logo
Hyundai Creta turns 10! The SUV that refuses to fade

Hyundai Creta turns 10! The SUV that refuses to fade

Time of India2 days ago
In the world of Indian automotive retail, few nameplates have held their ground as firmly, and as quietly, as the
Hyundai Creta
. A decade after it first arrived in showrooms, the Creta isn't just present in the
mid-size SUV
segment, it still defines it.
Since 2016, the Creta has consistently been the highest-selling SUV in its category, every single year. In the past 10 years, its cumulative sales have crossed 1.2 million units in the domestic market. The numbers speak volumes. A product line that now spans three full generations, multiple powertrains, and two special editions.
"
Hyundai
identified a fast-growing demand for compact SUVs among Indian buyers, especially as preferences started shifting from hatchbacks and sedans to vehicles offering more space, a higher driving position, and stronger road presence. At that time, the Indian compact SUV segment had started gaining traction, and models like the Renault
Duster
and Ford EcoSport were doing well. Hyundai aimed to disrupt this space with a global product tailored for local needs, " says Abhilash Gupta, Automotive Analyst, Counterpoint Research.
A product that grew with the market
When the Creta was launched in 2015, it entered a segment still in flux. Compact SUVs were just beginning to get serious buyer attention, and Hyundai's strategy was to deliver a product that felt premium, yet practical; urban, yet not too aggressive. That positioning hit a sweet spot. The Duster had made the space viable, but the Creta made it aspirational.
Gupta adds, "Hyundai conducted extensive research in India, including feedback from over 900 SUV owners and potential buyers."
The second-generation Creta, launched in 2020, leaned harder into features and tech, establishing new norms for what a mid-size SUV should offer. Its large infotainment display, connected car features, a panoramic sunroof, and the introduction of turbocharged petrol variants marked a clear upshift in customer expectations, expectations that competitors had to then catch up with.
"Hyundai offered a feature-rich package, an industry-first three-year unlimited warranty, and a total cost of ownership promise, appealing directly to the price-sensitive Indian consumer. Hyundai's direction was clear: build an aspirational yet accessible urban SUV for India's evolving and maturing car buyer," explains Gupta.
By the time the third-generation Creta arrived in 2024, Hyundai had refined the formula even further. From ADAS Level 2 features to dual 10.25-inch screens, from a more mature design language to a quieter, more premium drive feel, the 2024 model made one thing clear, Creta wasn't just keeping pace with the segment. It was still setting the pace.
A brand that transcends product cycles
Part of what makes the Creta story so interesting is how consistent its appeal has remained, even as the Indian buyer has evolved. Between January and June 2025, nearly 70 per cent of all Creta buyers opted for variants equipped with a sunroof, a strong signal that lifestyle features are now no longer optional for India's new-age buyer. What Hyundai has done well is to anticipate these shifts early, and scale features quickly across variants without making the product feel stretched or gimmicky.
Gupta explains, "Eight of 11 Creta trims now come with sunroofs, making this feature widely accessible across price points. The high take rate for sunroof models in Creta indicates a maturing, urban-centric customer base willing to pay for feel-good features over basic utility."
Even special editions have been handled with restraint. The Creta Knight Edition in 2022 brought in a darker, sportier look, while the Adventure Edition in 2023 played to outdoor and offbeat sensibilities. Neither strayed far from the core identity of the car, but both gave enough freshness to maintain excitement across showroom floors.
At a time when most mid-size SUVs refresh every three years and often vanish by year seven, the Creta's ability to hold attention, and market share, for ten straight years is a feat in itself. That it has done this while staying true to a mass-market premium positioning makes it even more impressive.
"Hyundai effectively creates a "tech-luxe" positioning within the mainstream compact SUV segment. A customer looking for this category's most feature-rich, connected, and semi-autonomous experience is naturally drawn to the Creta. This creates a powerful differentiator beyond just engine performance or design," feels Gupta.
Competition has evolved, but so has Creta
Today, the Creta competes with a long list of capable alternatives. Kia's Seltos has carved its own identity and is often seen as a sportier cousin. Maruti Suzuki's Grand Vitara and Toyota's Hyryder have made strong inroads with hybrid drivetrains and city-friendly efficiency. Volkswagen's Taigun and Skoda's Kushaq offer dynamic driving experiences with European engineering polish. Even the Honda Elevate has entered the fray with its understated value-first approach.
"The Creta's enduring dominance isn't due to a lack of competition, but rather Hyundai's mastery of a holistic strategy that competitors have struggled to match across the board," Gupta says.
Yet, none have been able to consistently dislodge the Creta from its perch. Hyundai's edge lies not in delivering one spectacular feature, but in maintaining a balance that few others manage. Powertrain choice, feature availability, brand value, resale comfort, dealer coverage, it all comes together to keep the Creta ahead without shouting.
Gupta elaborates, "In essence, Creta is successful because no competitor has delivered the same all-round package with the same level of consistency and nationwide appeal."
A decade in, still growing
What perhaps sums up the Creta's enduring success best is this: it doesn't compete with others so much as it competes with itself. Each generation, each refresh, has outdone the previous without trying to overcorrect. It's a model that evolves in rhythm with the market, not ahead or behind it.
And as the Indian SUV landscape continues to shift, with hybrids gaining ground, EVs entering in higher numbers, and buyer expectations rising, there's every indication that Hyundai will continue to invest in keeping the Creta relevant across multiple fuels and formats. But even in its internal combustion avatar, the Creta continues to outsell rivals and set the tone.
As of H1 2025, Hyundai sold around 4,000 units of the
Creta EV
in India, capturing an estimated 5 per cent share of the country's fast-growing BEV market. The Creta EV is priced, positioned, and specified as a 'tipping point,' but will need time and market tailwinds to match the original's runaway numbers. Creta EV arrives when rivals are also launching compelling, long-range, and feature-rich electric SUVs. Maintaining its 'default choice' status will depend on Hyundai's agility in scaling production and sustaining perceived value.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

