Why the Hyundai Grand Creta is worth your attention
The Hyundai Creta has become a very popular option within the compact crossover segment however demand for more space from customers has resulted in Hyundai introducing the Gand Creta. This new offering features two extra seats, a longer body and wheelbase, a long list of standard features and a superior ride that all come at a very competitive price. Here is what you need to know.
Design
Hyundai’s Grand Creta pairs a bold and tall stance with elegant design. The bold front grille with its dark chrome accents fits in with the rest of the Hyundai range, while giving the Grand Creta an identity of its own. The more-than-ample 20 cm ground clearance is evident from its recognisable SUV profile and emphasises the versatility that the Grand Creta offers its driver and occupants.
LED daytime running lights are standard on all derivatives and forms part of the neat headlight cluster. LEDs are also used for the headlights and the rear light cluster. At the rear, a dark chrome strip between the rear light clusters, a bold Hyundai logo above it and twin-tip, rounded square exhaust outlets round off the back design.
Interior accommodation
The interior of the Hyundai Grand Creta immerses you in uncluttered design. Complete with premium dual tone interiors and artificial leather seats in all derivatives, the carefully selected materials accentuate the aesthetic. An airy and cool ambience is created by the light-coloured seats.
The Elite version displays information for the driver on a 10.2-inch Supervision cluster and starts the engine with a push button. Other Elite features and conveniences in the interior include a sun-roof, automatic climate control, blue ambient lighting strips and curtains for the rear windows that slide out of the door panels.
An infotainment system with an 8-inch touch screen and connectivity for Apple’s CarPlay or Android Auto forms part of standard luxury features across the range, as well as a steering wheel with multi-function buttons for the sound system and cruise control. Wireless charging in the centre console for smartphones is a standard feature across the range.
Practicality
With the rear seats down, the cargo area offers 1 670 cubic litres of space, and with all seat backs up, 180 cubic litres of space behind the third row. The second-row seat backs can be folded down in a 60:40 ratio, which enables several seating configurations – allowing inter alia the transportation of long objects.
The engine options
The Hyundai Grand Creta comes with two powertrains that include a 2-litre Smartstream MPi engine and a Smartstream 1,5-litre diesel CRDi engine with options of a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic transmission.
In the entry-level Executive versions, the 2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine is coupled with a 6-speed manual transmission and the 6-speed automatic gearbox, while the turbocharged 1,5-litre diesel engine is linked with the 6-speed automatic gearbox in an Executive and Elite derivative.
The petrol engine’s maximum power output is 117kW with a peak torque output of 191Nm. From the turbodiesel engine comes 85kW maximum power and peak torque of 250Nm between. The latter offers a consumption figure of less than 5 litres per 100km that can easily be obtained on the open road, which makes the official combined cycle figures of 6.5 litres per 100km very realistic.
The Grand Creta combines what is already a very decent compact SUV offering with more practicality. This makes it ideal for those who want to downscale without compromising on space.
Also worth a look: the Hyundai Creta: Matte Edition Headlines 2024 Refresh and the IONIQ 5 N Wins TopGear's 2023 Car of the Year.
FAQ
Q: What does the Hyundai Grand Creta cost in South Africa?
The Hyundai Grand Creta starts from around R459,900 for the base 1.5 Executive manual and goes up to R579,900 for the top-spec 1.5 Turbo Elite DCT, making it one of the most competitive 7-seater SUVs in its price bracket.
Q: Is the Hyundai Grand Creta worth buying?
The Grand Creta is absolutely worth buying if you need 7 seats without breaking the bank, offering excellent value with its comprehensive feature list, 5-year/150,000km warranty, and proven Hyundai reliability at under R580,000.
Q: How fuel efficient is the Hyundai Grand Creta?
The Grand Creta delivers impressive fuel consumption of 6.4L/100km for the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engine and 7.1L/100km for the 1.5-litre turbo, making it one of the most economical 7-seater SUVs you can buy.
Q: What safety features does the Hyundai Grand Creta have?
The Grand Creta comes loaded with safety kit including 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control, hill start assist, and ISOFIX child seat anchors across all derivatives, plus advanced driver assistance systems on the Elite model.
Q: How does the Hyundai Grand Creta compare to the Toyota Fortuner?
While the Fortuner is larger and more capable off-road, the Grand Creta offers better value at R459,900 versus the Fortuner's R654,500 starting price, with similar 7-seat practicality and much better fuel economy for daily driving.
Should You Buy It?
The best 7-seater SUV under R580,000 in South Africa is definitely the Hyundai Grand Creta. At R459,900 for the Executive and R579,900 for the Elite DCT, it absolutely demolishes the competition on value. You're getting a proper 7-seater with genuinely useable third-row seats, a comprehensive warranty, excellent fuel economy, and enough kit to make you feel like you've spent twice as much. Sure, it's not going to tow your boat up the Drakensberg, but for school runs, family holidays, and everyday practicality, the Grand Creta is a no-brainer purchase that'll leave plenty of change in your pocket for that braai meat.
