Took a random test drive of the Creta & ended up buying it: 30K km up

I went to the showroom to cancel my pre-booking of the Hyundai Venue as it was too compact for my liking.

BHPian Artyom recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

After getting married and moving to Bangalore, I felt the need for a 4-wheeler as the frequent trips on my beloved Apache 160 were becoming tiresome and so the search began.

Being my first car, I was apprehensive about buying a bigger vehicle, especially in Bangalore.

One fine day I was talking to my dad, and he brought up the idea of relocating our Alto 800 from Punjab to Bangalore. This would meet our requirements and so the vehicle was relocated to Bangalore in February 2014.

We thoroughly enjoyed the trips to Ooty, Kabini, Coorg, Mangalore, Gokarna, and Pondicherry in our beloved Alto and it drove like a charm.

Fast forward to 2019, we observed our trips were getting frequent and the distance we were travelling was increasing. Alto was capable enough to travel from point A to B but it was not that comfortable and so we decided to make the move to something bigger which offers features and comfort.

Finally, we sold the Alto at 28k Odo Reading after 5 years.

Budget

It was finalized- 11-11.5 OTR Bangalore

Priorities

Petrol as our running didn’t qualify to buy a Diesel.
High Ground clearance.
NA Engine strictly with Manual Transmission.
Tried and tested mechanicals.
5-seater with decent boot space.
Quality fit and finish for Interiors.

Coincidentally there were a couple of new launches, so we kept our options flexible just in case.

The test drives were taken in the following order:

Ford EcoSport

First test drive & we felt at home. The build was top-notch and the commanding position was a new experience. Despite being a 3 cylinder, it was refined. The suspension was on the harder side and within the city was a little unsettling.

XUV 300

The size was overwhelming. The interiors were too flashy and the test drive vehicle had squeaks and sounds coming which the SA couldn’t explain. Plus, it was a Turbo unit. It was a proper 5-seater though.

Venue

Had been following the launch and were impressed with the features on offer and we felt it was the right choice so pre-booked it. On the day of the launch, we both sat in the front seats and to our disappointment, it felt claustrophobic. We were so disappointed that we immediately visited the Ford showroom which was next door and sat in EcoSport’s cabin to observe the difference and mind you it was considerable. We took a TD of the DCT version and felt just OK. Space was a major concern. It’s a strict 4-seater.

Duster

We took the TD for the manual variant, and it was Ok. The SA was least interested to sell the vehicle. That clubbed with the dwindling sales we felt it was better to drop it.

We took multiple test drives of all the vehicles above to ensure we take an informed decision.

We had finalized EcoSport Titanium Plus and were about to book but at the last minute, we were told that Ford is not taking bookings for Titanium + and there was a facelift in the works. I read through various forums and all of them said the facelift will have a lot of options removed which usually made EcoSport a value-for-money option. Again, I was left disappointed.

I had almost given up and thought let’s take a break and resume the hunt after a few months with a fresh mind. Since Venue was dropped, I wanted a refund so visited Trident Hyundai. It was a busy weekend as Venue had just launched and the staff was busy catering the customers. I was waiting for them to process the refund.

It was taking time, so I started glancing through the models casually and saw the Creta on display. To kill time, I asked the SA to give me a test drive and so he obliged.

It was a Top model Manual transmission test vehicle. Oh boy. Instantly we felt we are sitting in a bigger and more spacious vehicle with a refined engine. The acceleration was butter smooth and it had oodles of space for the 2 of us. Cabin was quiet. Fit and finish was A level. I took 2 test drives back-to-back.

After the TD we both were perplexed. There was a major bump in the price (11.5 Lakhs vs 15.45 Lakhs). I felt that if we go with Creta it will be a future-proof buy. This was the last iteration of the 1st Gen Creta which meant all the niggles were sorted out. I wasn’t a fan of the new-gen Creta looks so if it was Creta it had to be this model.

It was almost 8 pm and I quickly called my parents to discuss, and my dad said. “Buy what brings a smile to your face” and the decision was made. We finally booked Creta SX 1.6 Petrol Manual.

Booking, PDI, Delivery Experience

The Booking was seamless, and the delivery date was promised 1 month from booking.

25 days later I followed up and no one had a clue where the vehicle was. I had to escalate and finally got the status and ETA. I got the VIN allocated to the vehicle from the SA and then checked and it was fresh out of the oven piece.

Did the PDI 1 day before delivery and it was to my satisfaction.

Finally “Artyom” as I call him came home on 19th June 2019. Overall, the experience was satisfactory.

What I Like

In the dying breed of NA 4-cylinder engines, it’s one of its kind 1.6 Litre unit.
Fit, finish and quality of interiors are holding up fine without issues.
Easily can accommodate 5 people
Soft suspension makes the city drives a breeze and gobbles up the bumps.
Seating position and seat comfort have been phenomenal. I have driven 18 hours straight and was surprised there was no fatigue or backache.
FE is acceptable considering it’s a 1.6 liter engine (11.5 in City and 15-17 on Highway)
A lot has been said about its braking but in my experience, I have encountered the notorious issue 2 or 3 times that too on a gravel surface. Other than that, it has worked effortlessly. No Complaints.
The steering weighs up as the speed increases and unless you are 135+ you will not feel nervous.
I have done Bangalore – Punjab trip twice with a full load and I never felt the engine is underpowered.
Very good NVH insulation especially coming from an Alto.
AC is satisfactory and chills in no time.
Touch and feel of all buttons and click reeks quality.
Gear shifts are butter smooth without any jerks.
HU is no nonsense unit with basic features working without any surprises.
Service Costs and spare availability is acceptable.

What could have been better

OEM tires were the lowest of the grade, 3 tires had gone bad within the first year due to manufacturing defects. Fortunately, they were replaced with help from a friend.
No 12V socket in the boot.
It has a Projector setup which is useless on highways especially when the oncoming traffic is using high beam. Even driving during the night, the throw of light is very weak.
At this price point telescopic steering adjustment should have been provided.
Ground clearance at 190mm is lower than the competition.
This is not a vehicle for enthusiasts and is more suited for sedated driving.

Parts Replaced so far (Mechanical Issues)

At 19947 Km I faced a pre-mature Slave Cylinder failure which was replaced under warranty.

Niggles

Squeaking noise from the rear seats which was due to a loose locking and was fixed by the Service Center.

Aftermarket Accessories / Additional fitments or Purchases

Sensairy TPMS (Internal)
Dashcam (Front and Back)
Roof Wrapped
Ceramic Coating (IGL Kenzo)
Tyre Inflator
Jumper Cables
Under body Coating

Service Maintenance Costs

1st Service -> Zero
2nd Service -> 4359 Inr
3rd Service -> 7081 Inr
4Th Service -> 13365 Inr
Total-> 24,805 in 3 years 8 months

Challans

Two Challans for Over speeding while passing Telangana.
One Challan for wrong parking in Bangalore.

Dents and Breakages

1st dent courtesy of a luggage carrier who couldn’t brake on time and scrapped the rear right side. Painful but can’t help.
Multiple Chippings on the front windshield were observed.
Left Side rear View Mirror cracked while parking so got it replaced.

Future Plans

If all goes well the next trip will be to the Northeast followed by a Leh Ladakh trip. Travelogue will follow rest assured.
I will be extending the warranty till the 7th year soon to ensure peace of mind. Currently, it’s till the 5th year.
Changing the tires in another 10000 Kilometers and Brake pads during the next service.