PM Modi lands in London: All eyes on historic India-UK FTA signing
PM Modi lands in London: All eyes on historic India-UK FTA signing

First Post

time6 minutes ago

  • First Post

PM Modi lands in London: All eyes on historic India-UK FTA signing

This is a breaking development. Please refresh the page for the latest updates. read more Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in London during the early hours of Thursday (July 24). He is on a two-day visit to the UK and is seeking to strengthen defence, trade and technology ties. The formalisation of a long-awaited free trade agreement (FTA) is expected to dominate the agenda. The agreement, hailed as a landmark development, is likely to provide a major boost to economic ties between the two nations. Modi's arrival comes amid efforts by both governments to re-energise their strategic partnership, with hopes high that the deal will cement closer cooperation across multiple sectors. On Thursday, Modi is set to hold talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer that are expected to focus on delivering fresh momentum to bilateral relations. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Starmer will host Modi at Chequers, the British prime minister's official country residence located about 50 km northwest of London. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds are expected to sign the FTA in the presence of both leaders, according to people familiar with the matter. India and the UK reached an agreement on the FTA in May after nearly three years of negotiations. The deal will eliminate tariffs on 99% of Indian exports and make it easier for British firms to sell products such as whisky and cars in the Indian market, while expanding the overall trade basket. The deal is expected to offer full market access for Indian goods across all sectors. Officials said tariff elimination would apply to around 99% of tariff lines, covering nearly the entire trade value between the two countries. In addition to the FTA — described as the UK's most significant trade deal since its departure from the European Union — the two sides concluded a double contribution convention, exempting Indian employers from making social security payments in Britain for their workers. This is a breaking development. Please refresh the page for the latest updates. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

'Processed Food Is Not Bad': Union Minister Chirag Paswan
'Processed Food Is Not Bad': Union Minister Chirag Paswan

