Remember the Hyundai i20 CrossSport? Nope; I don’t either. Once a upon a time, I swear it was part of Hyundai Philippines’ model list only for it occasionally pop up, disappear, and then pop up again. Well, Hyundai looks to be ending the often forgotten sub-compact crossover as it sets to launch the Creta at the Manila International Auto Show or MIAS at the end of the month.
In a single teaser photo on its official Facebook page, it’s proclaiming the Creta as the “perfect partner to your lifestyle.” It must be remembered that the Creta is Hyundai’s response to the rapidly growing small crossover segment dominated by the likes of the Ford EcoSport. First launched in India, the Creta is now being sold in several developing countries in Europe and South America.
Like all other Hyundais, the Creta wears the familiar Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design language making it “easy to understand and pleasant.” Though the teaser photo is almost blacked out, it seems to wear the range-topping 17-inch alloy wheels seen in global launch model.
In other markets, the Creta offers a choice between one petrol and two diesel engines. The petrol is the 1.6-liter Gamma 4-cylinder engine with 121 horsepower and 155 Nm of torque. And while this is all good, I’m hoping that one of the two U2 CRDi engines will make it here. In the 1.4-liter, it has 89 horsepower and 220 Nm of torque while with the 1.6-liter it has 126 horsepower and 260 Nm of torque. Available transmissions are a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic.
Aside from the Creta, Hyundai is also digging into its Indian market portfolio as it is resurrecting the Grand i10 nameplate. Once sold to battle in-betweeners like the Mirage hatchback, the Grand i10 is previewed by Hyundai’s official invite to the Manila International Auto Show.
For 2017, the Grand i10 gets a massaged design. The front end is almost entirely new with an updated radiator grille, bumper, and daytime running lights. Other changes include new side moldings, new wheels, and a modified rear bumper. The Grand i10 is expected to continue offering above-class features such as the push-button start/stop. Expect it also to gain, get this, rear A/C vents.
In terms of powertrain, the Grand i10 is expected to continue with the 1.2-liter Kappa gasoline engine with 83 horsepower and 116 Nm of torque. There’s a diesel variant available in India, but I’d be surprised if it will arrive locally.
It looks like Hyundai is proving itself to be a contender in 2017. Though sales have climbed in 2016, it surely was lackluster in the product department. Still, with the impending launch of the Grand i10 and the Creta, Hyundai Philippines is finally making up for lost time. MIAS sure looks to be exciting.
If the Creta is priced from 700k up to 900k, then it's a hot cake, buy!
ReplyDeleteAbove 900k?, it will be alone and look like a white carabao in despair crying under the sunshine with tears falling from its eyes while travelling the long lonely highways and rugged roads on our beautiful shores.
Starts above P900k for the 1.6 Petrol with manual transmission.
Deletethe pricing for the hyundai i20 crossport was hilarious. a cross-over diesel thats at 1M price range is absurd. that's y i think it ultimately failed. too pricey for the target market of late 20's to 30's. the creta would be a better sell for late 30's and 40's range. they can up the price from 900 to 1M as long as its a diesel with all the bells and whistles. but if its petrol at 900k to 1M, count me out. that's just too much.
ReplyDeleteHARI heavily waters down Hyundai's products when bringing them in PH with subpar interior and poor safety features and not pricing them as such. I won't be surprised if Creta will be in the same boat.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing going for Hyundai in PH is their economical (and torquey) diesel engine (for fleets) and somewhat good looking design.
That diesel engine will drive prices up. To keep the Creta in the P900k-range, they'd have to put a 1.6L gas engine. The i20 Cross 1.4 A/T (Fiesta-sized hatch dressed to look like a crossover) was sold here for P888k, that's with a 1.4L gas engine.
DeleteThe Kia Soul with the 1.6 U2 turbodiesel starts at 825K for the manual and 1.070M for the automatic. HARI should be able to price it competitively unless they're greedy as hell. There's a good reason the Accent is selling very well -- it's because of the excellent diesel engine. If HARI doesn't bring in a diesel Creta, they're stupid. Are you reading this, HARI? Stupid.
DeleteHARI is both stupid and greedy, only saved by the Accent's diesel engine (the only one in the B and C segments) and Eon's cheap price. They betray their buyers in all their lineup with cheap interiors, lacking safety features, and through the roof expensive maintenance.
DeleteThe only way they can price it low and have a diesel engine is to delete safety features. I'd rather have a 1.6L gas engine (that's efficient-enough) if it means it will have dual-airbags and ABS as standard and still be priced reasonably.
DeletePS: It's interesting that despite the diesel offerings of the Korean brands in the sub-compact segment, the top selling subcompact car and subcompact crossover here are both powered by gasoline engines.
Of everything that they need to remove, why is it the safety features first? The base diesel accent costing 748k does not have a single airbag! Even their 1.7M Santa Fe only has two airbags, which I don't need to tell you is abysmal!!
DeleteOk lng yun most men don't even wear seatbelts. Some women do wear them. All they get will be a fatally broken neck so most buyers will deem it unimportant
DeleteDapat mag dagdag ng Starex Variants like HVX, CVX and Gold.
ReplyDeleteDiesel variants in a-segment hatchbacks won't really work here. The fact that it will add about P100k to the price will drive buyers away. This is a case where a small petrol engine-equipped small car is both affordable and fuel efficient enough.
ReplyDeleteIf the Creta is priced at around 900k for the gas, this will sell really well considering its the best looking of the small SUVs, maybe on par in looks with CX3
ReplyDeleteLooking at how Hyundai priced their cars (minus the features), I don't think that this will be a hot buy.
ReplyDeleteYeah sadly there's not a lot of choice in PH when it comes to mass market cars.
DeleteYou got the underfeatured Toyota, the overpriced Honda, bad after sales service chevrolet, expensive mazda, low resale value Ford, Kia, and Hyundai.
Get a Mitsubishi then.
DeleteTell me the reason should i buy this?
ReplyDeleteWill the Creta be available anytime soon? within 2017?
ReplyDeleteIt should have been made available at all Hyundai dealership last August.
Delete