2020 Hyundai Creta vs Kia Seltos Comparison Review

Hyundai Creta has been one of the most popular SUVs in India. The Creta was first launched in India in 2014 and received a mid-life update in 2018. Faced with the fierce competition from other vehicles in the same segment, the SUV is in need of a new generation next year. In the meanwhile, launched in India in August this year as the first product of the South Korean automaker for the Indian auto market, the Kia Seltos has already established a certain degree of trust and prestige in the country with a decent sales number. Will the new-gen Creta manages to replace its cousin in the top position of the SUV segment? Read our 2020 Hyundai Creta vs Kia Seltos Comparison Review to discover.

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2020 Hyundai Creta vs Kia Seltos Comparison Review - Design

Exterior

While the upcoming Hyundai Creta will feature a bold and aggressive appearance, the Kia Seltos comes with a contemporary and masculine look with a great street presence.

To be more specific, the Hyundai Creta will carry over the two-box SUV design from the outgoing model. The new-gen model will be based on Hyundai’s new design philosophy which has also been adopted for the Paliside (which is on sale internationally). In the front, it will feature a cascading grille which gets a gloss-black texture and chrome surroundings. The split headlight system which is now becoming more and more popular in India will also be present in the new Creta. Mounted on the front bumper will be a wide faux skid plate which comes with a polishing aluminium look. Two fog lamps and secondary turn indicators will be located at each corner.  

On the side profile, while the new China-spec Creta runs on chunky alloy rims with square wheel arches which remind us of those on the Venue, the India-spec one might come with a uniquely-designed set of alloy wheels.  In the rear, the new Creta features a unique split taillight system.

On the other hand, the Kia Seltos sports elegant character lines and curves. Dominating the front of the SUV is Kia’s typical bold ‘Tiger Nose’ grille with chrome elements, which contributes to the vehicle’s premium feel. The other outstanding features include a multi-tier full-LED lighting system, LED projector headlamps, a pair of ice cube LED fog lamps and heartbeat-shaped DRLs. The chunky bumper features silver elements. The faux skid plate also contributes to the rugged look of the vehicle.

On the side profile, the Seltos sports squared-off wheel arches with plastic claddings and a strong shoulder line. The car runs on very elegantly-designed 17-inch diamond alloy wheels. In the rear, the vehicle comes with heartbeat-effect LED taillights. The rear bumper features dual exhaust pipes and is decorated with some sharp lines to increase the vehicle’s dynamism.

Since the exterior design is a matter of personal preference, and the information on the 2020 Hyundai Creta is quite limited, we would not give any conclusion or recommendation in this aspect. The new Hyundai Creta is for the people who prefer an SUV with an aggressive appearance while the Kia Seltos is more suitable for those who like an SUV with a contemporary and masculine look.

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2020 Hyundai Creta vs Kia Seltos Comparison Review - Interior

Interior features

Both of the two SUVs are very well-equipped in terms of the interior features.

The new Hyundai Creta comes with a 10.4-inch touchscreen infotainment unit which is vertically located. The new dashboard has fewer buttons and most of the functions are operated through the touchscreen. Other outstanding features of the SUV include a flat-bottom driving wheel, autocruise, tilt-adjustable steering, ventilated front seats, an automatic electric parking brake, a tyre pressure monitor, a start/stop push button, a 12.3-inch LCD instrument panel, etc.

In the meanwhile, the Kia Seltos does not seem to pale in comparison to its cousin with up to 37 features classified into 5 categories which include Convenience, Remote Control, Safety & Security, Vehicle Management and Navigation. Among which, the most outstanding features are 10.25-inch HD touchscreen which is slightly dwarfed by the Creta but is connected with UVO connectivity system, a Smart 8.0 Head-up display, a Bose 8-speaker system, a 360-degree view camera, power and ventilated seats, electric sunroof and a smart air purifier.

Safety features

The most noteworthy aspects of the two SUVs seem to be their safety features.

The 2020 Hyundai Creta is packed with a wide array of safety features, among which the most outstanding ones are driver attention ưarning, precrash system, high beam assist, adaptive smart cruise control, etc. All of these make the new Hyundai Creta one of the best-equipped compact SUV in India as regards the safety front.

Meanwhile, besides some standard safety features like the airbags, ABS with EBD, the Kia Seltos is also equipped with a long list of advanced safety features like the front & rear parking sensors, hill-holder, traction control system, emergency brake assist and blind-spot monitor, etc. Moreover, the UVO connectivity technologies of the Seltos operates in a similar way to the BlueLink system of the Venue. Accordingly, the UVO connected system will provide AI-enabled voice recognition, safety alerts, automatic collision notification, immobilization, stolen vehicle tracking, etc.

In this aspect, the two SUVs seems to level with each other with no clear winner. Nevertheless, if we still have to make our choice, we would give the Kia Seltos a thump-up, thanks to its advanced UVO connectivity system.

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2020 Hyundai Creta vs Kia Seltos Comparison Review - Specifications

Dimensions

The new-gen Hyundai Creta will borrow the platform from the Kia Seltos; therefore, the two SUVs are expected to have similar dimensions to each other. Specifically, the Kia Seltos is 4,315 mm long; 1,800 mm wide and 1,620 mm high with a 2,610 mm wheelbase. In the meanwhile, the 2020 Creta is likely to measure 4,300 mm in length, 1,790 in width and 1,622 mm in height and a similar 2,610 mm wheelbase.

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Engines and transmissions

The Kia Seltos is available with three engine and four transmission options. Specifically, the first engine is a 1.5-litre gasoline burner which can generate 115 PS against 144 Nm and is coupled with a 6-speed MT/CVT. The second motor is a 1.5-litre diesel unit which can deliver a maximum power of 115 PS against a peak torque of 250 Nm and is mated to a 6-speed MT/AT. The most powerful motor in the engine lineup of the SUV is the 1.4-litre turbocharged gasoline burner which is good for 140 PS against 242 Nm and is paired with a 6-speed MT and an optional 7-speed DCT.

In this comparison, we would evaluate the two SUVs as equal to each other since the engines of the Kia Seltos are carried over to the new Creta. We can expect that the latter will also borrow the transmission options from the former.

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2020 Hyundai Creta vs Kia Seltos Comparison Review - Prices and Verdict

The Kia Seltos is offered with a very aggressive price range, from INR 9.69 lakh to INR 16.99 lakh (ex-showroom). This competitive price helps it currently rule the mid-size SUV segment. The current-gen Hyundai Creta is priced in the range from INR 10.00 lakh to INR 15.68 lakh (ex-showroom). The 2020 Creta is expected to be priced at a similar range so as to compete against its sibling.

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Currently, with an appealing appearance, a long list of features, a wide array of engines and transmissions along with a competitive price list, the Kia Seltos is able to cater for various demands and is dominating the mid-size SUV segment. Nevertheless, it might be too soon to make a conclusion on who is the king of the segment until the upcoming 2020 Hyundai Creta with an equal list of features and the same engines is launched. The other details on the new Creta which are quite limited by now will be revealed later in our new articles. Therefore, stay tuned to IndianAuto. for latest news on the 2020 Hyundai Creta and more posts like the 2020 Hyundai Creta vs Kia Seltos Comparison Review