My Hyundai Creta
How It Started:
It started way back 8 months ago when I just thought to change my 6 years used i10 for a new car.
My requirements for new car are as follows.
1) Good space for our small family (2+2)
2) Vehicle should absorb ups and downs of Indian Roads (Especially Bangalore Srajapur Road as I travel daily in this road.)
3) Good luggage space as many times we felt i10 was lacking that.
4) Looks Stylish.
5) Has good features inside atleast not less than i10 as we were Ok with those.
6) Petrol vehicle as my usage is very less. (Even after removing my 2 years in Japan where my brother used i10 very less my i10 clocked 30K for 6 years)
With above requirements in mind started selecting cars. As my second point can be managed better by SUVs and CSUVs I had discarded sedans. Many people may still say even sedans have good riding but I see that almost all sedans touch their bottoms in sarjapur road speed breakers(Especially Decathlon and Kodathi Gate Speed breakers). So after checking only options left for me was the mighty three (Ecosport, Duster and Creta(Actually it was just two as at that time I don’t know create is about to launch.)). So called Ecosport and Duster for test drives. Driven both for around half an hour each in bad roads and good roads. Surpricingly Ecosport and Duster are completely opposite. I mean only common thing in both of them is high ground clearance. Duster has space and good ride with good pick up. But ecosport has good looks and features. (I did not try eco boost engine and felt that normal engine pick up or power is too less or lag is more.) . One common point which I did not like in both is location of wiper and headlight controls opposite to Hyundai(As used to i10 and swift controls for long time).
Creta Entry:
After doing the test drives(Ecosport and Duster) I was discussing with friends, then one of my friend told me that Hyundai is going to launch new compact SUV at 2015 diwali season. As an existing Hyundai customer and felt OK with my i10 for most of the times and due to ease of driving, I thought I will wait and give a try. Then started following threads in forums about Creta(then ix25). Watched many Chinese reviews as I was able to understand little bit of Chinese felt that reviews are good. And ix25 ticked all points mentioned above. But few questions were still there at the start that whether Chinese ix25 will be same as indian version or not? Pricing was not a concern at this time as expected price of Creta in almost all online sources say less than 8lakhs. Few milestones and my expressions in my last 8 months journey.
1) Hyundai is going to launch its SUV before Diwali season.(Happy)
2) Hyundai ix25 is named as Creta for India and other markets(Shocked…Why Hyundai Why? RIP ix25 as I liked that name.)
3) Hyundai releases cars for media drive in HIML Chennai (Happy car looks exactly same as ix25.)
4) Hyundai showed White base model car in media drive(Happy as I was wondering whether this color is available in India or not)
5) Booked my Hyundai with Trident Hyundai Hosur Road Bangalore.(Happy:10K Booking amount and 3K cancellation charges. I was lucky they took 10K only as showroom guys don’t even knew that name of car is creta. Trident review coming ahead in this post.)
6) First Weeks of July: Many price lists were taking rounds with prices more than 9 lakhs for ex showroom delhi(Sad: moving out of my budget)
7) July 21 2015: Hyundai release price of base creta as 8.59 Ex Showroom Delhi(Neutral Response: as I was expecting almost near to 8lakh but it is 50K more.)
Creta Selection:
Now that Hyundai has announced Creta with prices my next move is to check the TD and check whether it actually checks all my boxes or not. Went to TD on 22nd and same day Trident Hyundai was having launch event and gave the test drive for me. It was very short test drive. Me and my friend(Nagarjun) took two rounds. As we both drive in different paces, creta was under tests in different conditions. TD result was almost OK for both of use. But Nagarjun who had driven more cars than me suggested that duster ride is still good that Creta. So still in Dilema to confirm Creta or not. Again called Duster and EcoSport(As Base is 8.3lakhs on road bangalore) for test drives. Following differences made me to opt Creta.
EcoSport Vs Creta:
1) Again smaller size did not like my mind much. It still looks like raised hatch. No respect from co passengers on road. And it is too common not a premium offering.
