Hyundai Creta Electric review

A generous shade card shows off the Creta EV in 10 colours, and one of my favourites is the matte Ocean Blue that looks oh-so-Swedish. The freshness is highlighted by the 17in aero wheels with specially designed tyres for low rolling resistance. Up front, an N-Line-like face is dotted with a pixelated grille that is reminiscent of the brand’s global design language for EVs. Active aero flaps lower down the bumper open up when the Creta EV is in Drive mode and, when not, neatly blend into a handsome-looking face. Not much has changed at the rear besides the electric badging and some matte silver trim pieces around the bumper.

The cabin, while familiar with its dual 10.25in screen layout, gets a lighter colour scheme to match the overall theme of conscious mobility. Both the front seats get 8-way power adjustment now, and the driver also gets two memory positions. Borrowed from the Alcazar, the front passenger seat can also be controlled by the rear passengers with the side-mounted  buttons and even tablet holders for the rear seat passengers! Made from recycled materials, the seat material  itself is all-new and a first for a made-in-India Hyundai.

More importantly, the EV architecture frees up space for a lot more storage in the centre console due to its new floating design. Cooled storage boxes in the armrest and a cooled glovebox increase options for hydration on the move too! The only real sore point is the EV-specific steering wheel, which, while well finished, just looks a bit dorky. Especially when compared to the sporty design on the Creta N-line. Functionality is ace though, with buttons for ADAS, media, voice assistant, and trip info all very ergonomically placed.

Aiding in practicality, the Creta electric also gets a frunk with 22L of storage, and it’s neatly concealed in a plastic case that’s designed to mimic an engine cover.

One of the best OEM car apps around, Hyundai’s BlueLink keeps getting better with age, and for the electric, Hyundai has made some strides. A grand total of 268 voice commands can be memorised if you’re inclined to treat your Creta electric like your Jarvis. All the usual connected car features via the app get covered too, while the digital key converts your smartphone into a key and, once placed in the wireless charging tray, can even allow you to switch on the car. Seven devices and three different users can avail of this access and can be very handy when the car is shared across family members and locations.

All the everyday goodies we’ve come to expect from the Creta brand are still intact, including ventilated front seats, rain-sensing wipers, automatic headlights, surround view camera, ADAS, panoramic sunroof, a wireless charger, an 8-speaker Bose audio system, and USB-C ports front and back. But unfortunately, Hyundai still believes in keeping our phones tethered for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Why, Hyundai, why?

Hyundai has favoured the tried-and-tested NMC battery chemistry for its high density and efficiency, much like most of the competition. The two variants available at launch will be a 51.4kWh version with a power output of 171PS and a claimed range of 473km, while the smaller 42kWh version churns out 135PS and is good for 390km. Both will support fast DC charging up to 100kW, but even with a 11kW home AC charger, 4hr 50 mins and 4hrs respectively isn’t a bad turnaround from 10%-100% charge status.

 

 

 

 

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There’s plenty of information available via the app or the on-screen infotainment system on State of Charge, charging limit, EV charging stations display, scheduled charging, and vehicle-to-load discharge limit setting. The last one being extremely crucial in ensuring you have enough juice to get back home after impressing everyone by screening a movie in the middle of Sarchu plains powered by the Creta electric’s V2L function.

Its crowning glory though has to be the in-car payment option for EV charging stations. Integrated into the MapMyIndia navigation, it shows you the closest EV charging stations, which you can further filter out by in-car payment-compatible options, and once at the charger, it simply allows you to select the bay and even choose your preferred method of charging - by percentage, cost, or duration. A digital wallet that resides in the BlueLink app automatically makes the payment, and you just have to plug the charger gun in.

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With every new EV launch, manufacturers are making tall claims about increasing the footprint of chargers, and by 2027, the ecosystem is likely to be a lot more mature than it is now. Good thing then that the Creta electric comes with an 8-year battery warranty. In the meantime, there’s some solace for Mumbaikars in the fact that the Creta Electric has been tested for 420mm of water wading for short stints and that should give you an edge over ICE-engined SUVs if the going gets wet.

Driving from Chennai en route to Pondicherry in the 51.4kWh version, there was no dearth of shove, and in Sport mode, the initial acceleration was smile-inducing if not pin-you-to-your-seat shocking. The Creta electric is all about smoothness and linearity, and the regen paddles on the steering wheel play a vital role, both in putting charge back into the battery and also making your driving more effortless by means of single-pedal driving. The four levels of regen, once mastered, can almost entirely be used in lieu of the brake pedal. Superbly calibrated, these regen modes also work with the Smart Cruise Control function as part of its ADAS Level-2 suite. Once activated, the Creta electric will keep a safe distance between itself and the leading car and modulate it using the regen modes, helping you to gain charge better than you could do it yourself, perhaps.

In i-Pedal  or level 4 of regen, you can bring the car to a complete halt without using the brake pedal at all and it worked like a charm in traffic. After a 125km round trip, there was still more than 200km of range showing on the info, most of the driving being carried out in Sport mode with repeated overtaking manoeuvres throughout the journey. Be mindful, and you could easily get more than 400kms of real-world range.

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Compared to its ICE-engined siblings, there is a bit more body roll when pushed hard, but the suspension is still beautifully judged for a pleasant ride quality no matter what the road surface is like. The quietness of the electric motors means that wind noise is emphasized due to the upright A-pillars, but nothing that is unbearable. Overall, the ease of driving the Creta is retained and in fact, improved upon with the single-pedal driving capability, smoothness of the drive and sensible ADAS features. The Drive modes do make a tangible difference to the level of surge you feel and the Eco mode is a great place to start for first-time EV drivers who aren’t used to the instant torque delivered by the motors. Switch it to Sport and you can really cover distances rapidly and silently.

Hyundai hasn’t shared the numbers on kerb weight of the Creta Electric, but it is bound to be healthier than its ICE siblings and this means that the larger capacity battery version should be the one to go for. Compared to the petrol-powered N-Line that I drive regularly, even the 51.4kWh version didn’t feel like I was driving a more powerful car (by approx 10hp), but the perception of speed is definitely exaggerated by the quicker acceleration off the mark. Fun to drive? Definitely. Practical? Certainly. Loaded? More than any other SUV in its segment. This could be the model brand that makes electric SUVs mainstream.