All Hail The New Lion King

If you listen closely, you’d realise that every jungle tells a story. There are legends passed down generations, stories of utter domination, of overlords and the sway they held. If you were extrapolate that to towns and cities and, by further extension, automobiles, the concrete jungle, too, will have stories to tell. One among them will be that of the Hyundai Creta and the impressive reign it had in its segment. Of an SUV so complete and well-adapted to Indian conditions that it sold over 4.67 lakh units in less than five years. The winner of a staggering number of awards from several juries across India. ‘Bestseller’, ‘Conqueror’, ‘All-rounder’: these are just a few of the numerous adjectives that were used to describe the first-generation Creta. Comparisons with the lion, the king of the jungle, were par for the course, as the Creta rode roughshod over every other competitor from 2015, when it was launched. The fact is that it was perfectly equipped to do so. Like the lion, it was built to rule across a wide variety of terrains. It was adept at handling congested cities and open roads.

In its arsenal was a line-up of three engines, and transmission options. The slick, smooth, 123PS, 1.6 petrol engine (with automatic and manual gearboxes) and the two punchy diesels – a 90PS, 1.4-litre (mated to a 6-speed manual), and a 128PS, 1.6-litre (with either a 6-speed manual or automatic) – were both responsive and reliable, and helped Hyundai’s lion hunt down the miles, one after the other. The engines were not just powerful, but fuel-efficient as well. Most importantly, thanks to the range of engine and transmission options, they appealed to buyers across the SUV spectrum. The Creta’s robust suspension and absorbent ride only helped make matters worse for its competition, which had no real answer to the Creta’s looks and features either.

Shouldering An Illustrious Legacy

Before we get to know the second-generation Creta better, here is a little something to chew on. At the time of going to press, the All New Creta had bagged 15,000 bookings. That impressive number is illustrative of the sheer popularity of Hyundai’s SUV and the legacy it has left behind. The original Creta not only defined what an SUV ought to be but also dominated the segment for much of its life. The All New Hyundai Creta is perfectly equipped to take that legacy forward.

Diamond cut alloys add visual sizzle

The new king of the ring is his father’s son, and as handsome as the original Creta. It sports a large cascading grille and a split-headlight arrangement with LED DRLs on top and LED headlights and new-look fog-lamps below. Hyundai calls the tasteful arrangement Trio Beam LED headlamps, and it looks smashing and contemporary. The all-new SUV’s squared-out wheel arches are ace as well and impart a noticeable muscularity to its looks. Also on the menu are dual-tone paint schemes and 17-inch alloys. The All New Creta gets split LED tail-lamps and a low-set number plate at the rear. The Creta will be available in 10 colour options, including two dual-tone options.

The Inside Story

The All New Hyundai Creta is as impressive on the inside, and its cabin features a classy black-and-beige interior theme. The SUV’s perforated seats sport an elegant criss-cross diamond-stitch pattern. The compact, chunky steering wheel is equipped with controls for audio, telephony and the cruise control system. Other highlights include a full-digital, 7.0-inch instrument cluster, remote engine-start feature for the manual gearbox variants, a voice-enabled smart panoramic sunroof, and paddleshifters for the automatic variants.

The All New Hyundai Creta’s tastefully appointed cabin is studded with creature comforts and state-of-the-art tech, including the BlueLink connected vehicle system.

Want more creature comforts that you won’t find in most of its competition? Here we go: rear window sun shade, leatherette upholstery, a reclining feature for the rear seats, LED reading lamps and a cooled glovebox. Quite naturally, the All New Creta features Hyundai’s much-talked-about Blue Link connected-car tech along with the Smartwatch App. A host of functions from Sunroof Open/Close, Seat Ventilation Control, Climate Control – Temperature can be activated by simply saying ‘Hello Blue Link’. The Smart Watch Integrated Blue Link will also provide seamless access to other connected services such as Engine Start/Stop, Door Lock/ Unlock, Vehicle Status Information, Auto Healthy Air Purifier (In-car air-quality information), and Vehicle Alerts (Geo-Fence, Speed, Time Fence, Valet, Vehicle Status and Stolen Vehicle) and owners can receive notifications through their smartwatch. Blue Link supports smartwatch application for Wear OS by Google, watchOS by Apple and TIZEN OS for Samsung’s Galaxy watches.

