Five things you need to know about the new Hyundai Creta

The new Hyundai Creta crossover is here to steal customers away from the likes of Nissan, Renault and Ford. Here are five things you need to know about it…

1: It comes in two engine derivatives

Depending on your preference and, indeed, your budget, you can order your Creta with either a petrol or diesel engine. The former is a naturally aspirated 1.6-litre block – nothing fancy really – that kicks outs 90kW and 150Nm. It can be wedded to either a six-speed manual or automatic gearbox.

If petrol isn’t your vibe then you’re best coughing up extra for the 1.6 CRDi – a more modern turbodiesel motor that muscles out 94kW and 260Nm. It ships only with that aforementioned six-speed automatic transmission.

2: It won’t like getting its feet muddy

Just because it looks like a 4x4 doesn’t mean it is a 4x4. The Creta unfortunately does without any all wheel-drive trickery – all the torque is sent exclusively to the front wheels. So despite having 190mm of ground clearance on hand the only real jungles this crossover will be taming are of the urban variety.

3: It’s reasonably priced – for now

Unlike some of its more upmarket stablemates the all-new Creta is pretty well priced. The entry-level 1.6 petrol manual starts at R319 900. The 1.6 petrol automatic is R339 900 while the range-topping 1.6 diesel comes in at R369 900.

4: It comes well equipped

In the age-old Korean tradition the Creta comes loaded with a fair amount of kit. Two-tone imitation leather seats. Rear air vents. A multi-function steering wheel. Not to mention an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system with both satellite navigation and Bluetooth audio streaming. Adding extra sugar to the mix is a reverse camera and parking sensors. All of these features, and many more, are standard on all model variants.

5: It should be safe in a crash

I can’t find any crash-test reports on either Euro of Global NCAP websites, so I’m unable to provide you with any official star safety ratings. But as the Creta features the ultra-rigid Hyundai ‘Hive’ body structure it should offer decent impact protection. It also comes equipped with a fairly extensive list of active and passive safety features including six airbags, ABS brakes and electronic brake distribution. – Thomas Falkiner