By Malusi Msomi

Meet the second-generation facelifted Hyundai Creta. It gets a fresh new face whilst the interior remains largely untouched.

Styling

The Creta now has an updated front-end which is a welcomed change as the car now resembles the good-looking Hyundai Tucson. As standard, the updated Creta comes with 17-inch wheels and LED headlights with day time running lights. To be honest, the styling of the pre-face wasn’t that great, and we’re glad Hyundai has redeemed themselves with this facelift.

Interior

Not much has changed on the inside aside from the black trim which has given the cabin a bit more taste and is a welcomed change. Also, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto has made life easier, eliminating the fight with cables when its time to unplug and hop out the car. It is good to point out that as much as the cabin is roomy, it is quite plasticky. That said, it does make up for it with comfortable black artificial leather seats.

Power

Powering the Creta is a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engine that produces 84kW/144Nm (and is employed across the range). The baby SUV sends power to the front wheels via a CVT transmission. it offers decent performance for daily driving and overtaking on the highway. We would however love to see the frugal diesel engine make a comeback. Hyundai claims 6.3 L/100km but we manage to average around 6.8 L/100km during our stint.

Safety

In terms of safety, this range-topping executive model gets 6 airbags, ISOFIX child seat attachments, tyre pressure monitoring, ESC, ABS and Hill Assist Control.

Verdict

The facelifted Hyundai Creta has the recipe for a good family car with ample space, a decent engine and uncomplicated interior. Pricing for the Hyundai Creta Executive IVT starts from R479,900.