Heart Of A Lion

The BS6-compliant engines on offer with the All New Creta are a testament to Hyundai’s ability to deliver a wide range of motors and team them up with the appropriate transmission and suspension. The 115PS, 1.5-litre, naturally aspirated petrol engine, which can be teamed up with either a 6-speed manual or an IVT automatic gearbox, roars like a lion, and charges like one. The 1.4-litre turbo-petrol unit that develops 140PS is a stonker of an engine which, thanks to a 7-speed DCT automatic gearbox, is equipped with leonine reflexes; and the 115PS, 1.5-litre turbocharged diesel unit that comes with 6-speed manual and torque converter automatic gearbox options is the one to have if you value solidity and single-minded focus above all else. According to Hyundai, the 1.5-litre diesel – with the 6-speed manual gearbox – can deliver 21.4kpl. The naturally aspirated petrol motor with the IVT gearbox is rated at 16.9kpl.

 

The first-gen Hyundai Creta’s ride quality won it a lot of fans, and the All New Creta can only be expected to be better than the car it replaces. It is said that there are lessons to be learnt from failure. While that is true, even success can deliver us insights. That’s what Hyundai has done with the All New Creta. The first-generation Creta was a phenomenon, and improving on it was a difficult ask. But that’s just what the Korean carmaker has done with the All New Creta. Expect it to reshape the SUV paradigm, establish new benchmarks, and rule over the concrete jungle like no one has done before.

The Making Of A Champion

What you should know about what goes into the making of the All New Creta. Despatches from Hyundai Motor India’s plant in Chennai.

Hyundai Motor India's manufacturing plant at Sriperumbudur, near Chennai, is a totally state-of-the-art facility that boasts advanced production, quality and testing facilities. Several of the company’s star performers are produced there. It is also an integral part of Hyundai Motor India’s parent company, Hyundai Motor Corporation’s ambitions of making India an export hub, and has exported over 1.93 lakh vehicles to more than 88 countries. The plant is spread over 535 acres and equipped with over 650 Generation 4 Robots. The manufacturing plant is also the birthplace of the All New Hyundai Creta. Here, we take a look at how Hyundai’s champion SUV is made.

The All New Hyundai Creta’s body panels being pressed and stamped into shape

• The All New Hyundai Creta’s body shell is made of advanced high-strength steel.

• Hyundai Motor India’s paint shop is among the most modern in India. It uses eco-friendly water-based processes for superior and lasting exteriors. It is manned entirely by robots, which prepares each body shell, or ‘body in white’ as it is called, by imbuing it with anti-corrosive properties and readying it for application of paint. After it is painted, the body in white is then baked, which helps it become more resistant to sundry dings and the like.

The engine bay at the company’s Sriperumbudur plant

• The engine bay at Hyundai Motor India’s Sriperumbudur facility is a study in precision and accuracy. The All New Creta will be offered with two petrol motors — a 115PS, 1.5-litre, naturally aspirated petrol and a 140PS, 1.4-litre, turbo-petrol unit — and a 115PS, 1.5-litre, turbocharged diesel.

• The All New Creta is equipped with advanced Blue Link connected car technology with over 50 features. Owners can activate and control essential vehicle features such as Sunroof Open/Close and Climate Control – Temperature among many others, by simply saying ‘Hello Blue Link’. It is also equipped with segment-leading features such as Trio Beam headlamps, Traction Control modes, Bose Premium Sound System (eight speakers) and Electric Parking Brake with Auto Hold.