It wouldn’t be wrong to say the Hyundai Creta is the most successful nameplate in India in recent times. It’s almost surprising in fact, as to how the Creta – which in a way gave birth to the midsize premium SUV segment – has done so well consistently. And this is despite facing stiff competition from a slew of big names and the fact that the midsize premium SUV segment has nearly a dozen models on sale! Hyundai was quick to recognise the Creta’s potential and popularity, and has been giving it timely updates to ensure the SUV keeps its cash registers ringing. Nothing else explains Hyundai selling over a million Cretas in less than a decade! Heck, Hyundai moved over 15,000 units of the updated second generation Creta in February and March both, which are the highest ever monthly sales numbers for the SUV.
Interestingly, despite being premium, feature-rich, well-built, comfortable and more, the Creta has never been called sporty. That changes with the launch of the Creta N Line. I’ve grown fond of Hyundai’s N and N Line cars – the i20 N Line and Venue N Line have impressed with their tuned suspension, steering and sporty exhaust notes that go well with their 120PS turbocharged petrol engines. I also drove the IONIQ5 N and Elantra N on foreign soil last year, which helped cement my belief that the N and N Line versions of Hyundai’s offerings are engineered to please enthusiasts and elevate the brand’s positioning as more than just a mass market car maker. And with the Creta N Line, Hyundai India moves things a notch further for its best-seller. Of course, we knew the formula already, having seen it in the case of the i20 N Line and Venue N Line already.
So there’s enough and more distinction between the regular Creta and Creta N Line. Like I mentioned in my review of the standard Creta the facelifted version looks far more appealing than its predecessor and as a result, the Creta N Line looks oh-so-good. In fact it looks picture perfect with its boxy design and from a distance, even reminds of those dinky toy cars! Also, while the standard Creta looks very premium itself, the Creta N Line looks and feels even more premium, also reminding me of super-SUVs with its chiseled bodywork. The redesigned, more aggressive front bumper adds dollops of sportiness, while the new, matte grey colour option accentuates the feel, especially with the red accents all round and red-hued brake calipers. The bigger and sportier looking spoiler does the trick too, as do the dual exhaust tips, the 18-inch alloy wheels and smattering of N Line badges.
In fact I dare say, the Creta N Line is the best looking midsize SUV in the market today! Interiors echo the sentiment, building on the premium feel offered by the updated Creta with its new, highly appealing dashboard design. The N Line version gets a healthy dose of red accents to ensure the interiors scream sportiness. Except for the visual differentiation the interiors are exactly the same as the standard Creta meaning you get the same high resolution, dual 10.25-inch displays and rich feeling textures along with the same array of physical switches below the infotainment touchscreen. Then there’s the red ambient lighting and sportier aluminium pedals. The steering wheel is the round N wheel we’ve seen on other N Line cars with a thicker rim and red stitching, while seats are swathed in black and get red piping, red stitching and N insignia. The all-black theme makes the cabin feel smaller but that’s just an illusion, as space management is identical to the standard Creta and all occupants get lots of space. More importantly, the cabin looks and feels premium enough to belong to an SUV costing twice as much as the Creta N Line. And as we’ve seen in the standard Creta, the rear seat is perfectly comfortable for ferrying your family around.
The instrument cluster is identical to the standard Creta which is a bit of a letdown – I would have liked to see the inclusion of sportier themes for the display, given how everything else is in sync with the SUV’s sportier positioning. The equipment list has been carried over which means you get full-LED lights, Hyundai’s BlueLink connected technology, panoramic sunroof, PM2.5 air filter, automatic wipers and headlamps and climate control. This is besides features like TPMS, 360 degree view and a dashcam, and most importantly, Level 2 ADAS and six airbags.
You can only have the N Line version with the most powerful engine the standard Creta is offered with, which is the 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine putting out 160PS and 253Nm. You can enjoy the feel of three pedals (thankfully, there’s no clutchless iMT!) as the Creta N Line is on offer with either a proper 6-speed manual gearbox or 7-speed DCT. We only drove the DCT version, but having driven the standard Creta with the 1.5-litre engine mated to the 6-speed manual transmission I can tell you that is a very good engine-gearbox combination too. The DCT feels excellent on the engagement front with its quick responses especially via the paddle shifters. That said there’s no difference to the powertrain, just like other N Line cars, so don’t expect the Creta N Line to offer quicker acceleration. Good news though is that this engine-gearbox combination has always been sporty and the claimed 0-100kmph time of 8.9 seconds also makes the Creta N Line one of the quickest SUVs in its segment.
The engine also impresses with its refinement and linear torque curve that results in strong acceleration even at high revs. Drive modes help alter the experience, though I stuck to Sport, given the sharper responses. I drove the Creta N Line on the new Delhi-Mumbai Expressway that has a speed limit of 120kmph. The SUV has a lot more performance in reserve of course and is capable of holding 150kmph or more for sustained periods, and there’s little to complain on the powertrain front thus. Except for the exhaust note. The i20 N Line and Venue N Line both have spoilt us with their sporty exhaust notes, but the Creta N Line sounds far more muted in comparison and I was left wanting for a sportier exhaust note as the Creta N Line sounds just like the regular Creta. I was a little disappointed with the Creta N Line on that front, but I am hoping Hyundai will fix this soon enough.
The Creta N Line makes up for this with its sporty handling. The suspension feels firm and is similar in feel to what we experienced on the standard Creta’s 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine powered version. So you’re confident at highway speeds, be it when simply munching miles in your lane or making a quick lane switch. The steering offers ample feedback and the N Line version is the Creta in its sportiest, most likeable form yet. The 18-inch wheels help too, without compromising ride. The balance between ride and handling is excellent – you don’t really trade comfort for sportiness and that’s one of the highlights to me after the powertrain. The SUV also holds its line well around fast bends, like the ones I took while getting off or back onto the Expressway and I can confirm the Creta N Line corners in a confident manner by holding its line and providing ample feedback.
The proverbial icing on the cake is the pricing, as the Creta N Line retails from Rs 16.82 lakh ex-showroom onwards. This is a brilliant starting price given what the SUV brings to the table, as the Creta N Line merges everything that makes the Creta the most successful offering in its segment and adds a big dollop of sportiness to it. And like I mentioned, this is easily the best looking midsize premium SUV on sale currently. Effectively, Hyundai has ensured the Creta now appeals to a wider audience – even enthusiasts who might have scorned at the Creta in the past for its lack of sportiness.
