Hyundai Creta N Line - A Real update or just a gimmick - Time to find out

Creta N Line has tweaked suspension setup, better steering feedback & the brakes also feel enhanced. Do the new changes make any difference in the driving experience or not?

N line series started with i20 with minimal mechanical and cosmetic changes and it has continued to flow in the top-selling cars with a performance engine just like Venue 1.0 TGDi & now in Creta 1.5 TGDI

N line got its inspiration from WRC (World Rally Championship) and Hyundai has successfully integrated it into 3 products, Creta being the latest one.

Hyundai Creta is selling close to 15,000 units every month and comes under the top 10 selling cars, to be under Top 5 Hyundai has thought of releasing it in the N Line version.

Design

Hyundai has made many changes in the facelifted Creta and you will see noticeable changes in the N Line version of it too, N Line creta has different color options too as Hyundai is offering it in 6 color options like Thunder Blue, Shadow Grey, Atlas White, Atlas White With Abyss Black, Titan Grey, and Abyss Black.

Front Profile

Creta N Line has a revised bumper, the front bumper looks quite different from the existing one, it has got new diagonally travelling slants now which has got satin finish. The design of the air curtains has been changed and this bumper looks more prominent now, placing and boxing of Radar is the same though.

 The grill has been redesigned too and now it gets a honeycomb mesh pattern with dual-tone setup. Bumper also has Red inserts which flow throughout the lower body of the SUV.

Side profile

There are no such changes in the side profile except the alloy wheels. The new alloy wheels are now having a more spooky pattern and are now smoked out. This blacked-out effect is giving it a sportier look. The size of the tire has been upgraded to R18 too with lowering the aspect ratio to 55, making it more stable at high speeds.

The door handles are body-coloured now unlike the chrome handles given in the regular Creta. Dual-tone treatment gives it a much better appeal now.

Rear Profile

Rear looks have also been updated, it now gets dual exhaust. Rear bumper is revised too, this now gets an updated rear bumper, it gets a new reflector and the placing is also horizontal unlike vertically placed in the regular Creta. Red line continues here too, the rear spoiler is now dual-doored and newly added.

Dimensions

Creta N Line sizes the same as the regular Creta. Hyundai Creta dimensions are 4300 mm in length, 1790 mm in width, and 1635 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2610 mm.

Interiors

1st Row

 Creta N Line has all-black interiors with a touch of red, the red inserts can be found around the dashboard, red line around the AC Vents, and glove box give it a contrasting appearance, these red inserts can also be found around the instrument cluster and infotainment system, while gear knob, steering wheel, and leather seats do have thready touch which gives it a great touch.

The magnetic pad from the creta has been retained. A completely new steering wheel has been added in Creta N Line, this new steering wheel has been carried forward from the existing i20 & Venue N Line versions. 

This steering wheel doesn't have a flat bottom rather a round elliptical, this steering wheel has many buttons which are ergonomically placed. Steering wheel also has dechromed elements, while it can be adjusted manually to & fro, telescopically. Pedals are also metalled with black grip inserts giving it a sportier touch, a dead pedal is placed rightly though.

You get the same instrument cluster and infotainment system as offered in regular creta. Both measure 10.25 inches while it's a seamless integrated curvilinear infotainment and cluster screen added with Bose premium sound 8 speaker system with front central speaker & subwoofer. This infotainment system has a smooth touch response and is one of the best infotainment systems in the segment, it also offers android auto and apple carplay which can also be connected wirelessly.

Other features include Hyundai Blue Link (connected car technology), Voice recognition, Steering wheel with audio & Bluetooth controls, Over-the-air (OTA) updates for map and infotainment, Home to car (H2C) with Alexa, Tilt & Telescopic steering wheel, Idle stop & go (ISG), Glove Box cooling, Paddle shifters, Cruise control, Traction control modes (Snow, Mud, Sand), Drive mode select (Eco, Normal, Sport, Smartphone wireless charger, Electric parking brake with auto hold, Front row ventilated seats & many more. My personal favourite is the Dual-zone automatic temperature control (DATC), one doesn't have to worry about the passenger now, you can adjust the temperature without worrying about another person sitting.

2nd Row 

Second row is comfortable and the seat gives enough underthigh support, the knee room and the legroom are marginally good, you won't have to worry about the recline angle too, you can even adjust it to 2 steps for your convenience. Headroom is good but not the best. I am 5’10” and people above my height might feel their head touching the roofline.

The rear row also gets a small floor hump although it won't affect you much if there are 3 people sitting in the rear row. 2nd row also offers rear AC vents with adjustment control, small storage space, armrest with cup holders, 3 adjustable headrests (with N Line badged cushions), 3 pointed seat belts (3), charging slots (c type), window sunshades, ISOFIX mounts, bottle holders, rear row individual reading lamps, rear row seats with pocket sleeves, grab handles with a coat hook.

Those looking for a Creta N Line for long drives can consider it as it offers good comfort not only on the front but also on the 2nd row. One can easily travel 400-500 KMs non-stop without taking a halt.

Panoramic sunroof is also offered with N Line and the best part is its voice-enabled. You can easily get its access either through the buttons provided on the roof of the front row or even through voice commands. Dashcam is available with a dual-camera setup while it's only offered in the N8 variant and the N10 variant is skipped, the dashcam is an important feature and OEMs must take care of such small yet important features.

Boot

Boot space management looks good , Hyundai offers a 433L of boot space which is good as compared to the segment. The boot is flat and there isn't any loading lip so that the luggage carrying and dropping is easy.

