By Malusi Msomi

The crossover SUV segment in Mzansi is a hotly contested one with manufacturers having to bring something unique or a cost-effective approach to get ahead of the rest. Interestingly enough, the recently locally launched Hyundai Grand Creta seems to be bringing two important factors to the table, that being practicality and good fuel economy. Here are our thoughts on Hyundai’s family crossover SUV.

Styling

In terms of design, the front gets its inspiration from the Hyundai Palisade with its bold front grille and its dark chrome accents which make it look quite striking. The Grand Creta is easily distinguishable by its extra length which houses the two extra seats. The rear is pretty clean with a twin-tip exhaust completing the look. As standard, it gets LED headlights, LED daytime running lights and 17-inch wheels.

Interior

Stepping inside the Grand Creta is quite a simple affair with a clean and easy-to-reach layout. As standard, you get an 8-inch touch screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging and cruise control. Although the interior looks great, especially the seats, there’s extensive use of plastics across the cabin which won’t be a deal breaker for most. As a 7-seater, you’re looking at 5 adults and two kids set up due to the limited space of the third-row seats. When the latter is folded down, it avails an abundance of space for luggage.

The Drive

The 1.5 Diesel Elite AT employs a 4-cylinder diesel engine that produces 85kW and 250Nm. Power is sent to the front wheels via a smooth-shifting 6-speed automatic. Not the fastest on the planet but good enough for overtaking and certainly good for highway cruising. In our current climate of expensive fuel costs, we were quite thrilled with it as we managed to average between 5.0 and 5.5 l/100 km of everyday driving.

Safety

On the safety side, the new Grand Creta is equipped with frontal and side airbags for the driver and front passenger and two curtain airbags. It also comes with Hill-Start Assist Control rear park assist and an Electronic Stability Program (ESP). The outer seats in the second row are fitted with ISOFIX anchorage points for a child safety seat.

Summary

It’s a unique prospect from Hyundai as its size rivals’ cars such as the VW Tiguan and Toyota RAV4 but it comes in significantly lower in pricing. The Grand Creta, especially the 1.5 diesel variants, have an ace up its sleeve with its frugal engine. Pricing for the Hyundai Grand Creta 1.5 Diesel Executive starts from R517,900.