Competition in the compact SUV segment is getting fiercer by the day with the new Hyundai Creta here to rival its cousin and hot-seller Kia Seltos.
Kia Motors launched the Seltos in India in 2019, at a time when the old Hyundai Creta was a hot-seller in the compact SUV segment. Soon enough, the Seltos wowed the audience with its looks, features, and the overall package and it was no surprise that it became the best-selling car in the segment, with sales numbers that were enough to give sleepless nights to its rivals. However, it was a known fact that Hyundai was readying the new Creta and the same was showcased at the 2020 Auto Expo. Soon enough, the Creta got launched and now it is going to be interesting to see the rivalry between these cousins.
The Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos have a lot of things in common. Both these compact SUVs are underpinned by the same platform, they come with the same engine options, share their mechanicals, and even the pricing is awfully similar. This leads to a lot of confusion among buyers as to which car to buy. When Kia had launched the Seltos, they had created enough confusion by launching as many as 24 variants! Meanwhile the Creta is offered with 14 variants to choose from.
Both the cars look similar in size and have the same wheelbase of 2610 mm but it is the Kia Seltos which is slightly taller, longer, and wider than the Hyundai Creta. The Seltos is 4315 mm long in comparison to the Creta which is 4300 mm long. Kia’s offering has a width of 1800 mm and height of 1645 mm while the Hyundai is 1790 mm wide and and 1790 mm tall.
Hyundai Creta vs Kia Seltos
Let’s have a look at 5 points where the Hyundai Creta scores over the Kia Seltos.
Hyundai Creta vs Kia Seltos Features
Both these compact SUVs are impressively feature-loaded. While a lot of features are common between these vehicles, the Creta gets some additional features which the Seltos misses out on. The Creta is equipped with a panoramic sunroof, electric parking brake, auto hold (even in MT), paddle-shifters, puddle lamps, voice commands via Hello BlueLink, rear seat headrest cushion and one-touch cruise control. Even if we talk about connected car features, the Creta offers a few more functionalities over the Seltos such as remote engine start even on the MT variant.
Hyundai Creta vs Kia Seltos Comfort
Both the cars come with McPherson struts at the front and a coupled torsion beam at the rear. However, the suspension setup of the Creta feels a bit softer than that of the Seltos which is why the ride feels more comfortable in comparison, especially at city speeds and on broken roads or undulated surfaces. Meanwhile, the setup on the Seltos is slightly stiffer.
Hyundai Creta vs Kia Seltos Fuel Efficiency
While both the Creta and the Seltos come with the same engine options, these cars have slightly different ARAI fuel efficiency figures. If we talk about the 1.5-litre NA petrol engine, the Creta delivers 16.8 km/l (MT) and 17.1 km/l (AT) while the Seltos gives 16.5 km/l (MT) and 16.8 km/l (AT). Talking about the 1.4-litre turbo petrol engine, the Creta has a figure of 16.8 km/l for the AT (Creta doesn’t get 1.4 MT) while the Seltos churns out 16.1 km/l (MT) and 16.5 km/l (AT). The Creta diesel delivers 21.4 km/l (MT) and 18.3 km/l (AT) while the Seltos diesel is rated at 21 km/l (MT) and 18 km/l (AT). Thus, even though slightly, the Creta is more fuel efficient than the Seltos.
Hyundai Creta vs Kia Seltos Service
Hyundai has been operating in the Indian market for more than 20 years now and it is a given that the automaker’s sales and service network is very wide in comparison to Kia’s. Hyundai has touchpoints in every part of the country and this is something that Kia is lacking at the moment. For people who don’t have a Kia dealership in their city or town would by default opt for the Creta.
New Hyundai Creta vs Kia Seltos
The Hyundai Creta is a very well-established brand in itself which has proven itself over the years. The Creta is on sale in India since 2015 and the compact SUV has gained popularity owing to which people connect with it more, and this also results in better resale value. The Kia Seltos is yet to prove itself as a brand over the longer duration.
Kia Seltos vs Hyundai Creta
Now, let’s have a look at 5 points where the Kia Seltos triumphs over the Hyundai Creta.
Kia Seltos vs Hyundai Creta Design
Styling is subjective but the Kia Seltos looks visually more attractive and it has a universal design compared to the Creta which looks polarising and takes time to grow on you. The Seltos also looks a lot more sportier and it doesn’t really have any quirky styling bits. Further, it is offered in Tech Line and GT Line versions which offer some cosmetic differences.
Kia Seltos vs Hyundai Creta Features
None of these SUVs feel short on features but the Seltos has some features which the Creta misses out on. The Kia Seltos also gets reach adjust for the steering wheel (the Creta only gets height adjust), a rear centre headrest, head-up display, mood lighting, front parking sensors, 360-degree cameras and blind spot monitor. Many features are common between these cousins but both of them offer some exclusive features too.
Kia Seltos vs Hyundai Creta 1.4 Petrol
The 1.4-litre, 4-cyl, turbo petrol engine is shared between these cars but the Creta gets only the DCT with this engine, while the Seltos is also offered with a manual transmission. This is a good option for enthusiasts who want the combination of a turbocharged petrol engine along with an MT. The 1353cc engine develops 140 HP and 242 Nm. It is offered with either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed DCT on the Seltos, while the Creta gets only the latter.
Kia Seltos vs Hyundai Creta Handling
We mentioned earlier that the Seltos’ suspension setup is softer compared to the Creta’s and while that results in a stiffer ride, the good part is that the Seltos handles better than the Creta. The Seltos remains sure-footed on highways and corners alike and while you do feel some body roll because of the high centre of gravity, the stiffer suspension means that the roll is a bit lesser than its cousin and the Seltos feels a tad more confidence inspiring.
Kia Seltos vs Hyundai Creta Missing Features
The Creta that we get in India is a bit different from the one that was launched in China. The international version of the Creta gets a 10.4-inch vertical screen which is missing on the Indian version. The vehicle also gets a fully digital instrument cluster over there, which is different from the one offered in India. Similarly, the USA-spec Seltos gets AWD which is missing in the India-spec model.
Which one should you buy? It all boils down to your requirements. There isn’t much difference in the pricing of these cars and these packages are so similar yet so different. The Hyundai Creta costs Rs. 11.68-20.67 lakhs while the Kia Seltos costs Rs. 11.48-20.71 lakhs (all prices on-road, Mumbai). If you have a Kia dealership where you stay, it is worth going for a test drive. The Seltos gets some nice-to-have features over the Creta and drives well too. Moreover, if the styling of the Creta doesn’t appeal to you, the Seltos sure will. Meanwhile, if you want to play it safe and opt for a car which offers a similar package and some exclusive features like a larger sunroof along with a marginally better fuel efficiency figure, the Creta is the one for you. Knowing that the Creta comes backed by Hyundai’s vast service network and reliability, you just cannot go wrong with this compact SUV.