NDTV

time10 minutes ago

  • NDTV

'Processed Food Is Not Bad': Union Minister Chirag Paswan

New Delhi: Union Food Processing Minister Chirag Paswan on Wednesday stressed the need to correct the false narrative that processed food is bad for health. The Food Processing Industries Ministry has set up a committee in this regard, he added. Addressing a press conference to announce the World Food India event, Mr Paswan said that the level of food processing is still low in the country and there is a huge scope for growth in this sector. He said this sector can boost farmers' income and also provide huge job opportunities to youth. Mr Paswan spoke about "misleading advertisements" that brand processed food as "bad". False narratives are being set that processed food loses nutritional value, he added. Mr Paswan said there is a growing demand for ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook foods because of nuclear families and working couples. Food regulator FSSAI ensures the safety of food products, he added. Mr Paswan announced his ministry will hold the flagship conference 'World Food India 2025' in the national capital during September 25-28 to showcase investment potential in this sector and realise the vision of making the country a global food hub. This will be the fourth edition of World Food India. The event will be held on September 25-28 at Bharat Mandapam in the national capital. Industry body FICCI is the national event partner. He also launched a dedicated website and a mobile app for this upcoming event. The event will see participation from many countries. Food Processing Secretary Avinash Joshi said, "Our sector has demonstrated remarkable growth over last decade, now it contributes almost 1/5 of agri product export in the country. Yet we recognise that substantial untapped potential remains." He said the World Food India platform would help in realising this potential. Mr Joshi noted that the earlier editions were successful, and now the ministry intends to scale it further. He said the event will bring together a diverse array of participants, food processors, equipment manufacturers, packaging solution providers, logistic firms, technology developers, academia, startups, retail innovators, state and central government bodies and international delegates. He said one of the major highlights would be the CEOs' round table. More than 100 CEOs from India and overseas will engage directly with policymakers. The theme of World Food India will be based on five pillars -- Sustainability and net zero food processing; India as a Global Food Processing Hub; Frontiers in Food Processing, Products and Packaging Technologies; Food for Nutrition, Health, and Wellness; and Livestock & Marine Products - accelerating the Indian rural economy.

UP gears up for tourism overhaul: Services, jobs, heritage in focus
UP gears up for tourism overhaul: Services, jobs, heritage in focus

Hindustan Times

time10 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

UP gears up for tourism overhaul: Services, jobs, heritage in focus

LUCKNOW The UP tourism department on Wednesday announced a series of public-focused reforms aimed at boosting tourism, creating local employment and preserving cultural heritage, during a high-level departmental review meeting held at Paryatan Bhawan here. Now, tourist places would be better maintained and have more local homestay options with enriched cultural experiences. (Pic for representation) At the heart of the new directives is the urgent push to fill long-pending vacancies across the tourism and culture department, especially at the district level, which has impacted service delivery to citizens and tourists alike. Officials were instructed to fill pending vacancies immediately — through outsourcing if necessary — to ensure smoother operations in local tourism offices. 'Citizens of UP will soon feel a shift towards a more accessible, community-centred and accountable tourism ecosystem. As the state readies to revise its policies and rejuvenate its institutions, public benefit remains the central theme — from more jobs and better services to a stronger connection with UP's diverse cultural identity,' said minister of tourism and culture Jaiveer Singh during the meeting. He emphasized that the state's 2022 tourism policy will be reframed, drawing best practices from other Indian states, to reflect current needs and public expectations. Now, tourist places would be better maintained and have more local homestay options with enriched cultural experiences. Officials were warned against delays or negligence in implementing public projects. Local jobs, local culture Recognising the untapped potential of rural and tribal regions, officials agreed that homestays be introduced in villages showcasing the unique Tharu tribe culture. This initiative aims to provide employment and income for rural families, while giving tourists an authentic cultural experience. The officials stressed over the importance of developing eco-tourism, calling for a long-term plan to create sustainable destinations that support local ecosystems and economies. The Ganga Gram initiative, which focuses on villages along the sacred river, will be fast-tracked, with all relevant data to be submitted to headquarters promptly. Bringing the world to UP On the international front, officials proposed a strategic outreach campaign to attract foreign tourists, especially from Buddhist countries. The ministry will seek coordination with Indian embassies abroad and request support from the ministry of external affairs to organize roadshows and cultural exchange programmes, building UP's image as a spiritual and cultural hub. Protecting heritage, reviving assets To strengthen historical awareness and educational tourism, officials agreed for installation of informative plaques at heritage sites and historical documentation of each location. The progress on various infrastructure projects was also reviewed, including guest houses and tourism units and emphasized turning loss-making properties into viable assets through public-private partnerships (PPP), where necessary. Illegal encroachments on departmental lands will be removed in coordination with local administrations, and those spaces will be utilized for public-benefit projects, they added. Culture dept under scanner The culture department came under close scrutiny, as the minister expressed dissatisfaction over slow implementation of previous directives. He reviewed recruitment processes, procurement of statues and performance of cultural academies and institutions. The minister reiterated the government's commitment to preserving and promoting the state's rich artistic legacy while ensuring better governance and transparency. Two new MoUs were also signed during the meeting, indicating ongoing collaborations and future partnerships. The meeting was attended by principal secretary Mukesh Kumar Meshram, special secretary Isha Priya (tourism), special secretary Sanjay Kumar Singh (culture), among others.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store