Autocar India
SA

sandeep

12w

Which is better: Creta diesel or Kia Seltos?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
12w
The Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos are closely related products. While they are completely different in look and interior, they do share platforms, engines and many other key components.
However, the new Kia Seltos, launched in January 2026, is based on a new-gen platform, while the current Hyundai Creta, which has been on sale since 2020, continues on an older-gen platform. The new-gen platform delivers better refinement, more tech and also comes with the promise of enhanced crash protection, giving Seltos clear advantages over the Creta.
Further, the new Seltos is also longer, making it roomier and more comfortable than the Creta. Another area where the new Seltos is better than the Creta is in ride comfort.
It's worth noting that the Hyundai Creta is lighter than the new Seltos, and offers slightly better performance from the same 1.5-litre diesel engine. The all-new Creta that will be launched in 2027 will move to the new-gen platform and will be a closer match for the Seltos.  
Kia Seltos

Kia Seltos

More questions on similar cars

JG

JITENDRA gangadhersa BOBDE

4d

I am currently driving a Honda City Manual (2013 model). We are a family of four and are planning to buy an SUV with a petrol automatic powertrain. My monthly running is around 1,000 km, mostly on highways, and I intend to keep the car for the next 10 years. I am considering the Kia Seltos HTX Petrol IVT. Should I go ahead with it, or would it be better to wait for the hybrid Seltos or the next-generation Hyundai Creta? I am quite confused and would appreciate your advice.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
2h

Go ahead with the Seltos HTX petrol automatic. For your mostly-highway 1000km a month with four on board, the 1.5 petrol with the smooth automatic is relaxed at cruising speeds, has enough space and comfort for a City owner to feel at home, and its simple engine-gearbox combo is the safer long-term bet for a 10-year ownership.The Kia Seltos hybrid was initially planned for later this year, but has since been pushed to 2027 as Kia wants to localise the hybrid powertrain as much as possible before launch for a competitive price, though it will still be noticeably higher than the petrol version. Moreover, hybrids work better in city traffic than high-speed highway driving, so given your usage, the petrol is probably a better bet. We'll have to test drive it to know this for sure. The next-gen Hyundai Creta is also due only next year, and it will share its platform and engines with the Seltos. If you really value the Hyundai brand over Kia, then it's worth waiting, but in most aspects, you're already getting everything from that car in the Seltos, so it's probably not worth the wait.All things considered, then, go with the Kia Seltos 1.5 Petrol IVT.

VehicleKia Seltos
VehicleHyundai Creta
VehicleHonda City

Popular discussions right now

VV

Vaibhav Vats

5d

I own a Hyundai Venue Turbo Petrol, which is driven around 4,000 km per year and is occasionally used by my parents. I have been considering to upgrade it, as I am tired of spending money on maintenance. The car has been problematic since its second year of ownership. I am currently considering the Kia Syros HTK (EX) manual and HTK+ (DCT). However, some automobile enthusiasts have advised me against buying a DCT if I am looking for a hassle-free ownership experience, especially since the car will mostly be driven in Delhi’s office-hour traffic and the overall running is quite low. Could you please suggest whether I should opt for the DCT, stick with a manual, or consider a diesel automatic instead? Alternatively, if there are better options within a budget of Rs. 15 lakh, I would be open to considering them. I can also wait if there are any promising new launches expected this year within my budget. I am not interested in an EV at the moment. Thanks in advance.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
4d

Given your low annual running and predominantly city use in Delhi, a diesel does not make sense. Modern diesels are happiest when regularly driven on longer runs, and with just 4,000km a year, the higher purchase cost and potential emission system issues are difficult to justify.As for DCTs, they have become far more reliable than early examples, but if the priority is a smooth, stress-free ownership experience in heavy urban traffic, a torque-converter automatic is still the safer bet. It is generally smoother at low speeds and better suited to constant stop-start driving.Rather than moving to a Syros DCT, it would be worth considering the Skoda Kylaq automatic or the Mahindra XUV 3XO automatic. Both use torque-converter gearboxes and offer a more relaxed driving experience in city conditions. The Kylaq feels particularly polished to drive, while the 3XO counters with a richer feature list and a more spacious cabin.If you like the Syros, the manual remains a sensible choice given your limited annual usage, but if an automatic is preferred, a torque-converter-equipped rival would be a better fit than a DCT.

VehicleKia Syros
VehicleSkoda Kylaq
VehicleMahindra XUV 3XO

Posted on: 19 Mar 2026