Hyundai Creta 1.5 Diesel Executive AT

Creta buyers love its convenience, fuss-free nature and easy-going drive. How will they respond to the new model’s outlandish design?

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Odd-ball looks; big enough for a family; refined engine

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Odd-ball looks; creaky interior

Did you know the previous Hyundai Creta was one of South Africa’s bestselling compact SUVs? Its figures outnumbered those of such popular staples at the Renault Duster, Toyota C-HR and Rush, and the Suzuki Jimny. Only the Mazda CX-3 and Volkswagen T-Cross are more popular than the Korean, and not by much. It stands to reason Hyundai South Africa would be rather nervous to fiddle with a winning, albeit overly conservative, formula … which is why it’s surprising the update is such a radical departure. Everywhere I drove the new model, it drew either admiring glances, or puzzled stares.

It’s certainly an acquired taste but I happen to think it looks great. Highlights include LED front and rear light signatures that appear nearly identical; a cool, full-width rear reflector strip; and a dual-tone paint treatment that’s standard on the flagship 1.4 TGDI (the vehicle in the images) and optional on this diesel model; more on the range in a bit. Less successful is the dour design of the 17-inch wheels, while the profile is a touch heavy-handed towards the rear.

The 1.4 TGDI sits at the pinnacle of a four-model line-up kicking off with a new, naturally aspirated 1.5-litre in place of the 1.6 from the outgoing range. Power and torque are down but still sufficient at 84 kW and 143 Nm peaking at 4 500 r/min. It’s coupled with either a six-speed manual or continuously variable transmission, and is offered in Premium (disappointingly, just two airbags on this one) and Executive trim.

Slotting into the middle of the range is this new 1.5 CRDi diesel engine shared with the Kia Seltos. It musters up 84 kW and 250 Nm from 1 500-2 750 r/min (again, less than the outgoing 1.6-litre). Here buyers have no choice of transmission: just a six-speed automatic, which should pair very well with the powertrain if the Kia Seltos equivalent is any indication.

The 1.4 TGDI, meanwhile, offers a compelling new addition to the Creta line-up. Its 103 kW and 240 Nm through 1 500-3 200 r/min, channelled to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, are ample.

Back to this test unit… Is the inside as radical as the skin? Not quite, but the interior is an obvious improvement on the previous model’s cockpit. Perceived quality is decent (although the plastic shroud around the gear gaiter is disappointingly creaky, exacerbated by its placement in the exact spot where your left knee rests), the layout is as simple as you’d like and the view out is mostly unobstructed. All models feature a touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay plus Android Auto, as well as PDC supplemented with a rear-view camera. Executive trim adds artificial leather upholstery – dual-tone on the 1.5 petrol and CRDi; black accented with red trim on the TGDI (as pictured above) – LED headlamps and wireless cellphone charging. For the first time, reach adjustment is offered on the steering column and finding a suitably comfortable driving position is a cinch. Odd, though, that only manual air-con is fitted across the range.

Space in the second row is plentiful – legroom’s especially impressive and way beyond that offered by the new Volkswagen T-Roc – and the luggage bay holds a claimed 433 litres, expanding to 1 401 litres with the 60:40-split rear bench folded and stowed.

Unsurprisingly, the new Creta drives completely conventionally. This is a reworked version of the previous Creta’s platform – shared with the Seltos – and majors in comfort. The ride is excellent, offering great absorption without wallowy handling (we tested it on gravel, too), and general refinement is very good; the engine is impressively hushed and little vibration penetrates the cockpit. The steering could do with a touch more weight but will find favour with the majority of buyers who use Cretas in urban environs.

As for the diesel, while some buyers may miss the addictive slug of torque developed by the older 1.6-litre version, the new powertrain’s linear responses from low revs makes the vehicle much easier to drive smoothly. The six-speed torque-converter automatic transmission pairs beautifully with the oil-burner.

The new Creta is an impressively sensible update of the outgoing range. If that sounds like I’m damning it with faint praise, it’s certainly not my intention. I applaud Hyundai for scrutinising the previous model and identifying what worked (comfort, refinement, space) and what didn’t (frumpy looks, bland cabin design, outdated infotainment tech), and developing the new version accordingly. Only the looks leave a question mark: will conservative buyers be drawn to Hyundai’s showrooms once more? It’s a strange time we live in … I wouldn’t bet against it.

Verdict

Rating: 4/5

Comfortable, decently refined and well equipped, the new Creta should continue the winning streak. The frugal diesel’s the one to get but Hyundai needs to address the creaky plastics in some parts of the interior.

Deep Data

Hyundai CRETA 1.5 Diesel Executive AT