What does the Hyundai Creta look like on the inside?
Radical as the 2020 Hyundai Creta is on the outside, it’s fairly conventional to look at inside. The dashboard sports a clean design and the low sill helps visibility as well as the feeling of space inside. Of course, the Creta looks every bit a car that belongs to 2020. The pronounced centre console is dominated by a 10.25-inch touchscreen while the 7.0-inch digital speedometer gives a cockpit-like vibe to the driver environment. Blue ambient lighting on the dash only adds to the effect.
An Audi-esque four-spoke steering wheel and complex side air-con vents lend a touch of class to the Creta’s cabin. Interestingly, the pictured all-black interior that’s embellished with red elements is exclusive to the sporty Creta 1.4 turbo-petrol. The 1.5 petrol and diesel-engine-powered Cretas get a more conventional beige-on-black theme.
What is the Creta’s interior like on quality?
The new Creta improves on the original in this area, but not by as big a margin as you’d expect. While some elements – like the quilted leatherette upholstery, contrast stitching on the seats and steering, and even the metal paddleshifters – look and feel premium, there are no soft-touch or padded materials on the Creta’s dash like you’d find on some rival SUVs. Also in a break from Hyundai form, there are a lot of hard and shiny plastics in plain sight (such as on the dash top and doors) and not a lot of brightwork (like brushed silver trim, for example) to help liven things up.
How does the interior score on space and comfort?
Those seated up front will really like their seats. The front seats are smartly contoured, offer good support, and cushioning is well judged too. Rear-seat occupants have it rather nice as well. The rear section of the cabin is roomier than the old Creta’s, the most notable improvement being in terms of width. There’s enough shoulder room for three-abreast seating, though the middle passenger will have to contend with a protruding backrest. The option to adjust the rear-seat backrest recline angle is a welcome inclusion. Items that buyers will surely want to pick from the accessories catalogue are the soft cushions that can be strapped to the rear headrests – much like in a Mercedes S-class – for that added layer of comfort.
The new Creta seats passengers at a reasonable height; this equates to convenient ingress-egress and pretty good visibility from all seats.
What features does the 2020 Creta get?
Hyundai has gone to town loading the new Creta with goodies. Frankly, we’d have been surprised if Hyundai hadn’t. Range-topping Cretas go the distance with a full-length panoramic sunroof, electronic parking brake, digital speedometer, leatherette upholstery, ventilated front seats and a powered driver’s seat. Paddleshifters are a first-in-class feature on the Creta turbo-petrol. Of course, fully loaded versions also get Hyundai’s Blue Link connected tech, with voice controls for the sunroof. The Creta’s 10.25-inch touchscreen is as slick as it looks, its sound delivered through a superb Bose audio system.
LED headlights, tyre pressure monitor, an air purifier and rear-window sun blinds are also part of the package. Note, the aforementioned features are over and above modern-day luxury basics like auto headlamps and wipers, an auto-dimming mirror and auto climate control!
The Creta’s safety suite is just as impressive. While dual airbags are standard, top models add side and curtain airbags and see the inclusion of rear disc brakes, traction and stability control, and drive modes.
How practical is the Creta?
Like the original, the 2020 Creta scores really well on practicality. The glovebox is sufficiently large, there’s a useable bay under the front-centre armrest and there’s a pair of cupholders near the gear lever too. Each of the doors can also hold a 1.0-litre bottle, the rear centre armrest folds down to reveal two more cupholders, and the phone tray in the vicinity of the rear charging socket is very handy.
Hyundai hasn’t released the Creta’s boot-capacity figure. What we can tell you is that the boot is well-shaped and can comfortably accommodate large suitcases.
Uday Singh
Lenny D'sa
Dipan Sur
Glenn Noronha
