For almost four years, the Hyundai Creta held the numero uno position in its segment due to its strong performance and value for money aspect and more so because it had no direct rival as such. It has now been toppled by its own cousin – the Kia Seltos, although the Creta is now back in a new avatar to snatch its crown back.
To make things clear, in the months before COVID-19, Kia consistently sold over 10,000 units of the Seltos. However, after the launch of the new generation Creta earlier this year, Hyundai took the edge again by its radical interior and exterior updates and a little more features than the Seltos.
Kia has, however, pulled off a surprise when it decided to give a substantial number of updates to the Seltos, considering it had just been launched last year and had more than a decent hold of the consumers. Such is the level of competition in this segment now. With Kia offering additional features in the 2020 Seltos, the rivalry just got bigger and better. It is now time to see which one of these Korean cousins is able to punch harder.
Engine & Transmission
The Seltos and the Creta continue to be offered with the same set of powertrains and engine-gearbox combinations. The Creta can be had with five engine-transmission options while the Seltos offers six options. They also share the same powertrains. The BS6 1.5-litre petrol and diesel engines can be had with either a manual transmission or automatic gearbox options as well.
| Petrol | Hyundai Creta 2020 | Kia Seltos 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1.5-litre/1.4-litre turbo | 1.5-litre/1.4-litre turbo |
| Transmission Options | 6-speed MT or IVT/7-speed DCT (dual-clutch transmission) | 6-speed MT or CVT/6-speed MT or 7-speed DCT (dual-clutch transmission) |
| Power | 115PS/ 140PS | 115PS/ 140PS |
| Torque | 144Nm/ 242Nm | 144Nm/ 242Nm |
Additionally, both SUVs cater to enthusiasts with turbo power. Hyundai Motor Group’s 1.4-litre T-GDi engine makes 138bhp and 242Nm of torque in both SUVs. The Creta Turbo can be had only with a 7-speed DCT while the turbo-petrol Seltos can be enjoyed with a 7-speed DCT or a 6-speed manual transmission as well.
| Diesel | Creta 2020 | Seltos 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1.5-litre | 1.5-litre |
| Transmission Options | 6-speed MT/6-speed AT | 6-speed MT/6-speed AT |
| Power | 115PS | 115PS |
| Torque | 250Nm | 250Nm |
Also READ: Specs Comparison: BSVI Hyundai Verna vs BSVI Skoda Rapid vs BSVI Volkswagen Vento
Dimensions
The dimensions of the updated Seltos have not been changed at all. Given that the new Creta and the Seltos share their underpinnings, they have the same wheelbase and should offer similar cabin space. Both offer the same amount of luggage space too. However, the difference in design keeps the Seltos longer, taller and wider than the second-generation Creta.
| Measurement | Hyundai Creta 2020 | Kia Seltos | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 4300mm | 4315mm | 15mm (Seltos is longer) |
| Width | 1790mm | 1800mm | 10mm (Seltos is wider) |
| Height(including roof rails) | 1635mm | 1645mm | 10mm (Seltos is taller) |
| Wheelbase | 2610mm | 2610mm | Nil |
| Boot Space | 433 litres | 433 litres | Nil |
Features
This is the part where both these SUVs are neck-to-neck in terms of comparison. The refreshed Seltos now comes equipped with 10 novel features, encompassing the facets of safety, convenience, connectivity and design, over and above other key enhancements. In addition to this, many existing features in the higher variants of the SUV like the sunroof are now available in lower variants too.
The mid-range Seltos HTX seems to have gained the most after this update. It already packed premium features like LED headlamps and DRLs, 10.25-inch infotainment system, mood lighting, air purifier, and leatherette trims. It now additionally gets the emergency stop signal (standard across all variants), sunroof with LED room lamp, remote engine start (for auto variants), upgrades to the UVO connected car system and a host of cosmetic upgrades among others.
| Creta | Seltos | |
|---|---|---|
| Airbags | 6 | 6 |
| ABS | yes | yes |
| EBD | yes | yes |
| rear brake | disc | disc |
| parking sensors | rear | front and rear |
| parking camera | rear | 360 degree |
| electronic parking brake | yes | no |
| ESC | yes | yes |
| blind-spot monitor | no | yes |
| tyre pressure monitor | yes | yes |
| drive modes | yes | yes |
| paddle shifters | yes | no |
| touchscreen(inch) | 10.25 | 10.25 |
| sunroof | panoramic | single(lower variants)/ Dual-tone(higher variants) |
| Air purifier | yes | yes |
| In-car connectivity | BlueLink | UVO connect |
| Wireless Phone Charging | yes | yes |
The mid-range Seltos HTX is better equipped than a mid-range Creta S, albeit the Creta S is priced lower. That said, both cars still stand out in their own ways by offering unique features. The range-topping Seltos continues to get heads-up display, 360-degree camera, blind-spot monitoring and front parking sensors (in addition to rear sensors), while the Creta impresses enthusiasts and comfort seekers alike with paddle shifters, rear seat headrest cushions, panoramic sunroof and e-handbrake.
Price
With the lower and mid variants getting more features, the price increase naturally revolves around the same variants. The mid-range Seltos HTX petrol and diesel variants cost Rs 30,000 more than before, while other variants witness a marginal increase. All in all, both SUVs are very closely priced.
Petrol Variants Prices:
| Hyundai Creta 2020 | Kia Seltos |
|---|---|
| EX – Rs 9.99 lakh | HTE – Rs 9.89 lakh |
| HTK – Rs 10.49 lakh | |
| S – Rs 11.72 lakh | HTK+ – Rs 11.59 lakh |
| HTX – Rs 13.34 lakh | |
| SX – Rs 13.46 lakh | |
| HTX (IVT) – Rs 14.34 lakh | |
| SX AT- Rs 14.94 lakh | |
| GTX – Rs 15.54 lakh | |
| SX(O) AT – Rs 16.15 lakh | |
| SX DCT – Rs 16.16 lakh | |
| GTX+ – Rs 16.39 lakh | |
| SX(O) DCT – Rs 17.20 lakh | GTX+ (DCT) – Rs 17.29 lakh |
Diesel Variants’ Prices:
| Hyundai Creta 2020 | Kia Seltos |
|---|---|
| E – Rs 9.99 lakh | HTE – Rs 10.34 lakh |
| EX – Rs 11.49 lakh | HTK – Rs 11.69 lakh |
| S – Rs 12.77 lakh | HTK+ – Rs 12.69 lakh |
| HTK+ (AT) – Rs 13.69 lakh | |
| SX – Rs 14.51 lakh | HTX – Rs 14.44 lakh |
| SX(O) – Rs 15.79 lakh | HTX+ – Rs 15.49 lakh |
| SX AT – Rs 15.99 lakh | HTX+ (AT) – Rs 16.49 lakh |
| SX(O) AT – Rs 17.20 lakh | GTX+ (AT) – Rs 17.34 lakh |