Comparison: Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara vs Hyundai Creta

Hyundai hit a home run with the new Creta. Although a favored SUV right from its inception; in its latest iteration, the Creta is one of the best-selling cars in India and the most popular compact SUV in India, even surpassing the Kia Seltos. Although the Creta has competition from different sides such as the Volkswagen Taigun and Skoda Kushaq, it is Maruti Suzuki’s latest entrant to the club, the Grand Vitara that poses the biggest threat to the Creta. There are many reasons why the Grand Vitara might eat into Creta’s dominance and market share. 

For one, the Grand Vitara comes packed with hybrid tech and distinct styling, all of this bundled with Maruti Suzuki’s stellar sales and after-sales support. Maruti Suzuki is also offering two powertrain options for the Vitara and is offering all the features that you normally expect from a carmaker like Hyundai.  So, it is evident that Maruti Suzuki is eyeing the Hyundai Creta. But, how does the Grand Vitara stack up against the Creta? Let’s find that out by pitching these SUVs against each other on paper:

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara vs Hyundai Creta: Dimensions

The Hyundai Creta and the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara are key rivals as far as dimensions go. Both these SUVs measure almost the same when it comes to the overall length, width, height, and even the wheelbase. If we had to pick one, the Grand Vitara is the bigger SUV here, but that is only by a small margin. However, Creta wins back when it comes to wheelbase as it offers 10mm more.

But where the Creta really shines is with the boot space of 433 litres – 60 litres more than the Grand Vitara. The Grand Vitara’s boot space is taken up by the batteries for the hybrid system and hence it is lacking on this front. That said, when it comes to ground clearance, the Vitara offers 210mm in contrast to Creta’s 190mm. 

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara vs Hyundai Creta: Engine & Transmission

Although these SUVs are closely matched when it comes to dimensions, the same is not the case when it comes to the powertrain options. The Hyundai Creta is offered with three engine options including a turbocharged petrol and a diesel. On the other hand, Maruti Suzuki is only offering the Vitara with the choice of a petrol engine – both in mild and strong hybrid formats. If a diesel engine is a strict requirement for you, the Creta is the only option here, and the 1.5-litre diesel engine is a refined and frugal option. If you like to drive and prefer a potent engine with good punch, again, the Hyundai Creta with the turbo petrol engine sounds like the right choice.

But, if you want a comfortable petrol-engined SUV that returns the most efficiency, there is no looking further than the Grand Vitara, especially the strong hybrid that is rated to deliver up to 27kmpl to the litre. The Creta cannot match this since it lacks any form of hybrid tech. Both these SUVs also differ when it comes to gearbox options and power/torque outputs and are both tailored for different buyers. The Grand Vitara is also offered with an AWD option if that tickles your interest. 

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara vs Hyundai Creta: Features & Comfort

Both these SUVs are tightly matched when it comes to features on offer. All the bases are covered by both brands and they both offer big infotainment systems with the Creta having the bigger 10.25-inch touchscreen system. The only main feature they both miss out on is ADAS which is more popular in premium offerings. If we had to look closely and pick a winner, it would be the Creta as it offers a few extras such as powered seats and a bigger touchscreen with connected car tech. 

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara vs Hyundai Creta: Safety Features

In terms of safety, both SUVs are more or less equally matched as it offers all the basics such as six airbags, ABS with EBD, ESP, traction control and much more. The Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara is yet to be tested by the Global NCAP. But the Creta has been tested and the Hyundai SUV scored 3 stars in the crash test. Until the Vitara gets tested, we cannot come to a conclusion and pick a clear winner in terms of safety.

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara vs Hyundai Creta: Price Comparison

As for the pricing, both the Grand Vitara and the Creta come in the same price bracket. The top-spec variants of the Vitara ask for a Rs 1 lakh premium over the Creta as it features the famed strong hybrid tech. However, when you consider the starting prices, the Grand Vitara is more affordable, although not by a huge margin. As for the mid and upper-mid variants, these SUVs are priced similarly. If you prefer a range-topping variant and wish to save Rs 1 lakh, the Creta seems to be the better option here. 

Summary

Both of these SUVs are similar in a lot of ways. They are priced alike, they both have similar dimensions, and pack in the same set of features. But that is where the similarities end. The Grand Vitara and the Creta are poles apart when it comes to everything else. The latter is available in a petrol/diesel guise with three engine options while the Grand Vitara is strictly a petrol-powered car with mild and strong hybrid tech. At the end of the day, if you want a fuel-efficient petrol-powered SUV with good features and styling, the Vitara sounds like the right deal. 

However, if you want a powerful SUV that has all the bells and whistles or a diesel mile-munching SUV, the Creta is hard to ignore. For the same reason, it is the best-selling compact SUV in the country. You cannot go wrong with either of these high-riding SUVs. It all comes down to individual use cases and which SUV fits that better than the other one.