Crowning Glory

The judgement was passed, obituaries were written, and the guillotine was readied for the first-generation Hyundai Creta as its crown was quickly passed on to a new rival without realizing that the second-generation avatar was on the horizon. As expected, the 2020 Creta took the market by storm, but no one could have scripted a fairy tale return as it became the best-selling vehicle in May, a first for an SUV to take the numero uno position on the sales charts, beating the popular hatchbacks. Hyundai continued to stamp its authority and it remains the only SUV in the top five best sellers list, selling a whopping 11,549 units in July. Now, as impressive as the numbers are, what one really wants to know is how the new Creta actually is and so, we got behind the wheel just to find out.  The Creta is available in three powertrain options — 1.4-litre turbo petrol, 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol and the 1.5-litre diesel. If you’re not already spoilt with choices, the SUV also offers a plethora of transmissions — three automatic options and two six-speed manuals. As the Creta sells over 55% diesel units, the mainstay will continue to be the