With the arrival of a 7-seater variant of the popular Creta, Hyundai’s local crossoverline-up has expanded yet again. Is the Grand Cretaworth a look? Where does it fit in the Korean brand’sSUV range? We answer thoseand other questionshere.

Ever since Hyundai introduced its1st-generation Creta in Mzansi in 2017, the Korean brand’s compact family car/small(ish) crossover has been very popular in our market.

Now in its 2nd generation (which arrived here last year), the Creta still notches up quite a few sales everymonth, even though the competition (including the Kia Seltos, Haval Jolion and Toyota Corolla Cross)is now much tougher thanit was 5 years ago. With a wide choice of powertrains on offer, there really is a Creta for everyone. Well, almost. What if you needed 7 seats ormore luggage capacity than what the standard Creta offers?

Enter the Hyundai Grand Creta, a stretched version of the Indian-built Creta. The facelifted Hyundai Creta is due to touch down in SA in the next few months, and that model will be sourced from Indonesia.

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What’s New?

To get from the standard Creta to the Grand Creta, Hyundai reworked its K2 platform. Compared with the Creta, the Grand Creta (known as the Alcazar in its home market) is 200 mm longer, fractionally taller, and has a 150-mm longer wheelbase. Frustratingly, the Korean brand’s spec sheet does not statea standard (5-seater configuration) luggage capacity; itdoes claimthat when the 50/50 split rear seats (which are only suitable for seating children) are in use, the load bay will hold 180litres, but that number balloons to a generous 1670 litres (of utility space) when the 2nd- and 3rd rows are folded.

The newcomer’s line-up follows a similar strategy to that of the standard Creta.The engines on offer are a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol unit with 117 kW and 191 Nm of torque and a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder turbodiesel motor that produces 85 kW and 250 Nm.The entry-level derivative has a 6-speed manual gearbox, whilethe rest of the range employs a 6-speed automatic transmission.

Click here for detailed specifications and features for the Hyundai Grand Creta

There are two levels of trim: Executive and Elite. The former includes automatic LED headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, leather trim, touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, reverse-viewcameraand wireless charging pad, while the Elite adds larger (18-inch) wheels, selectable drivemodes, panoramic sunroof, keyless entryand push-button start, front and rear parking sensors, and 2 fold-down traytables for the 2nd-row passengers.

An interesting feature is ventilated seats. Usually, wewould expectheated seats, because they take the sting out of wintery conditions, but, given the sometimes sweltering summers we experience in the Republic, we’ve come to realisethat seats with a cooling function are actually more appropriate for our market. A surprise omission on the Grand Creta, however, is a retractable luggage cover…

What’s the Grand Creta like to drive?

We’ve considerable experience of the Hyundai Creta (both generations of the model)and the Grand Creta, predictably, feels much the same to drive. During the media launch, we drove a Grand Creta 2.0 Elite automatic and the launch route comprised a fantastically diverse array of roads– the national highway, a mountain pass and plenty of gravel stretches.

It’s worth noting the Hyundai Grand Creta offers 200 mm of ground clearance and some trick “off-road” modes. While we’re sceptical of how effective electronic stability control-based trickery can be in aiding a front-wheel-drive family SUV on low-grip surfaces, there’s no doubting how useful that higher ride heightis, especially if you often drive on poorly maintained roads – regrettably, many of us do.

The first thing we noticed about the newcomer was its punchy engine, whichrevs freely, but the engine note does tend to get a bit loud and coarse in extremis. We’ve become spoilt by the currentgeneration of super-responsive small-capacity turbocharged engines, so theHyundai’s “old-school” 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated motor initially disappointed us with its lack of low-down urge…

However, to extract urgent overtaking acceleration, all you need to do is rev the motor hard. The 6-speed automatic ‘box operates smoothly;both up-and down changeswere executed without hesitation.

Overall, the Grand Creta’s driving experience is characterised by an overwhelmingfeeling of comfort and solidity. The 7-seat modeldoes feel like it’s set up primarily for on-road refinement – the vehicle feels reasonably well assembled, although we did notice a couple of creaks when our knees pressed againstthe transmission tunnel.

When the evaluation route changed fromasphalt- to dirt roads, we found the Hyundai’s suspension setup pliant; it absorbedmost of the ruts and jarring jolts that would otherwise translate tothe cabin.

By virtue of its longer wheelbase, the Grand Creta is a bit more composed on the rough stuff, Hyundai says, but we didn’t really notice a major difference between the on-road demeanours of the new model and its perenially popular 5-seater sibling. We’re sure that added ground clearance will come in handy when the Grand Creta’s used to mount pavements during frenetic Saturday morning shopping trips.

Summary

Likeits 5-seatersibling, the Grand Cretaoffers a generous level of specification anda choice of good engines– it’s a solid, well-made product – but ithas the added benefitof either two extra seats (for the little ones) or an even more capacious load bay. With the entry-level derivative of the stylish, more upmarket (and slightly bigger) newHyundai Tucson only retailing for R10k more than the mid-range Grand Creta 1.5 Executive Diesel AT (March 2022), we’d suggest that the best value in the range lies in the 2.0-litre petrol Executive versions.

Still, if spaciousness and the ability to transport up to 6 passengers in pinch is what you’re looking for from a compact family car, Hyundai’s newcomer clearly fits the bill.We’re keen to put the model’s additional practicality to the test soon, but based on our first impressions, the Hyundai Grand Creta is likely to propel the Creta range toeven greater local-sales success.

How much does the Hyundai Grand Creta Cost in South Africa?

All Cretaderivatives are sold with a 7-year/200 000 km manufacturer’s warranty, 4-year/60 000 km service plan and roadside assistance for 7 years or 150 000 km.

Further Reading:

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2022 Hyundai Creta facelift model revealed