2024 Hyundai Creta Review: Reloaded Big Ticket SUV

The Hyundai Creta has an unprecedented cult following in India. Just to back this statement, Hyundai has sold 9.8 lakh units of Creta ever since its launch in 2015. The SUV has been a game changer for the Indian market and is one of the main protagonists why the sedan market is dwindling while the SUV segment has a colossal 49 per cent of the market share. We highlight what’s new, what’s better than its previous versions and how Hyundai has improved the 2024 Creta. 

2024 Hyundai Creta Review: Edgy Exteriors

The second-generation Creta burst into the scene with a love it or will grow on you later kind of design. As much as we found it to have a shock and awe effect, the numbers contradicted our first impression as it sold more than the first-gen and continued to be the best-selling mid-size SUV in the market. Even though the pre-facelift Creta was a runaway success, Hyundai decided to revamp the exteriors and introduce its global design language of ‘Sensuous Sportiness’. Due to this, in our opinion, the 2024 Creta makes quite an edgy statement with a black alloy finish front grille like the flagship SUV, the Palisade and the Venue.

What takes the cake is the new LED DRLs that make quite a sweeping statement as they run across the radiator’s front nose. The Creta sticks to the split headlight set up with new L-shaped DRLs and a new set of quad-LED headlamps. Gone is the curvy bonnet and in its place is a more upright structure hood, giving it a taller stance. The bumpers have been buffed up and give the Creta a macho image. 

The Creta sports new 17-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels but apart from this, the side profile remains identical. The rear compliments the front architecture with LED-connected tail lamps along with a new bumper and a bulging faux skid plate. Even though design is a very subjective topic, we feel the 2024 Creta’s clean looks and new exterior elements make it more appealing than its predecessor.  

The Creta facelift is available in seven variants and is offered in six monotone colours including the new Robust Emerald Pearl and one dual-tone option.

2024 Hyundai Creta Review: Space Age Cabin

Step inside the Creta and the cabin welcomes you with a new simplistic design. Even though it looks classy and feels airy, Hyundai could have used less hard plastics. Let’s start with the new dual-tone light and dark grey coloured dashboard that houses a sleek-looking metal finish air condition vents. Hyundai has added a twin 10.25-inch display — the infotainment system and the instrument cluster. Both are brand new devices while the driver’s console has been borrowed from the Alcazar. What was slightly disappointing was that there’s no wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Hyundai has also introduced a new multiple-button layout centre console along with two dials and dual toggle switches to control the dual-zone air condition. The buttons are easy to use on the go but the quality doesn’t feel premium as expected in this class. 

The million-dollar question remains, what’s new? Hyundai had covered all its bases with the pre-facelift Creta but it still managed to add a few more convenience features like an 8-way power adjustable driver’s seat and rear window curtains. It continues to offer front ventilated seats, a wireless phone charger, a panoramic sunroof, multiple charging ports including a 12 Volt socket, rear seat headrest cushions and two Type-C slots for the rear passengers.   

Hyundai has increased the length of the Creta by 30mm making it 4,330mm long, This does translate to more legroom for rear passengers. The South Korean manufacturer has further enhanced passenger comfort by improving the seat squab’s thigh support. 

Watch video: 2024 Hyundai Creta Facelift Review

2024 Hyundai Creta Review: Safety Features

The most important update is the Level 2 ADAS suite which comes packed with 19 autonomous features. With the combination of camera and radar, Hyundai has divided the ADAS features into three divisions — Driving Safety, Driving Convenience and Parking Safety. The Driving Safety has Forward Collision Warning and Collision Avoidance Assist for car and cycle, Lane Keep Assist, Blind Spot View Monitor and Collision Avoidance etc.

The Driving Convenience has Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Following Assist, Leading Vehicle Departure Assist etc. Finally, the Parking Safety features a 360-degree camera, Rear Cross Collision Avoidance and Rear Traffic Collision Warning. The 2024 Creta comes standard with 36 safety features six airbags, all four disc brakes, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Hill Start Assist Control and much more.

2024 Hyundai Creta Review: Driving Experience

The 2024 Creta is available in three powertrains. It retains the 113bhp 1.5-litre NA, and 1.5-litre diesel with 114bhp and introduces the brand new 1.5-litre turbo petrol which churns out a class-leading output of 158bhp. We briefly drove the turbo and as expected the engine feels at home at high rpm and responds in a jiffy. Mated to a 7-speed DCT, the transmission compliments the engine’s performance by shifting gears quickly. On the highway, it remains stable at high speed and goes past the three-figure mark quickly, but in city conditions, the transmission feels like it’s in two minds before changing gears. The power delivery of the turbo petrol will genuinely bring a smile to an enthusiast’s face. Hyundai has decided not to offer the 6-speed manual transmission with the turbo petrol as it is reserved for the upcoming Creta N Line.

We also drove the diesel automatic which is mated to a 6-speed torque converter. The 1.5-litre diesel is a mile muncher and is all about refinement. It’s a great highway cruiser and effortlessly negotiates slow-moving traffic. According to Hyundai, they have managed to bump up the mileage by almost 1 km pushing the MT’s fuel economy to class-leading 21.8 kmpl and 19.1 kmpl in the AT. 

The Creta continues to offer three drive modes — Eco, Normal and Sport and three traction controls — Snow, Sand and Mud. 

*Ex-showroom introductory prices

2024 Hyundai Creta Review: Verdict

Starting from Rs 11 lakh to Rs 20 lakh, Hyundai has smartly priced the 2024 Creta as the entry-level variant is slotted above its competition but the top trim is a shade below its direct rival like the Kia Seltos. The Creta has played to its strength and has further enhanced with an increased legroom for rear passengers, a host of new convenient and smart features, a new dashboard and Level 2 ADAS along with 36 standard safety features.

Watch video: 2024 Hyundai Creta facelift walkaround

Hyundai has made the body structure more rigid by using high-strength steel on crucial parts crash members, floor, side sill and crash pad. All this improves energy absorption of the Creta’s frame. Another feather in the cap for the Creta is the clean refreshed design which gives it a taller stance and will appeal to SUV buyers. Even though the Creta facelift will face tough competition from the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Kia Seltos, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Skoda Kushaq, Honda Elevate and Volkswagen Taigun, we feel it will retain its crown and remain the best-selling midsize SUV in the market.