The Chicago auto show has traditionally been the venue for introductions of trucks and SUVs, and Hyundai will live up to that billing by showing the refreshed Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport crossovers. With updated styling inside and out, plus more active-safety options, the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe and 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport debut this week in Chicago.

The sixth generation of the Hyundai Elantra compact sedan has arrived, debuting in its home market of South Korea ahead of the U.S. reveal scheduled for the Los Angeles auto show in November. With more upscale styling inspired by the Genesis sedan, a much-improved interior, and plenty of new features, the 2017 Hyundai Elantra looks like it will be a competitive entry in the mainstream compact sedan segment.

The 2017 Hyundai Elantra, which is called the Avante in Korea, is 0.8 inch longer and 1 inch wider than before, and is said to offer a more spacious interior. The interior photo shows a horizontally oriented dashboard layout similar to that in the 2015 Hyundai Sonata, with a large display screen in the center and a few rows of entertainment and climate-control buttons and knobs below. Available active-safety features for the Elantra will include blind-spot monitoring, autonomous emergency braking, and rear cross-traffic alert.

The fast growing small SUV/crossover segment has just got hotter! Thanks to the advent of the new Creta – the much awaited Hyundai compact SUV for India, the Indian subsidiary of the Korean carmaker giant has finally updated its arsenal to take on the likes of the Renault Duster and the Ford EcoSport. The Hyundai Creta, as the ix25 has been christened for its Indian innings, has already garnered several thousand bookings and from the looks of it, the latest Hyundai offering is all set to pen down another success story for its manufacturer. In terms of price positioning, the Creta finds itself slotted between the Verna and the Elantra in the carmaker’s product portfolio. We drove the Creta in varied road conditions and have come up with a detailed test drive review of the new model to provide our impressions on the hottest new Hyundai in the town. Here’s our Hyundai Creta review to give you a sneak peek at the newest ‘big’ small SUV from Hyundai India 

Video Review

 

Design

Must admit, the Hyundai Creta looks a lot more aggressive in flesh than in pics. The design of the Creta is based on the manufacturer’s much famed Fludic Sculpture 2.0, and the new kid on the block fits in perfectly among the likes of rather strikingly designed Elite i20 and the Verna. The talking point of the new car is its front-end, which, at first glance, is slightly reminiscent of the bigger (and pricier) Santa Fe. The front-end of the Creta is characterized by swept-back headlamps that feature LED fixtures and a projector setup each. Other highlights here include sharp-looking fog lamps, a faux skid plate and a mean-looking front grille that has three horizontal chrome-plated slats. When viewed front on, the Creta looks adequately aggressive, and the upcoming Hyundai compact SUV should have enough road presence.

In side profile, the designers of the Creta have gone easy with the creases and the surface treatments. That said, the Creta does have a clearly defined shoulder line, but in no way is the overall effect as flamboyant as that of the Elantra. Other highlights include well-defined wheel arches, blackened-out A- and B-pillars for the ‘floating roof’ effect, silver-painted roof rails and a roofline that slopes ever so slightly towards the rear. The car boasts of 200 mm of ground clearance.

The rear-end is where the design fails to leave us impressed. We feel that the rear-end is a bit too busy, and the designers of this compact SUV seem to have lost the plot over here. Don’t get us wrong though, for in no way do we say that the Creta’s posterior looks ungainly. However, we do assert that this car’s rear-end lacks the sleekness and the slightly ‘European touch’ of the i20 duo.

The design theme of the Creta’s interior mimics that of the i2 twins. Also, the materials used, and the overall fit and finish hardly leaves more to be desired. Overall, the cabin of this car is a pleasant place to be in.

Features

Much like every other Hyundai car on sale in the country, the Creta comes loaded to its gills and will boast of some segment-leading features. The Creta will go on sale in four trims – Base, S, SX and SX(O). Highlight of the Creta’s features list include-

• Projector headlamps with LED Positioning lamp
• 17” ‘Diamond Cut’ Alloys
• 7” AVN with 6 speakers
• Smart key with Push button Start
• 6 Airbags (includes Sides & Curtains)