2) Trend of Ecosport is almost having same features as Creta Base VTVT petrol. But Creta having 1L higher price. I think 1lakh is OK for following points
a. Better Looks
b. New car
c. More punchy Engine
d. More Space
e. Premium car as informed by Hyundai.
f. Similar to i10 in driving (Wiper and Headlight controls. People might say these are too small but as I drive most of times with right had on steering and left hand on gear in Bangalore traffic. I felt that ergonomically this design is far better in city driving conditions.)
g. Good Hyundai after sales service than ford(my friends bad experiences with nearest ford dealers).
3) No offers at all after so many years and sales adviser did not show much interest in selling cars. I accept Ecosport is selling well but still there was huge difference in Hyundai sales executive and Ford Sales Executive. Even Hyundai after knowing it’s a new car and they will have their sales even if I don’t buy, sales rep was very good.
Conclusion: Removed Ecosport from list, finally thinking I don’t want a small car again after spending 10Lakhs.
Duster Vs Creta:
This was really a tough decision to take. As duster really has very good ride quality. I had taken TD of duster again. Went in Sarjapur road with heavy traffic. Points I liked most were ride quality. At some point in front of total mall traffic was more and almost all cars were stand still. Then duster sales rep told me to do off roading just beside road there are huge pot holes where one vehicle can go. I am surpriced to see that duster went very well on that patch and crossed almost 8-10 cars which were in line. Those moments will make you feel that your car decision is good for that kind of situations. Till now not driven Creta on such bad roads as TD is not allowed for longer distance. But I bet Creta cannot be so good in that patch. But apart from that again me and family did not like Duster looks as home makers dosent like to Duster much. And interiors are like way behind our i10. And at time when ride quality was good but riding duster at stand still or slow moving Bangalore traffic is very difficult due to had clutch gear and steering.
Hyundai steering was like feather touch. So only points which made me to choose Creta ober Duster are as follows.
1) New car.
2) Great stylish looks.
3) Good to be driven by all genders and ages.
4) Easy driving in city and highways.
5) We do very less offroading.
6) Good features and Interiors.
Final Confirmation:
So finally confirmed my booking for Creta Base VTVT Petrol.
Few may ask why base? My usage is low so petrol. I feel ABS is standard feature required for SUV for avoiding body roll and it is available in creta from base. I drive less than 120kmph so at all times so at least till now was able to control well so assumed its Ok with no airbags. Other features can be easily available off market and are having better options.
Till now I had seen only SX as TD vehicles in Bangalore Advaith and Trident. So informed trident sales executive that I will confirm car only after looking base model. Then she said that my car has arrived and available at stockyard as I had booked 2 months back. And she said I can go and have a look at it. Stockyard is far from my work so was just thinking whether to go or not. But somehow went to it. But truly saying if you are planning to buy vehicle you have to visit their stock yard. They have all models and all colors available there. You can do one visit and confirm even color and model. Check below pics.
My white Car as sales rep told me the chasis number also.
Liked that front black grill very much. Though felt OK without projector lights.
Steel wheels but looks decent.
OVRM without turn indicators but OK as my old i10 once that OVRM is spoiled by bad biker costed more. Back
Back without chrome looks decent.
Other Cars models colors at stockyard.
@ stockyard Trident Automobiles, Nelmangala, Bangalore
Delivery:
Waiting for some formalities to be completed from my company as going with lease scheme so expecting to take delivery on 15th August as Ashada Masam completes on 14th August. Will update you on ownership details after deliver.
ThankYou Note:
Thanks for
The Automotive India - Fuel For Petrol Heads to give me this opportunity for sharing my views.I was following Creta from many days on Team BHP and theAutomotiveIndia forums. I tried to register in team BHP and share my opinions and information. But I don’t know team BHP has some mechanism which always rejects my membership. I feel lot of existing BHPians are way beyond me but still they are given membership only based on 1200 words written at registration form which is wrong. Sorry team BHP you missed me…
![[:)]](https://www.theautomotiveindia.com/forums/images/smilies/Smile.gif "Smile [:)]")
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on owning the beauty. Hope you would be the first on TAI to share with us your ownership review.