There are 2 small extra storage spaces at the side corner where you can fit small equipment like a torch, puncture repair kit, etc. There are 60:40 seats which can be folded in the same ratio making it a practical choice while carrying good amount of luggage , shifting homes or even on the trips followed by 2 people. There’s a parcel tray & a boot lamp added to this boot. The spare wheel accommodate is a 17” 215/60 section steel wheel , the Creta gets a 16” wheel though.

Unique Features which i like the most

• Rear window sunshade protects you from the UV rays and also maintains a little privacy within the SUV.
• ADAS L2 features the best active safety features making it a good choice for people looking for a safe car. Features like Forward Collision - Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Departure Warning, High Beam Assist, Rear Cross - Traffic Collision - Avoidance Assist, Blind-spot view monitor , etc makes it a good preference among the competition.
  Small add ons like the magnetic pad, individual reading lamps, headrest cushion, ventilated seats and home to car with  Alexa gives it a personal touch.

Missing Features

• Dashcam available only in N8 variant and skipped in the upper N10 variant.
• No Auto wipers which are even available in the SUV’s much smaller & affordable than N Line is completely ignored.
• Illumination on the window buttons are skipped
• Spare wheel is not a full size alloy rather a 17” 215/60 steel wheel.

Drive Experience

Engine

Hyundai Creta N Line is offered with only single engine option as 1.5 TGDI engine which has been added to Hyundai's & Kia’s fleet of cars. This engine was prior added to Hyundai Verna ,Kia Seltos & facelifted Hyundai Creta, it's a better upgrade over the 1.4 TGDI engine though as the previous one wasn't BS6 Stage 2 ready. This engine produces 160PS @5500 RPM giving a max. Torque of 253NM@1500-3500 RPM, it's the maximum power produced in the segment by any engine.

Hyundai Creta N Line is offered with a proper 6 speed manual transmission & a 7 speed DCT for AT peeps while other cars with the same engine are either available with an IMT or with a DCT & no manual transmission.

NVH

This engine is refined though and the NVH’s are controlled. All the pedals as well as the gear knob will give you vibration free experience , any part of the SUV also feels vibrationless. This engine is very silent at idle and you may get confused even if the engine is start or not. Insulation is done thoroughly so full marks on NVH. The exhaust note is disappointing though, it doesn't give that grunt which is available in the i20 N Line and the Venue N Line.

Drive

This engine is impressive , indeed. You will not feel any turbo lag and the turbo kicks in right away from 1500 rpm. This engine has the best grunt and once you throttle it , it will keep you going till the top speed. I have achieved a top speed of 200 KMPH with this engine and an electronic limiter has been added thereafter , so it doesn't jump above 200kmph.

This engine has great performance both for city & highway drive , the engine is capable of doing quick acceleration and sudden overtakes. 7 Speed DSG is good , it shifts the gear quickly , the best part is you have paddle shifters which can be used for sports mode. A & B pedals are distanced , your feet won't overlap each other in any case.

Creta N Line gives you the best of both the world , it's quick, fast & even comfortable and stable round the corners. Its monocoque design gives it low body roll and good centre of gravity to keep it stable even on the corners.

While it's stable on highways and even on the potholes , the body roll won't affect your comfort much. The suspensions are the regular mcpherson strut & torsion beam , these suspensions are firm and are only good for good roads. Crossing uneven surfaces will be tricky , slower speed and better drive can only make your comfort settle.

These suspensions are capable of stabilising the SUV at high speeds and around the corners. You won't feel much body roll because of these suspension though. Windshield area is big, and the bonett is visible making it easy to drive even on the most complex and claustrophobic roads. Size of ORVM and IRVM are sufficiently good in size.

The A pillar is kept thin, it doesn't obstruct your view much even on the U turns. Due to proper insulation there is no wind noise , Creta N Line easily cuts air and gives you laminar flow at higher speeds. Tyre noise are evident above 120 kmph. Front and rear disc brake works quite efficiently , reducing the braking distance. Steering feedback is also good , the newer steering is a bit hard compared to the Creta’s steering wheel but this steering wheel is quite balanced for the feedback it offers.

Mileage

Hyundai claims that Creta N Line has a mileage of 18 Kmpl on Manual Transmission while 18.2Kmpl on DSG transmission while when performed a brim to brim mileage test we found out its mileage to be at 13.8kmpl , we drove it for 20 kms in city while 32 kms on highways and refuelled the tank for the mileage test. Please note, we drove a DSG transmission during this test.

Pros

• 1.5 TGDI engine is gem of a kind
• New steering wheel design, N badges throughout the SUV and total black interiors gives it a sportier feel
• Stiffer suspension and weighted steering wheel makes it different from the regular Creta
• Safety packed with 6 airbags , ADAS L2 , TPMS , VSC, VSM & many more

Cons

• Firmer suspension doesn't make it apt for rough roads
• Dashcam is only available in the N8 variant
• Hyundai misses out on the Auto wipers & illuminated window controls

Carbike360 Says

Creta is right now the most selling mid size SUV making it to 15,000 sales per month. Creta N Line is also the most sportier option available in the segment , it's a good SUV to opt for under a budget of 22-24 lakhs (N10 Variant price on road). The only competition i see around is the Kia Seltos X Line but the fact is it's not having those small mechanical changes like firm suspension, harder steering wheel which Creta N Line is having. Creta N Line does not come under value for money proposition but one can easily consider it for the features it offers, the drive pleasure it offers and also for the active safety features that have been added nicely.