Engine & Transmission

Hyundai Creta has gone on sale with as many as three engine options –

• 1.6 Dual VTVT Petrol
• U2 1.4 CRDi Diesel
• U2 1.6 CRDi VGT Diesel

All the three engine options are available with a 6-speed Manual transmission while the 1.6 CRDi VGT Diesel also gets a 6-speed Automatic gearbox. The automatic transmission for the 1.6-litre Diesel variant is being promoted as a ‘first-in-segment’ offering. While the 1.6-litre Dual VTVT petrol motor churns out a maximum power of 123 PS, the 1.6 CRDi VGT oil burner churns out a peak power of 128 PS.
We drove the 1.6-litre CRDi Diesel variant and spent a reasonably good amount of time with both the transmission options. Hence, we would restrict ourselves to writing about the more powerful Diesel variant in this Hyundai Creta review. As with most Hyundai CRDi engines, this turbocharged diesel engine is sufficiently potent and impresses with adequate performance levels and almost stellar fuel economy. The motor boasts of high refinement levels and revs pretty freely for a diesel motor. The turbo-lag is also well controlled and the engine starts approaching its sweet spot at around 1700 rpm. The gear ratios are well matched, and it is easy to trot rather effortlessly at 50 kmph, in fifth gear, with the tacho needle hovering around a leisurely 1,100 rpm. The Creta D M/T hits 100 km/h from standstill in around 11.5 seconds, which is pretty decent for a small SUV in this segment. The automatic transmission on offer isn’t a dual-clutch unit, and while the shifts aren’t lightening quick, they aren’t as slow as some of the other conventional autos we’ve experienced in recent times. The auto variant takes almost a second more than the petrol variant to hit 100 km/h.

Ride, Handling and Braking

The Hyundai Creta offers a sufficiently comfortable ride, which is something we’ve come to expect from every Hyundai on sale today. Also, the NVH-levels are very well under check and road noise and wind noise doesn’t filter into the cabin. The steering of the Creta, while being a typical Electronic Power Steering unit, isn’t too light and never feels disconnected from the wheels. However, the body roll is easily felt while playing the lane splitter and understeer sets in even under moderately aggressive cornering. The high speed stability though is nothing short of impressive. The Creta gets ventilated disc brakes at front and drums at the rear. The brakes have sufficient bite to haul down this car from high speeds, and offer decent levels of feedback.

Verdict

The Hyundai Creta looks sufficiently rugged, has a set of powerful motors, comes with a long list of featues and offers a good balance between ride quality and handling prowess. Our first impression is that the carmaker has got it really right with its upcoming compact SUV and don’t be surprised to have another best seller from Hyundai India.

India’s second largest car manufacturer, Hyundai already has some great products on sale and in the past few years, all their new launches have done really well. The ‘fluidic’ design language had a big role to play in that along with feature rich, high quality cabins and all that combined with Hyundai’s pocket friendly, rock solid after sales service has ensured second place for the Korean car manufacturer in India. This year, the company plans to launch an entry level SUV to compete with the Duster, a cross variant of its newest hatchback and a major facelift for a sedan, which once ruled its segment. It doesn’t sound like much, but all three products are hugely important for the manufacturer and have the potential to be the best in their respective segments. We have compiled all the information on the upcoming Hyundais and here’s our list of upcoming Hyundai cars in India 2015 –

ix25

Hyundai will be entering the sub-15 lakh SUV segment this year with the launch of the ix25. Aimed at Reanult’s Duster, the ix25 has already been launched in China and camouflaged test mules have been spotted on Indian roads. In India the ix25 will reportedly be renamed in order to avoid confusion with the i20 hatchback with which it shares its platform. In order to keep costs in check other bits will also be shared with the i20. As is the case with most Hyundais the SUV does pretty well in the looks department with its sharp headlamps, rising window line and wraparound tail lamps all coming together to make the ix25 a very attractive car. Engines are likely to be borrowed from the Verna so the line-up will include 1.4 litre and 1.6 litre petrol and diesel motors. Transmission option will also be identical so the petrol engines will be mated to a 5 speed manual and the diesels to a 6 speed manual. A new 5 speed automatic is also expected instead of the sedan’s 4 speed automatic.

• Estimated Price: Rs. 9-12 lakhs
• Launch Date: Mid 2015
• Engines: 1.4 litre petrol and diesel, 1.6 litre petrol and diesel
• Competition: Renault Duster, Nissan Terrano

Spy shots, prices and details of the Hyundai ix25

Verna Facelift

Hyundai will give the Verna its first major update this year since its launch. They have already introduced the facelift in Russia where it is sold under the Solaris brand name. The styling changes made to the front end are quite significant with new headlamps, brand new grille and new fog lamps. The side profile and the rear continue to be the same with LED tail lamps being the only significant addition. Hyundai is unlikely to fiddle with the Verna’s engine line-up, however, the facelifted version gets a new 6 speed automatic transmission for the petrol model in Russia which should make it to India as well.

