We test Hyundai’s quirky but most effective Grand Creta
Hyundai tells us that this well-stacked, stretched, and spacious, shockingly frugal, and quite sophisticated new seven-seater fills a necessary hole in its range. To quantify all that we recently had Grand Creta on test and put it to use as we’d guess they intended it to be.
The best cars in the world are ugly
Styling is a moot point, but many consider this side of Hyundai’s range a bit ugly. That said, some of the best cars in the world are ugly and that’s just our opinion. For what it’s worth Hyundai calls Grand Creta graceful and dominating. Not sure about elegant, you decide!
But Grand Creta certainly is its own car, with purposeful LED daytime running headlights and complementary chrome all neatly rendered and cobbled together. It’s rounded off by an oriental-looking rear end complete with LED taillamps. Let’s just call it handsome.
Our flagship Elite model had Shiny 18-inch wheels to help fill those bold arches. That handy 20 cm of ground clearance and 15 cm extra wheelbase over the regular Creta complements its rugged stance.
Grand Creta has a spacious, well-kitted cabin
One of Grand Creta’s highlights is however it spacious, well-appointed cabin. Stylish and practical, the fascia seems cobbled out of many different bits, but it comes together to deliver a quite pleasing feel.
Finished in dual tone artificial leather, the lighter trim aspects make for an airy and cool space. Our Elite packed a ventilated power drivers’ seat and automatic climate control. Add a panoramic sunroof, blue ambient lighting and rear window blinds. Posh.
This Elite also gets diver info-rich 10.2-inch digital dials sitting lucid and clear behind a talented multi-function steering wheel. That’s backed by sensible logic 8-inch CarPlay and Auto rich touchscreen infotainment that includes wireless charging.
Third Grand Creta row good for kids
The second-row seats are more than comfortable for adults and feature adjustable backrests. Two third row chairs conveniently pop up out of the boot floor to make Grand Creta into a seven-seater when you need it.
Now those rearmost pews are not adequate for adults. So don’t even think of it as a big uber steed. But Grand Creta certainly is a perfect solution for the growing or bigger family with a few pre-teen kids among them. Or even if it’s just for the little ones’ lift club, the back row is fine. Anything more than that is a squash.
There are 180 cubic litres of boot space left in the back when it’s used as a seven-seater. Fold the third row down and you have a significant and practical 1,670 cubic litres of space. And push the 60:40 second row forward and you literally have a panel van’s worth of load bay.
Ridiculously frugal 1.5-litre turbodiesel
Smart Sense active safety features include front and rear park and hill-start assistants and electronic stability control. Add front and side airbags for the driver and front passenger and two curtain airbags and ISOFIX child safety seat anchors on the outer second row seats.
A push to start button fires up our Grand Creta’s impressive little 85 kW 250 Nm Smartstream 1.5-litre CRDi turbodiesel. Now this little turbodiesel lump takes a bit of getting used to.
It’s a tad underpowered and that comes out in our VBox numbers below too. That also demands a little patience when overtaking in thicker traffic. But on the flipside, this car is ridiculously frugal.
Grand Creta proves lawmakers wrong. Again
Hyundai claims an average of five litres per hundred on the open road. It’s pretty easy to beat that, four adults up and fully loaded, too. Yet the world wants to ban diesels? How bizarre!
This really is an exceptional little engine. Carmakers should be investing heavily in even developing clever little lumps like this even better. But all idiot lawmakers want to do is ban them. Overseas legislators have it all so wrong. It’s actually a tragedy.
Our Grand Creta Elite had the 6-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. Its traction control even has Normal, Mud, Sand, Eco and Sport modes. On the road, its lightweight MacPherson front and coupled torsion beam rear end delivers a ride quiet enough drive to match its exceptional fuel use on all surfaces.
Hyundai Grand Creta is priced to kill too
Best of all however, Hyundai’s 7-seater Grand Creta starts at just four hundred and fifty grand. Add R40K to get into one of these diesels, which is still well this side of 500 grand. And if you want all these bells and whistles, you’re in for R560K.
So, if you are a large young family and your most recently born are still little, there are few better motoring answers for you. Add Hyundai’s 7-year 200,000 km warranty and a 4-year 60,000 km service plan, and you can hardly go wrong.
Yes, we were surprised and impressed by this capable and multitalented family car. It’s ugly, but like we said up top, some of the best cars in the world are ugly. This one too… – Michele Lupini
Data & images: Giordano Lupini
ROAD TESTED: Hyundai Grand Creta 1.5D Elite Engine: 85 kW 250 Nm 1.5-litre turbodiesel I4 Drive: 6-speed automatic FWD TESTED: 0-60 km/h: 5.14 sec 0-100 km/h: 12.01 sec 0-120 km/h: 17.44 sec 400m: 18.2 sec @ 124 km/h 80-120 km/h: 8.96 sec CLAIMED: VMax: 190 km/h Fuel: 6.5 l/100 km CO2: 148 g/km Warranty/Service: 7y 200K/4y 60K km LIST PRICE: R568K RATED: 8