportunity. Technically the Seltos still holds the value-for-money in this trim but the junta might just push and go for the panoramic sunroof. What’s more one can activate the sunroof with just a voice command. The Blue Link uses the next-generation software from Hyundai and is a tad superior to the UVO offered in the Kia. For example, the Blue Link app recognises the Indian accent better. There is also the Smartwatch-integrated app provided with the Creta that lets you check vehicle status on your smartwatch.
Kia Seltos HTX + vs Hyundai Creta SX (O)
We have reached the highest level of trims for both 1.5-litre engines here. The price difference here is Rs 45,000, working in the Seltos’ favour. It must be noted that the Creta doesn’t have a SX (O) trim for the petrol-manual. For the kind of money, the Creta charges, the Hyundai offers a lane change indicator flash adjustment over the Seltos features. Instead, the Seltos brings in front parking sensors too. It is but anybody’s guess that the Seltos is more value-for-money.
Turbo petrol engines
The Hyundai group, as a whole, is moving towards turbo petrol engines. You see turbo-ed engines of all sizes being used in different cars. While the power and torque figures of the 1.4-litre GDi used in the Seltos and Creta are the same, the changes lie in the transmission. Hyundai is offering paddle shifters and as discussed earlier, only a 7-speed DCT with the Creta. As a whole, the dual clutch-equipped Creta and Seltos are priced Rs 13,000 apart from each other. The Seltos works out to be more expensive of the lot and has a head-up display as compensation. Same is the case with the top-of-line GTX+ DCT and the SX (O) DCT. The price difference is Rs 9,000 (Seltos is expensive). The Seltos customer will get a 360-degree camera that is missing in the Creta, with this money. We aren’t sure how many though will want to spend Rs 10,000 for a 360-degree camera and given the compact size of the Seltos, it is obvious too.
Those who like to row their own gears and get the maximum out of a turbocharged high-revving petrol engine-manual transmission, the Seltos is your only hope between the two. The GTX trims add in the wireless charger, and four additional airbags.
Opinions in and around suggest that the new Creta design is polarising whereas the widespread affinity to the Seltos’ shows in the sales numbers. All-in-all, if you go for the Kia Seltos, you aren’t losing much over the Hyundai Creta. Perhaps, the fact that Kia workshops haven’t yet attained the reach or assurance of a Hyundai one, should be your only worry.
