Which is better: Creta diesel or Kia Seltos?

Autocar India

•1m

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.

Explore cars mentioned

Kia

Seltos

from ₹12.79 Lakh

Hyundai

Creta

from ₹12.56 Lakh

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More questions on similar cars

john

•1d

I want to choose between Sierra and Seltos. My preferences are: reliability, low maintenance, good road presence, good sound system, good mileage, and automatic. My average running is 16,000km annually, with 80% highway and 20% city use.

Autocar India

•2h

Pick the diesel Kia Seltos. With your 16,000 km/year and 80% highway use, it best matches your requirements of good mileage, reliability and low upkeep, and the Bose audio system will also meet your need for a good sound system.The Tata Sierra, too, would do you well, as it also comes equipped with a superb JBL audio system, and the diesel engine is quite efficient. However, with the Sierra being new, its long-term reliability is yet to be known, and since this is your first priority, we have recommended the Kia Seltos.

Kia Seltos

Tata Sierra

Naga Sai

•1d

I would like to buy the 2026 Kia Seltos facelift. After comparing all variants, I would like to purchase the HTK, but there’s confusion. I am looking for a long-term car. Should I buy a manual or automatic in the HTK variant? I am from Hyderabad. Many suggest that an automatic gives more comfort in the city, but I am also worried about low mileage, high maintenance costs, and performance decrease over the years. I want genuine feedback from real owners who have driven automatic cars over the years, and would like to know their feedback. Please assist me in choosing the right option. Thanks.

Autocar India

•4h

With the kind of traffic we see in cities like Hyderabad, an automatic will be far more convenient and stress-free to drive on a daily basis. Since you are looking at the Kia Seltos HTK variant, this would be the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol with the IVT/CVT gearbox, which is known to be smooth and easy to use.On the topic of mileage, yes, the automatic will have a slight drop of around 1 to 1.5 kmpl in real-world conditions compared to the manual. However, if your running is not very high, this difference won’t impact your overall running cost significantly.In terms of reliability and long-term ownership, modern CVT/IVT gearboxes have improved a lot over the years. They are quite reliable and do not typically require high maintenance if serviced as per schedule. So concerns about performance dropping over time or major issues are not really something to worry about.

Kia Seltos

abhinav mehrotra

•6w

Hi, I am looking to upgrade to a petrol SUV. My average daily run is approximately 30-35km. I want to buy a petrol SUV. I am fine with a 5-seater. My budget will be ₹20-25 lakh at most. I am confused between Tata Sierra, Tata Harrier, Tata Safari, Kia Seltos, Hyundai Creta and Renault Duster. Which one will be the most suitable car with respect to quality, features, stability, mileage and comfort? Can you suggest?

Autocar India

•23h

All these SUVs are up to a high standard now and delivers a great all-round experience. While the Tata Harrier and Safari are capable in their own right, they sit in a higher segment, and thus, within your budget, you would only get a mid-range variant.Of the others, the new Kia Seltos is a good all-rounder that mixes quality, features, stability, mileage and comfort well. However, we would recommend checking out the just-launched new Renault Duster, which could prove to be the best value for money.The top-spec 1.3 Turbo Petrol DCT Iconic costs around Rs 22 lakh on road, and it has a strong features list too. While we are yet to review it, early impressions suggest it will have the same excellent ride and handling balance as its predecessor, while also delivering a tough and solid feel. And if you want the ultimate efficiency and can wait a while, the strong hybrid version is set to launch in Diwali this year.

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