2024 Hyundai Creta Diesel Auto First Drive Review

Say hello to the new Creta, which Hyundai India believes is the ‘undisputed, ultimate’ SUV. Usually, we would pass it off as marketing boloney but in the case of the Creta, that makes sense because it has been a dominant player in its segment since the arrival of the original model back in 2015. Nine years and two generations later, here we have the 2024 Creta in diesel automatic guise to see whether progress has been made in the right direction. Let’s begin with the design first.

When the second-gen Creta arrived in 2020, it built on the strengths of the original, getting everything bang on except for the design which divided opinions big time. This new model, on the other hand, looks like it wants to please everyone. It’s an aesthetically pleasing-looking SUV with simple, clean lines all around. Don’t get me wrong, it has plenty of road presence just like the previous model but the genius here is that the Creta now does it without looking like it’s trying too hard. Next to the Tucson and the Verna, the new Creta looks surprisingly unassuming but in a good way. There is a sense of maturity to its design which I think has been missing in Hyundai’s recent models.

The look and feel of the interior have always been amongst the strongest suits of the Creta. On the face of it, this new interior offers more bang for your buck with additional features, inclusion of ADAS and seemingly higher-quality materials. Let’s see what it’s actually like.

The design of the dash and the layout of the materials are all new. It looks fresh and modern. The cabin, as a whole, has an air of quality to it and like the exterior, it all looks less cluttered than before which makes it all the more easier to get accustomed to all the bits and bobs. The dashboard is set nice and low and because the A-pillar isn’t too thick, nor is the window line too high, you get a brilliant view of the road ahead and the side. The front seats are well cushioned and adequately big and it's easy to find the ideal driving position.

Hyundai hasn’t made any improvements to the space inside the cabin. This new model has the same amount of legroom, headroom and shoulder room in the second row as the previous Creta. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing because as it is, the rear is generously spacious and there is more than enough legroom. The Creta is good for shoulder room, too. It can accommodate three adults at the back without a struggle. What’s not so good is the short seat base which doesn’t offer as much under-thigh support as one would expect, especially after seeing so much space inside the cabin.

Hyundai has tried to elevate the rear seating experience with thoughtful features such as sun-blinds for the rear windows, a two-step recline function for the backrest, cushions for the headrests, two type-C ports and an armrest that is set to a good height. As for the rest of the features in this top-spec SX (O) variant, there is everything one would expect at this price range. New features include a dual-zone climate control, a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment display and a highly configurable driver’s display that’s equally big, panoramic sunroof, 60:40 split rear seat, automatic headlights/wipers, 360-degree camera views, six airbags, ABS and ESP. The new Creta also comes with Level 2 ADAS which includes forward collision warning and avoidance assist, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, rear-cross traffic alert and avoidance assist, blind spot monitoring and lead vehicle departure alert.

The new Creta finds itself in a very crucial space in the SUV market as a whole. It ought to impress with its engine/gearbox options and Hyundai, of course, has gone all out with the number of configurations. There is a choice of three engines and four gearbox options. What you see here is the diesel automatic version which gets a 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder turbo diesel engine making 116bhp and 250Nm of torque. It is paired with a 6-speed torque converter automatic.

The diesel Creta has always been more of a relaxed mile-muncher than a tyre-smoking powerhouse. This relatively small diesel engine can only deliver so much in the real world. It will not snap your neck under hard acceleration but the Creta can easily keep up with other SUVs in its segment. And the way it goes about its business with such high levels of refinement, I really think it would pass off as a petrol car for a lot of unsuspecting passengers. There is a bit of turbo lag but once you get past 2,000rpm, the engine delivers and you can feel it. What you cannot feel though are the gearshifts from the 6-speed torque converter automatic which is equally refined and smooth. The only thing that I do not like is the glaringly slow response from the paddle shifters. There is a gap of almost a second between you pulling the paddle and the gearshift taking place. It’s strange.

The Creta makes for a great long-distance car. It can cruise at triple-digit speeds all day long, the cabin is fairly quiet for highway runs and most importantly, its high-speed ride is quite impressive. There isn’t a lot of up-and-down movement over long undulations and you also get that strong sense of reassurance behind the wheel which is important over long drives. It’s not perfect though. There is a hint of firmness to its ride at low speeds and things like expansion joints/sharp edges of protruding road pieces would catch you off guard though it’s something that one can live with.

If we are to think of it as an all-round choice, the new Hyundai Creta is right up there amongst the best in its class. It’s practical, feature-rich, spacious, extremely popular, and demands strong resale value. Better still, with a diesel automatic powertrain, it’s a jack of all trades indeed. But with prices starting at Rs 11 lakh, scaling up to Rs 20 lakh for the top-spec models, it is also considerably more expensive than its rivals. This diesel auto version doesn’t seem pricey but it’s a different story for the petrol Creta range because the competition offers a strong hybrid powertrain for similar money and that is going to be a tough sell for Hyundai India.

Pictures by Kapil Angane