3 Out of 5 Hyundai Creta C-SUVs Feature a Diesel Heart

It's been about a year since Hyundai  launched the second-gen Creta in India. Just last week, the carmaker revealed that they have sold over 1.21 lakh units of the Creta in the past one year. Despite its polarizing looks, the Hyundai Creta has consistently been the best selling compact SUV in the country for several months in a row. It has even managed to consistently outsell its sibling, the Kia Seltos. The Kia Seltos is more appealing to the eye, and while they are identical under the skin, the Hyundai Creta is clearly India's favorite SUV.

A look at the sales chart from February 2021 reveals that the Hyundai Creta was the best selling diesel SUV in the country. Out of 12,428 units of the Creta sold last month, 7,758 units were diesel variants of the Creta. That's just above 60% of the total sales of the Creta for February 2021. In fact, Hyundai themselves have revealed that out of 1.21 lakh total sales of the Creta, over 60% of the buyers have opted for diesel versions of the SUV. While several manufacturers are pulling away from diesel engines, a large chunk of the compact SUV buyers still prefer diesel over petrol.

Also Read : Hyundai Staria Exterior & Interior Design Revealed Ahead Of Global Debut

The 1.5L diesel engine on the Creta produces 115hp and 250Nm of torque. Prices for the Creta diesel variants range between INR 10.31 lakh to INR 17.49 lakh*. The company also revealed that over 20% of the buyers have opted for automatic variants. That number is surprisingly low given that Hyundai offers as many as three automatic gearbox options for each of the three engines - a torque converter automatic for the 1.5L diesel, a CVT automatic for the 1.5L NA petrol and a 7-speed DCT for the 1.4L turbo-petrol engine.

Higher-spec variants of the Creta - particularly the SX and SX(O) - are drawing in the majority of buyers, with as much as 51% of Creta buyers opting for these two variants. Feature loaded interiors have always been a huge draw for Hyundai cars. Top-spec SX and SX(O) trims come equipped with features such as a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and AppleCarPlay, wireless charging, a panoramic sunroof, LED headlights, alloys wheels, rear disc brakes, and much more.

The SX(O) variant further adds features like four airbags, leatherette upholstery, ventilated front seats, a full-digital instrument cluster, an electronic parking brake, hill-start assist, and ESC. Prices for the Creta SX start at INR 13.80 lakh* the petrol variant. The SX(O) variant, meanwhile, tops out at INR 17.49 lakh* for the diesel-automatic variant. Waiting period for these two variants range between 6-12 weeks, depending on the configuration. The Hyundai Creta rivals the likes of the MG Hector, Kia Seltos and Nissan Kicks.