• Estimated Price: Rs. 7.5-11 lakhs
• Launch Date: Early 2015
• Engines: 1.4 litre petrol and diesel, 1.6 litre petrol and diesel
• Competition: Honda City, Maruti Ciaz, Volkswagen Vento, Skoda Rapid, Fiat Linea

Spy shots, prices and details of the Hyundai Verna facelift

i20 Cross

In 2015 Hyundai will be hopping on to the “cross” bandwagon with the launch of the i20 Cross. Such models which basically involve slapping on some plastic cladding and slightly bigger wheels to standard hatchbacks has seen a rise in popularity in recent times. The Etios Cross has reportedly been outselling the Liva hatch on which it is based! Hyundai will make a number of changes to the standard hatch which include new bumpers, daytime running LED lights, new fog lamps, projector headlamps, faux skid plate, roof rails, new alloys, raised ride height and plastic cladding for the wheel arches. A 1.2 litre petrol mated to a 5 speed manual and a 1.4 litre diesel mated to a 6 speed manual borrowed form the i20 will power the crossover. Camouflaged test mules have been spotted on numerous occasions and launch is expected to take place soon.

• Estimated Price: Rs. 6-9 lakhs
• Launch Date: Early 2015
• Engines: 1.2litre petrol, 1.4 litre diesel
• Competition: Volkswagen Cross Polo, Toyota Etios Cross, Fiat Avventura

Spy shots, prices and details of the Hyundai i20 Cross

2015 Hyundai Verna New Model Launch in India is expected to take place in March 2015. All the details and spy imaegs

On this page we have collected all the updated related to the new 2015 Hyundai Verna New model for India which will launch in Q1 2015 in India. The new model is based on global Hyundai Solaris Model which bring many cosmetic changes to the car. The front of the car is where most aesthetics changes have been made of the new Verna. Below are all the updates you need to check out related to the launch of 2015 Hyundai Verna new model in India.

Spy Pics Updated on 30th Dec 2014
New Verna facelift for India has been seen testing on Indian roads with a lot of camouflage on the front of the car which clearly indicated a major re-design which is in-line with the global Solaris model by Hyundai.

As per a reports, the new 2015 Hyundai Verna Fluidic, based on the international Hyundai Solaris, will launch in India in first quarter of 2015. The update is much required especially after the launch of two highly competing cars in the segment which includes the new Honda City and the SX4 replacement by Maruti, the Maruti Ciaz sedan. The car will get many visual changes and will also get new engine tuning. Hyundai is expected to retain the same engine displacements but with improved tuning for better performance and economy as well.
Hyundai has showcased the new 2015 Hyundai Verna Facelift (internationally called Solaris) at the 2014 Moscow International Automobile Salon Motor Show. Called the Solaris in Russia and the Accent in some other parts of the world, the Hyundai Verna sedan has just undergone an appreciable facelift at the front fascia. Up front, the headlamps, grille and the bumper, looks fresh and something new. The updated front bumper which now sports newly designed fog lamps with integrated LED daytime running lamps and wider air-intakes.  The car also features LED based tail lamps with the rear bumper getting new reflectors and a black bumper insert. The new international model gets a 6 speed automatic gearbox compared to the earlier 4 speed for better performance and fuel economy. Also there are LED DRLS, larger headlamps and other features added on the car.
When the Hyundai Verna facelift is launched in India, we expect the engine options – 1.4- and 1.6-liter petrol and diesel units – to continue unchanged. However, the automatic gearboxes which are currently 4-speed units can be upgraded to 6-speed units, seen in the larger Elantra. The additional gearbox ratios are expected to make the Verna Petrol more fuel efficient than before. On the inside, the facelifted Verna retains the all-black cockpit for the Russian car market, unlike the beige heavy interiors that Hyundai offers for the Indian car market.
With the omnipresent Honda City having swept the market, Verna has lost its market leadership this year, though sales of the sedan continue to remain strong at an average of 3,440 units/month. A cosmetic update aimed to ensure continued sales momentum for the next 2-3 years, before the introduction of next generation model. The diesel motors of the car are the major sales spinners for the C-Segment sedan in the Indian car market. Therefore, expect some attention to be devoted to the Verna Diesel variants when Hyundai India gives the car a mid-life makeover.
We will keep you posted with further developments, until then do let us know what you think of Hyundai Verna facelift!

Found a couple of renderings of what the newly launched  Elite i20 would look like if made into a sedan. While the car looks nice in the pics, I doubt it would come into production especially when the Xcent has been launched here