REVIEW: Hyundai Creta 1.5 Exec diesel auto
Johannesburg – Fuel prices are going through the roof at the moment, with no relief in sight, and this is certainly going to influence the kind of car that many people buy.
Think economy car, though, and the first thing that generally comes to mind is a sardine-can-sized hatchback that’s almost small enough for you to put your elbows out of both front windows. And let’s face it, while small cars have a place in the market, they’re just not practical for people with families.
Thankfully there are still vehicles out there that are both frugal and practical and they almost always have a smallish turbodiesel engine. That’s exactly what you’re getting with the new Hyundai Grand Creta 1.5 diesel model that we tested recently.
Priced at R509 900 in the Executive spec grade as per our test car, the diesel model commands a premium of just R20 000 over the equivalent 2.0-litre petrol model and that makes it a no-brainer in our books.
Sure it is less powerful, with just 85kW on command versus 117kW for the petrol engine, but the diesel Creta more than makes up for this with its altitude-compensating turbocharger and oodles of low-down torque, with 250Nm of twist available from as low as 1500rpm, versus the petrol model’s 191Nm from 4500rpm.
It’s no ball of fire, but this 1.5-litre diesel has enough power to move the vehicle at a comfortable pace, and best of all, it operates on the sniff of diesel.
On a round trip from the West Rand to Pretoria East, which mostly consisted of freeway driving, our Grand Creta test car sipped an average of 4.6 litres per 100km, although on the highway stretch the on-board readout crept as low as 4.1 l/100 at one point. Drive it in a careful and controlled manner and freeway consumption in the early fours is certainly possible (depending on your load of course). Around town, you can expect it to sip around 7.0 litres per 100km.
As we mentioned earlier, practicality is a big drawcard with the Hyundai Grand Creta, which offers seating for up to seven occupants. There aren’t a lot of seven-seat options in the compact SUV category but keep in mind that this Hyundai isn’t necessarily the most spacious three-row vehicle around.
Sitting behind my driving position, as an average-sized adult, I had a reasonable amount of legroom in the middle row. But after tumbling that forward to sit in the third row there literally was not enough space to fit my knees. However, the middle row seats do have a sliding mechanism, with a 60:40 split, and after moving them as far forward as possible, I had just enough knee-room to fit into both the middle and the back rows.
So the moral of the story is that the third row seats are ideally suited for small children and if you are transporting seven adults or teens, it’s best that you only do this for short around-town journeys.
Third row occupants are at least catered for when it comes to climate and electronics, thanks to a separate fan speed adjuster and USB ports on either side of the seat bench.
With all seats in place, the boot capacity is just 180 litres, which is enough for a few shopping bags but certainly not sufficient for a family holiday. But if you only need five seats you can fold the third row forward to procure a relatively huge loading area.
The business end of the cabin is practically identical to the regular five-seat Hyundai Creta. The dashboard has a neat and straightforward design, but some of the lower-level plastics do look a little cheap.
All models have a touchscreen infotainment system which is simple to operate. Leather seats are also part of the deal, even on the base Executive model, as is cruise control, wireless phone charging, Drive Mode Select, electric mirrors, manual air conditioning, reverse camera and a multi-function steering wheel.
With the more expensive Elite model you get extras such as auto climate control, panoramic sunroof, mood lighting, rear window shade, fully digital instrument cluster and push-button start, among other amenities.
The Hyundai Grand Creta is a relatively quiet and comfortable vehicle on the open road and the ride quality is quite impressive.
But is it a desirable vehicle all round? The styling of the Grand Creta is a little polarising, but given that the regular Creta is being facelifted soon, it’s likely that this larger model will also receive a makeover at some point, although Hyundai SA has not announced timing as yet.
VERDICT
It’s not necessarily the prettiest SUV out there and the third row is best suited for kids, but if you’re looking for an economical seven-seater for around the R500 000 mark, the Hyundai Grand Creta ticks many boxes.
We’d certainly opt for the diesel model, given current fuel prices, and possibly the Executive trim grade, for the value it offers. However if you can stretch your budget to R600 000 and you’re not hell bent on an SUV, you might want to take a look at a van like the Volkswagen Caddy Maxi.
FACTS: Hyundai Grand Creta 1.5D Executive
Price: R509 900 (June 2022)
Engine: 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder, turbodiesel
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Drive: Front-wheel drive
Power: 84kW @ 4000rpm
Torque: 250Nm @ 1500-2750rpm
0-100km/h: 10.5 seconds (claimed)
Top speed: 190km/h (claimed)
Fuel use, mixed use : 6.5 L/100km (claimed)
Fuel use, freeway: 4.6 L/100km (tested)
Fuel use, urban: 7.5 L/ 100km (tested)
Boot capacity: 180-1670 litres
Kerb weight: 1405kg
Towing capacity: 900kg (braked)
Fuel tank capacity: 50 litres
Warranty: 5-year/150 000km (general)