We put the specs of the Kia Seltos vs Hyundai Creta to see how these sibling SUVs from the sibling brands compare against each other on paper.
Kia Motors just launched the Seltos SUV here in India. The Seltos is Kia Motor’s first product in India and it has been much anticipated for. The Kia Seltos sits in the highly competitive mid-size SUV segment that includes the likes of the Hyundai Creta, the MG Hector, the Tata Harrier and also the Jeep Compass.
The Kia Seltos’s sibling, the Hyundai Creta has been on Indian roads for many years now and is one the most loved SUVs in the segment. In fact, the Creta is about to face its biggest threat it has seen in its lifetime. With the car officially launched now, we thought of comparing these two siblings to see which fares better.
Here we take a closer look at how the Seltos fares against the Creta, the two sibling SUVs from the two sibling brands, on paper.
Kia Seltos vs Hyundai Creta – Engine Specifications (Petrol)
| Model | Kia Seltos | Hyundai Creta |
| Engine | 1.5L Petrol/1.4L Turbo Petrol Engine | 1.6L,Dual VTVT Petrol Engine |
| Power | 115 Bhp/140 Bhp | 122 Bhp |
| Torque | 144 Nm/242 Nm | 151 Nm |
| Transmission | 6-speed Manual, CVT/7-speed DCT | 6-speed manual/6-speed Torque Converter |
The Kia Seltos has two petrol engine options – a naturally aspirated 1.5L, petrol engine and a 1.4L, turbocharged petrol engine. The Creta on the other hand only has a 1.6L, naturally aspirated petrol engine.
Comparing the numbers of the naturally aspirated engines of both the cars, the Hyundai Creta is just marginally ahead in all aspects, be it displacement, power or torque. But that shouldn’t make much real world difference. The Seltos has the advantage of a more powerful turbocharged engine which will just widen its spectrum and make it attractive to buyers looking for a sporty SUV. Both cars have 6-speed manuals. But the Seltos gets a CVT and a 7-speed DCT for its automatic options while the Creta only gets a 6-speed torque converter.
Kia Seltos vs Hyundai Creta – Engine Specifications (Diesel)
| Model | Kia Seltos | Hyundai Creta |
| Engine | 1.5L, CRDi Diesel Engine | 1.4/1.6L, CRDi Diesel Engine |
| Power | 115 Bhp | 89/127 Bhp |
| Torque | 250 Nm | 220/260 Nm |
| Transmission | 6-speed manual/6-speed Torque Converter | 6-speed manual/6-speed manual, 6-speed Torque Converter |
About the diesel engines, the Kia Seltos just has one 1.5L, diesel engine while the Hyundai Creta gets two diesel engines – a 1.4L and a 1.6L diesel engine. The smaller engine in the Creta is quite less powerful than the one in the Seltos. In fact, its the same engine that comes in the Grand i10 and the Elite i20.
On the other hand, the bigger engine in the Creta is a little more powerful than the one on the Seltos, significant enough to make a real world difference. Torque too is higher for the Creta. The smaller engine in the Creta only comes with a 6-speed manual transmission while the bigger engine is at par with the manual and the torque converter in the Seltos.
Kia Seltos vs Hyundai Creta – Dimensions
| Dimensions | Kia Seltos | Hyundai Creta |
| Length | 4,315 mm | 4,270 mm |
| Width | 1,800 mm | 1,780 mm |
| Height | 1,620 mm | 1,665 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,610 mm | 2,590 mm |
Well, the Kia Seltos is bigger than the Hyundai Creta is most fronts. Other than the height, the Seltos is bigger in terms of length, width and also wheelbase. Naturally, the Seltos will also be a little more spacious on the interiors as well. The Hyundai Creta is just a bit taller than the Seltos but none look overwhelmingly bigger than the other. Both cars are based on the same platform anyway.
Also Read : Kia Seltos Vs Tata Harrier Comparison – Engine, Dimension And Prices
Exterior Design
The Hyundai Creta has always been a favorite for the Indian market. There’s nothing quite flashy about the Creta. It’s just a traditional SUV design which is simple, yet elegant and it works just fine for most customers. The recent facelift added a lot more contemporary touch and the upright stance with simple lines keeps the Creta a good looking SUV till this date. The Creta is due a generation change next year and you can certainly expect it get lot more flashier then, if that is your taste.
On the other hand, the Seltos is all about that drama. The sharp lines beautifully brings out the muscles in the Seltos. The car is very proportionate, has the perfect stance and the LED head lamps and tail lamps will take your heart away. The details on the Seltos are really impressive like knurled finish on the tiger nose grille. The Seltos is easily the better looking SUV. It’s looks smart, contemporary and you definitely will turn your head when it goes down the road. Nevertheless, looks are a subjective matter and both cars look good in their own individual way.
Also Read : Kia Seltos Vs MG Hector – Specifications Comparison
Interiors and Features
The Hyundai Creta is an old car now and comparing its features with a brand new Kia isn’t really fair. However, the Creta is due a generation change as said earlier, and the new Creta will surely come loaded to the brim like the Seltos. Hyundai and Kia are sister brands after all and Hyundai would leave no stone unturned to keep the Creta competitive. Still, looking at the age of Creta, it still comes very well equipped.
However, it is the Kia with a better interior design scheme and better ergonomics. It is loaded with every feature you can image of and then some more. Quality of materials and fit and finish are absolutely great as well. It even gets connected car technologies and also a heads-up display. The design of the dashboard also looks very premium and it also has better interior space than the Creta.
Prices
The Hyundai Creta is priced from Rs 9.60 lakh to Rs 15.65 lakh, ex-showroom. The Seltos has been launched today in India with a starting price of Rs. 9.69 lakhs, and goes all the way up to Rs. 15.99 lakhs. Kia has absolutely nailed the segment with the pricing of the Seltos. It promises to be much more value for money than the Creta considering the level of equipment, the wide variety of engine configurations and the stunning looks as well. However, there’s a new-gen Creta arriving to our market next year and we will see how the new Creta fares against the Seltos. Till then, the Kia Seltos will easily rule the market.
