What's it like to drive on the road? Joey Deriquito notes the Hyundai Creta's features that make it standout among a crowded subcompact crossover lot.
Disclaimer: Hyundai Motor Philippines lent us the 2023 Hyundai Creta GLS IVT for seven days with a full tank of gas and with its two RFID cards.
Our first “review” of the Hyundai Creta was a feature article on how it would handle off-road scenarios; while it's rare for a crossover to travel off the beaten path, we wanted to test it for good measure.
The Hyundai Creta is part of the latest new offerings from the South Korean automaker to enter the Philippine market. It unofficially replaces the Hyundai Kona which was dropped from the local lineup.
As it is new to the market, it still has a lot to prove, especially against a new generation of value-oriented customers who want more from what they pay for.
The Hyundai Creta is unique in the way it's styled. It takes its futuristic look very seriously and is similar in design to its bigger brother, the Hyundai Tucson.
You get a bold front fascia with the parametric jewel angular design elements on the grille. It matches the triangular shape of the crossover’s LED headlights and smooth body lines.
One thing to note is that the Creta isn’t as sharp or as angular as the Tucson, as it instead favors smooth bodylines. However, it still manages to pull off an athletic look with its squared-off wheel arches and large 17-inch alloys.
Thanks to its sporty stance and rather large wheels, the crossover has access to 200 mm, which is excellent for light off-roading and the occasional flood.
At the back is where the Creta stands out as it has sectionalized taillights. Instead of being placed in just one light housing, they are separated into two, making it look like the letter J.
It's a nice design touch that helps separate the Creta from other crossover rivals and makes it unmistakable at night.
Two-tone interior
When you step inside the Hyundai Creta GLS, you are greeted by a brown and black interior that reminds me of a fudgy bar thanks to its color scheme.
The dashboard is broken up into three sections, with the first being for the driver with the digital gauge cluster, the second being for the infotainment system surrounded by black piano plastics, and the third being for the front passenger.
While the dashboard layout is good, we have to note that the piano's black plastics will get scratched over time, diminishing the clean aesthetic of the dash. Regardless, it looks premium without using premium materials, which is hard to pull off.
One downside of the Hyundai Creta’s interior is its use of scratchy plastics. Using plastic in a vehicle is understandable, especially at the price point of the crossover, but it takes a bit away from the premium-looking color pallet of the cabin.
However, if you feel the textured plastics, you can tell that they are durable and, to a degree, scratch resistant and will last the car's lifetime. Overall, the Creta has a well-executed interior, as everything is within reach and easy to operate; the choice of materials brings it down by a bit.
Decent comfort
The Hyundai Creta comes with leatherette as the material of choice for its seat. It is both comfortable and supportive at the same time.
The best way I can explain the comfort of the seats is that it comes in two layers. The first layer is the one with a bit more give to it, allowing the material to comfort the natural shape of your body. It offers no support, but this is what gives you comfort as the fabric breathes easily against the skin or through clothing.
The second layer is a bit firmer, which gives you support in the seat. It holds your body well, especially in seat bolstering, and has enough give to help absorb road imperfections.
Space is decent in the vehicle as my regular driving position gave the passenger about 5 inches of knee room in the back. Headroom is also decent as the driver’s seat can be adjusted upwards or downwards. The angle of the 2nd row was just right to give you a comfortable seating position.
Technology
What you get with the Hyundai Creta is straightforward. You get a 10.25-inch digital display for your gauge cluster and an 8-inch infotainment system with support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The 8-inch touchscreen also serves as your display for the reverse camera.
The infotainment system works flawlessly and quickly reacts when you want it to do something. If you're going to fiddle around with the equalizer or explore the other head unit settings, it's relatively easy to do with minimal menu juggling.
Naturally aspirated power
Under the hood, the Hyundai Creta GLS IV is powered by a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated gasoline engine that produces 115 horsepower and 144 Nm of torque. The engine is mated to an IVT, which is Hyundai’s fancy way of saying an intelligent CVT that sends power to the font wheels.
The exciting part about its transmission is it doesn’t feel like a CVT when you drive the car but instead feels like a traditional automatic. However, when you do floor it, the rubber band effect becomes apparent, but power comes in smoothly that it doesn't pin you down into your seat.
It also comes with several drive modes, such as Eco, Normal, Sport, and Smart, that change the tuning of the throttle to become more or less responsive to your inputs. Traction modes are also available to help when you take it light off-roading.
As for its fuel economy, we could get 7 to 10 km/l in the city and around 16 to 21 km/l on the highway. There was even one instance where we got 25.9km/l on a 9.3 km long drive.
It's not the most powerful crossover in its segment, but it is one of the most fuel-efficient as it nearly enters hybrid vehicle territory with its figures.
Be prepared for some body roll
One thing is apparent regarding the Hyundai Creta; its suspension is tuned for comfort above anything else. It gives the crossover a smooth and pliant ride on and off the road and can keep a few bumps at bay.
However, if you want to go out on a spirited drive with the Creta, be prepared for a lot of body roll. It is very noticeable when you corner at high speed, especially on the highway, but it is manageable just by slowing down.
Industry-standard safety features
Regarding safety features, the Hyundai Creta carries most of what you expect from the segment.
Dual airbags
Cruise control
ABS
Electronic stability control
Blind Spot collision avoidance assist
Forward collision-avoidance assist
Driver attention warning
Tire pressure monitor
Manual speed limit assist
Parking distance warning
Rearview monitor
Lane keep assist
One thing I noticed using the Creta was that its lane-keep assist was invasive as it constantly interfered with my driving, trying to keep the crossover centered in the lane. It's a feature you can turn off, but it is on by default, so it's something to note as you may often find the car “fighting” you while driving.
For its next update, Hyundai should give the Creta adaptive cruise control as it is the only feature missing from its safety suite.
Price and Verdict
We know we skipped it on the first “review,” so here is the Hyundai Creta GLS IVT pricing. It costs ₱1,388,000 for the exact model we tested. However, cheaper variants are available, such as the GL MT, priced at ₱1,048,000, and the GL IVT, priced at ₱1,228,000.
The GLS model's price puts it in contention with the entry-level Ford Territory that carries a similar kit but is more powerful. The Ford crossover is also cheaper by ₱53,000, making it an enticing alternative. The pricing also puts it squarely in the sights for those who want to buy a Geely Coolray.
Despite being down on power and price, the Hyundai Creta resides in the middle of the competitive crossover segment. It's a balanced option for those who don’t want to buy a Chinese vehicle or those who want a car that doesn’t come overloaded with technology.
What do you think of the Hyundai Creta? Let us know in the comment section.
Did you like our review? Make sure to leave it a 5-star rating if you do.
A car enthusiast at heart, nothing excites Joey more than an open road and a full tank of gas. Ready with the latest information about cars, he constantly studies and researches the latest happenings in the motoring world while caring for a car that's an extension of himself.
