A Tale of Two Cretas

In my first post, I'd like to start off with a comparison of one of the most popular cars to hit Indian shores , The Hyundai Creta (known as the ix25 overseas) has everything an average consumer would want. So in this post I'm reviewing both the diesel engine variants- The 1.4 L and the 1.6 L both in manual forms.

The red one is the 1.6 and the white being the 1.4 . Both vehicles are the top of the range. Christin and I took turns in driving both of them

WHAT SETS THEM APART?

It takes a trained eye to see the difference between these two cars, but the easiest way is by the wheels.

The 1.6 has 17 inch diamond cut wheels(only for top spec) whereas the 1.4 has 16 inch wheels.Other than that the chrome grill, the daytime running lights, rear wiper are the bells and whistles found on the 1.6

THE DRIVE

We both went to a road strip under construction. Very rarely do people come there. So we did the only thing two men would do. DRAG RACE!

 The rules were simple: Air conditioning off, windows up, traction control off (The 1.6 has it).

The outcome was predictable: The 1.6 won but not by much. I was shocked by this because I thought Christin would be eating my dust.

Christin suggested we go crazy in these cars. We did!

THE 1.6 DOES A HOTLAP

GYMKHANA ANYONE?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whilst switching between the 1.6 and the 1.4, I couldn't help but miss the leather wrapped steering of the 1.6 . It was such a joy to operate the steering. But the gearbox was horrible. Both Christin and I felt it was too smooth and found the rougher 1.4 to be precise when driving fast.

The 1.6 comes with  a better speedometer layout with the digital interface more pleasing to look.

DRIVE IN THE CITY

So we decided to head back which meant driving through afternoon traffic, which could show us how both of them would drive in real life conditions. I was in the 1.4 after my time in the 1.6 . I must say the cabin is slightly different from the 1.6 . Absence of leather in seats, steering and gear( I'm actually okay with that). But one thing I noticed that I could coast in traffic in 2nd gear in city traffic. Also the power delivery was more linear in the 1.4. Christin on the the other hand had to shift between second and first in traffic and coupled that with his hatred to the gearbox found it harder to drive the creta in traffic where momentum changes frequently.

WHICH ONE WOULD WE CHOOSE?

Me and Christin had the same opinion. The 1.6 engined top specced car is a whole 2 lakhs more than the 1.4. We both loved the leather interiors but loathed the first- second gear transition. So we thought the 1.4 was the better car of both of them.