HYUNDAI CRETA
Can Hyundai’s compact SUV/crossover, the Creta, be another success story for the South Koreans? CHARLES THOMPSON got behind the wheel.
This ‘small’ crossover is probably bigger than you think.
Pravin Gordhan’s
delivering his annual budget speech as I drive to the launch of Hyundai’s latest vehicle, the Creta. If I’m listening to the subtext correctly, poor old Pravin will have to pull another rabbit out of a hat to keep the numbers out of the red. The rand and the economy are in my head again the next morning while Hyundai’s sales and operations director, Stanley Anderson, fires off some numbers. It’s no secret that many vehicle manufacturers, especially those who have to import vehicles, are suffering in the current economic climate. But that’s not the case with Hyundai. Despite a slumping economy they’ve actually managed to grow their market share, with the Tucson selling so well that it owns 20% of its segment, where it competes with popular names like the Toyota RAV and Volkswagen Tiguan. Overseas, it’s already going well with the Creta, Hyundai’s new competitor in the segment for small SUVs and crossovers, with 10 000 vehicles sold every month in India.
Under the hood
Two engines are available for the South African Creta – a 1.6-litre petrol developing 90 kW power and 150 Nm
torque, and a 1.6-litre diesel with 94 kW power and 260 Nm torque. The petrol engine is available in manual and automatic (both with six gears), while the flagship diesel is only paired to the autobox. It’s also the first vehicle in its class to offer a diesel auto model. All three derivatives are front-wheel driven and it doesn’t sound like Hyundai has any plans to introduce an all-wheel drive version in SA. There is an AWD Creta in Russia, but that’s a local modification, not one off the Creta production line in India. Stanley doesn’t deem it necessary in its market segment locally either, however. Even the Tucson, sitting above the Creta and below the Santa Fé, only sells 10% of its vehicles with all-wheel drive, he told Drive Out. Something else to take note of is that Hyundai has replaced the timing belt on the Creta with a timing chain, as in many of their other new vehicles. The company says this improvement will mean that you can drive up to 300 000 km without having to replace the part. As we’ve mentioned before, Hyundai manufactures their own steel in South Korea. This not only allows better quality control, but also means that they can use better steel in their vehicles at lower cost. Three percent of the Creta’s body is made of Advanced High Strength Steel, and there are two strong beams of Ultra High Strength Steel running through the undercarriage. This makes the Creta, aimed at young families with a baby or small children, not only safer but also more rigid, with less body roll.
Interior
Heaps of luxury and tech that’s included in the standard price is by now like Hyundai’s signature on their new vehicles. Although there’s a R50 000 price difference between the entrylevel and the flagship Creta – this being determined by their engines and gearboxes – all three derivatives get the same specification levels. You get a leather steering wheel, roof rails, parking sensors and rear-view camera, fog lights, daytime running lights and headlights that illuminate into the bends, as well as a navigation and infotainment system on a neat eight-inch touch screen. Six airbags, ABS and EBD are standard – again a priority for its market – and the 16-inch alloy wheels are also included in the base price. The Creta isn’t a huge vehicle – about 10 cm smaller than a Nissan Qashqai to give you an idea, but the interior space is well thought out. With the high roof (slightly higher than the Tucson’s) you get a feeling of spaciousness at the front of the cabin. And since the Creta’s ground clearance is pretty good (at 190 mm it is also better than the Tucson’s 172 mm) it feels like you’re in a vehicle much bigger than one that contends with the Nissan Juke, Suzuki CX-4 and Jeep Renegade. It’s also the widest vehicle in its segment. Rear passengers won’t feel like a Springbok lock in a Kulula seat either, because the second row of seating is equally spacious. The height of the rear window line is quite notable, however, reminiscent of a Land Rover Evoque, and your kids might be staring more at their iPads than counting sheep next to the road.
Behind the wheel
We could drive two models at the launch: the manual 1.6 petrol and the diesel. The latter is by far the more enjoyable engine, with its superior power output (especially the torque) making acceleration and hill driving a lot more fun. The petrol version often needed help with the gear lever. The Creta is an all-round comfortable ride. Just like the Tucson, its shock absorbers have been placed almost vertically instead of at an angle, providing much better shock absorption. It has little body roll in the bends and handles bumpy dirt roads dutifully. I was also impressed with the intelligence of the electronic power steering. It’s light at low speeds but firms up when you accelerate. You maneuvre easily when you turn or park, but it never feeld too light at high speeds.
Conclusion
Hyundai is one of the success stories of the modern vehicle industry, with vehicles that impress more and more with every new product. The Creta is their smallest SUV and will compete with the likes of the Opel Mokka X, Mazda CX-3 and Jeep Renegade. It’s not a huge luxury machine, but the Creta is solidly built with lots of luxury and tech for its price, as well as good driving comfort, ground clearance and space for its class. And with all the luxury you get for the standard price, this little guy looks like a good buy.