2018 Hyundai Creta: Which variant should you buy?

Hyundai recently gave its blockbuster SUV, the Creta, a minor facelift, a trim reshuffle and a few feature additions. What remains unchanged are the engine-gearbox options on offer. Engine options include a 123hp, 1.6-litre petrol, a 128hp, 1.6-litre diesel and a 90hp, 1.4-litre diesel engine. Six-speed manual transmissions are standard, with only the 1.6-litre engines getting the option of a six-speed automatic transmission. All engines, gearboxes and trims accounted for, there are 13 variants of the Creta on sale. And with prices ranging from Rs 9.44 lakh to Rs 15.04 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), there’s a Creta for a wide range of budgets. Which one suits you best? Read on to find out.

Which is the most-value-for-money variant?

If you’re looking for a petrol Creta, the E+ that’s priced at Rs 9.99 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) proves to be good value for money. It comes with all the features from the base E variant like ABS with EBD, dual airbags, remote locking, speed-sensing door locks, height-adjustable driver’s seat and four power windows. In addition, the extra Rs 55,000 over the E gets you electric mirror adjustment, steering-mounted audio controls, a six-speaker sound system and a 5.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth connectivity.

Diesel buyers on a tight budget will find a value deal in the 1.4 E+, but what's disappointing is that it misses on the infotainment system of its petrol trim equivalent. If you will be travelling five-up or plan to frequent the highway in your Creta, it’s the more powerful 1.6 diesels you should be eyeing. Of the 1.6 diesels, the S automatic and higher-spec SX manual cost around Rs 13.2 lakh, but it’s the auto that we’d pick. In S form, the Creta gets a few more frills such as parking sensors, a reversing camera, front fog lamps, rear defogger, 16-inch alloys, roof rails, adjustable rear headrests, rear armrest and a parcel tray.

Which is the variant that we’d recommend?

The higher variants of the Creta don’t spell the most value, still the variant that we’d suggest is the SX automatic with either the petrol (Rs 13.44 lakh) or diesel (Rs 14.84 lakh), depending on your fuel preference. The premium of Rs 1.50 lakh to Rs 1.60 lakh over the respective SX manual not only gets you the convenience of an automatic, but you also get an electric sunroof, 17-inch diamond cut alloys, Isofix rear-seat child mounts and 60:40 rear seat split. Other features shared with the SX manual are the 7.0-inch touchscreen with Android Auto/Apple CarPlay and navigation, Arkamys sound mood, projector headlamps, leather steering and gear knob, start/stop button, keyless entry, automatic climate control, cruise control, electric folding outside mirrors and rear wiper/washer.

Should you buy the top SX (O) variant?

The SX(O) variant is sure to be the choice for anyone willing to spend big for safety. SX(O) trim Cretas get ESP (electronic stability program), VSM (vehicle stability management), hill-start assist, side and curtain airbags and height-adjustable front seatbelts. Creta SX(O)s also get added features like leather seats, six-way powered driver’s seat, a smartkey band and a wireless charger. All these safety and comfort features, however, do come at a premium of Rs 1.60 lakh to Rs 1.70 lakh over the SX manual variants.What disappointing is that automatic transmission-equipped Cretas are not available in top-spec SX(O) form.