Hyundai Creta N Line long term review, 6,000km report

MH 03 EL 6295 is wearing a few scars these days. Scars entirely of my making. Here’s the back story. To make space for a test Mercedes-AMG G 63 (yup, first-world problems!), I had to park the Creta N Line in an adjacent parking slot that’s alongside a pillar. Days later, when I got back to the Creta, I forgot how close it was to the pillar and reversed out as always with my eye on the rear view camera feed. Crrrunch. The left-wing mirror took the hit. The glass broke, but thankfully, the electronics (mirror adjust, camera and blind view indicator) survived. Phew! Because replacing the whole wing mirror would have cost a crazy Rs 32,000! All the ADAS features and electronics have made the humble wing mirror expensive. The Rs 1,000 replacement glass that I needed seems like a bargain in comparison. The mirror casing isn’t perfectly aligned, and resultantly, there’s a small blind spot in the blind view monitor. It’s not ideal, but I view it as a small reminder of the perils of being over-reliant on cameras. Lesson learnt.

Objects in the mirror are pricier than they appear. Entire assembly costs Rs 32,000!

Since the last report, the Creta N Line has been my ride for a few short excursions out of town. Particularly nice was a weekend in Alibaug over a spell of very pleasant weather. It was really refreshing to drive with all four windows down; the overworked dual-zone climate control and air purifier sure needed the day off. Speaking of windows, the fact that the rear windows go all the way down is something that has got a vote of approval from my drive-loving dog. This one feature is almost a make-or-break for him and is a detail I’ve learnt to be mindful of when reviewing a car. All members of the family need to enjoy the car, right? Also worth a mention are the Creta’s handy integrated rear window sunshades that my (human) passengers are prompted to put to use on sunny days.

Two-zone climate control and ventilated seats work effectively against the heat.

Not nice is the Creta’s fuel economy. The figure is hovering around the 7.9kpl mark in town, which makes our N Line a bit of a wallet buster. It rises to 12-14kpl over easygoing highway journeys, though.

Anyone interested specifically in a Creta N Line should also know that its attractive 18-inch rims do come with compromises in ride comfort. You feel more of the surface below than you would on the standard Cretathat rides on 17 inchers. The pesky bolt-on speed bumps that have been spread like minefields in my housing complex make for a jarring start to my office commute.

Single-digit fuel economy is the norm in town. Highway drives can up the number.

I will be experimenting with some aftermarket solutions to enable wireless Apple CarPlay in the weeks to come, and I am also researching ways to get the N Line to sound throatier. Will keep you posted on my findings in the next report.

Rear windows that roll down fully a hit with my dog. Sun shades a boon, too.