Analysis: Has the Creta finally met its match in the Kia Seltos?

The Hyundai Creta has been a runaway hit since its launch in 2015. In fact, such has been the appeal of the Creta over the years that there hasn't been a dip in sales despite several price increments. It has long been the mid-sized SUV to beat and the arrival of new rivals hasn’t managed to dent the Creta’s popularity either.

But if there’s one SUV that could challenge the Hyundai Creta’s dominance, it’s the soon-to-be-launched Kia Seltos. As you may know, Kia and Hyundai are sister brands under the Hyundai Motor Company but operate as independent entities and are, in fact, fierce rivals in the markets they operate in.

On first look, Kia seems to have cleverly modelled its SUV on the Creta. The Seltos sticks to script but has the crucial advantage of being the newer SUV. The Seltos is built on a new platform (that will underpin the second-gen Creta that comes in 2020) and also comes powered by new-gen engines that, again, will only come on the next-gen Creta. Add in some class-first features and the Seltos suddenly seems like the challenger we’ve been waiting for all these years. Let’s get deeper into how the two SUVs compare.  

Kia Seltos vs Hyundai Creta: Dimensions

The Seltos has a larger footprint than the Creta. At 4,315mm in length, 1,800mm in width and 1,620mm in height, it is 45mm longer, 20mm wider, but 45mm shorter than the Hyundai. The Seltos’ 2,610mm wheelbase is a good 20mm longer than the Creta’s too. The larger dimensions should translate into better cabin space, as reflected by the boot capacity which, at 433 litres, eclipses the Creta’s figure of 405 litres. The 190mm ground clearance and tyre size of 215/60 R17 on the top-spec variants of the two SUVs remain identical though.

Kia Seltos vs Hyundai Creta: Engine-gearbox

Kia has announced that its entire powertrain family will be BS6-compliant right from launch. Interestingly, while the Seltos gets the choice of two petrols and one diesel engine, the current Creta’s line-up includes a single petrol and two diesels.  

Kia’s petrol range starts with a 1.5-litre engine which puts out 115hp/144Nm. On paper, it seems a bit down on grunt compared to the 123hp/151Nm, 1.6-litre motor of the Creta. However, the Seltos' real trump card is its powerful 140hp/242Nm, 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine that carries the ‘GT Line’ badging, highlighting its sporty intentions. Though both the SUVs get a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard, the petrol versions adopt very different approaches towards the automatic solutions. Where the Creta gets a ubiquitous 6-speed torque converter unit, the Seltos offers a CVT on the standard 1.5 petrol and a sporty 7-speed dual-clutch transmission with the 1.4 turbo-petrol engine.

Shifting focus to the diesels, the Kia gets a new-gen 115hp/250Nm, 1.5-litre diesel engine. In displacement, power and torque outputs, the 1.5 diesel sits between the Creta’s 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre units, making 90hp/220Nm and 128hp/260Nm, respectively. While a 6-speed manual transmission is standard fit on both SUVs, the Seltos and 1.6 diesel Creta also get the option of 6-speed torque converter automatic transmissions.

Kia Seltos vs Hyundai Creta: Features

Hyundai is known to be generous with features and equipment on its cars, and the Creta too has had some firsts to its name, such as a powered driver’s seat and wireless charging. However, Kia seems set to dial things up to 11 when talking equipment. Both SUVs come packed with the staple kit including LED DRLs, fog lamps, sunroof, infotainment system with smartphone compatibility, wireless charger, automatic air conditioner, keyless entry/go, cruise control, faux leather upholstery and front seat ventilation. The Seltos goes one up on the Creta with equipment like LED headlamps, a massive 10.25-inch touchscreen (compared to the Creta's 7.0-inch unit), ambient lighting, head-up display, drive modes and manually reclinable rear seats. Additionally, audiophiles will be glad to hear about the 8-speaker Bose system in the Seltos. The upcoming SUV even gets Kia’s UVO smart connectivity features. This allows functionalities such as remote engine start/stop, remote climate control operation, stolen vehicle tracking and a lot more. Though Hyundai’s Blue Link system is a lot similar, it is yet to make its way to the Creta.

On the safety front, the top-spec versions of the Creta cover the basics well with six airbags, ABS, ESC, hill start assist and rear parking sensors and camera. But then again, Kia manages to forge a lead by offering a lot more, including traction control, auto headlamps and wipers, front and rear parking sensors, 360-degree camera, blind spot assist and a tyre pressure monitor.   

Fact is, the Creta is almost four years old in its current avatar, and that's starting to show now.

Kia Seltos vs Hyundai Creta: Price 

Having successfully created a buzz around its entry in our market, Kia is expected to launch the Seltos in August 2019 at a sticker price of around Rs 11-17 lakh (ex-showroom). At this price point, it will command a slight premium over the Creta, which itself is among the pricier mid-sized SUVs.

Kia hasn’t revealed warranty info for India as yet but going by its track record abroad, expect it to be a close match, if not better than Hyundai’s 3 year/unlimited km warranty. An area where Hyundai’s two-decade head start in India is sure to play out is sales and service availability. Hyundai has 494 dealer and 1319 service points across India. Kia is on an aggressive drive to widen its footprint in India and has revealed plans to have 265 touch points by the Seltos launch, and will ramp up the network to 350 touch points by 2021. Kia’s performance in aftersales satisfaction does remain a question mark for now.

Seltos vs Creta: The big fight

Only a drive in the Seltos will reveal the full story, and if, indeed, it is the alternative to the Creta we expect it to be. On the face of things, though, the Seltos comes across as an SUV that’s built to spec to offer everything Indian buyers like. A traditional SUV stance, city-friendly dimensions, lengthy features set and reasonable power are what made the Creta the default choice among mid-sized SUV buyers, and these are the very ingredients you’ll find on the Seltos too.

How Indian buyers take to the Seltos, and to Kia, is something that remains to be seen. But if the feel on the ground and social media chatter is anything to go by, the Seltos has the makings of a hit. At the same time, however, we wouldn’t bet against Hyundai and the Creta. Current Creta sales are unlikely to fall off a cliff. And remember the new-gen Creta comes in 2020.

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