The Hyundai Creta has been the most successful model in its segment for a few years now. Ever since its launch, it has been the benchmark for compact SUVs, with its mix of engine options, performance, features and practicality. But now, Tata has entered the fray with the Curvv coupe SUV. It is a unique proposition, but the big question here is whether the Curvv has the goods to take on the Creta, which is the undisputed segment leader or whether it is just a blip on the radar. It is time for the champion and the challenger to face off and get going!
Tata Curvv vs Hyundai Creta: Design
Oh well, this is an easy decision! In my mind, the Tata Curvv is easily the better-looking SUV, thanks to its unique coupe design and a tall stance. The 'flame red' colour on our test car catches your eye too. The design of the Curvv has a flair and panache that makes it different from the crop of other compact SUVs, which have a tried and tested design. The other design highlights are the two-piece grille up front and the door handles which sit flush with the door panels. The Creta facelift, with its parametric details up front and a more angular design than before, makes its presence felt as a modern, urban SUV.
Also Read: Tata Curvv Gets 5 Stars In Latest Round Of Global NCAP Crash Tests
Tata Curvv vs Hyundai Creta: Interior
The Creta claws back ground with well-appointed cabin, comfy seats and an airy cabin. The view from the driver's perch is good and spending long hours won't be a problem. Now on to the rear seat. The space is a definite highlight here, with enough space for three adults sitting abreast. The rear bench gets a recline function as well. Headroom and kneeroom is decent and there is still no headrest for the middle passenger. Rear AC vents and two charging ports are standard fitment. The leatherette upholstery on the top-spec models and the materials are decent but the addition of soft touch materials at certain areas would have been welcome. Also, rear passengers get sun blinds. Focus on the comfort of rear passengers is definitely higher on the Creta.
The cabin of the Tata Curvv gives a premium feel along with some pop and colour, especially with its rich burgundy leatherette upholstery. The front seats are comfy and you seem to sit taller, with better visibility from the driver's perch. Another issue is that the visibility from the IRVM isn't that great, thanks to the small rear windscreen.
Also Read: Tata Curvv Review
On to the rear seat, you will notice that the Curvv has decidedly lesser headroom and kneeroom than the Creta. The headroom is compromised because of the sloped roofline But, we expected better kneeroom for sure. Three people can sit at the rear, but they will be comfier in the Creta. There are a few ergonomic issues in the Tata as well. There is hardly any space to keep your phones and knick-knacks up front and the access to the USB port and 12V socket is not exactly easy. The centre armrest is quite short and is not moveable. Plus, the storage below it is small too. And giving cupholders in the glovebox, not the smartest move.
The Curvv also gets the bigger boot at 500 litres along with an electric bootlid and a gesture control to open the same. The Creta gets a 433-litre bootspace which is significantly lesser than that of the Curvv. The loading lip for both is on the higher side. 60:40 split for the rear seats is common. So, the round two was clearly going to the Hyundai Creta with better storage options and sound ergonomics! That is until the bootspace came into the picture! We will still give this round to the Creta.
Tata Curvv vs Hyundai Creta: Features
Features like air purifier, ventilated front seats, electric adjustment for powered seats, 360-degree camera, cruise control, wireless smartphone charger and a panoramic sunroof are common to both SUVs. The Creta misses out on wireless smartphone connectivity, which the Tata Curvv gets. The Creta's cabin is well-appointed and we particularly like the twin 10.25-inch bezel-less screen setup here. The readouts are crisp and there are enough features to keep you comfortable like the two-zone climate control. The Tata on the other hand, it too gets a digital display, but the readouts could have been a little bigger. The Tata gets a crisp 12.3-inch touchscreen along with a 10.25-inch instrument cluster that also shows the navigation screen in the middle, now that's a nice touch. For the audiophiles, the JBL speaker system have a nice output too and customisable settings for the same. We will call it is a tie between the two SUVs as far as features are concerned.
Tata Curvv vs Hyundai Creta: Drive Experience
Tata offers three engine options on the Curvv, which are the 1.2-litre Revotron, 1.2-litre Hyperion Direct Injection and the 1.5-litre diesel engine. The Creta on the other hand, gets a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol, a 1.5-litre turbo petrol and a 1.5-litre diesel. Both cars get automatic options as well.
Starting with the Tata Curvv, we are driving the 1.5-litre turbo diesel with the 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. This a segment first engine-gearbox combination. We have seen that combo earlier, but on premium German SUVs like the VW Tiguan diesel and Audi Q3 diesel, but not after the VW group phased out diesel engines. We quite like the diesel-DCT combo. The motor feels smooth but there's a hint of turbo lag below 2,000 rpm. Post that, the engine comes into its own and offers a nice spread of torque with solid pulling power. But yes, as you accelerate, you will hear the engine noise inside the cabin.
The 7-speed DCT isn't as quick as the ones on European models, but it is smooth, with seamless shifts. What could have been better is the shift when driving in traffic where the car keeps shifting between first and second gear, which means there's some jerk that you can feel. If you want to keep gearbox control to yourself, then you can always use the paddle-shifts. The Tata Curvv offers a plush ride, particularly at higher speeds and finds itself composed around a corner too.
The Creta too offers decent performance, with a good mid-range and top end. It works well as an urban runabout and on the highway as well. The engine feels smoother than that of the Curvv and the Creta is a shade quicker when to comes to building up speed as well. The ride is plush, slightly on the firmer side, but it feels better at higher speeds. Handling is decent and the Creta won't feel out of place on twisties. For the more performance focussed buyers, the Creta is offered in an N-Line trim as well, which offers a stiff suspension setup, a weightier steering and a throatier exhaust.
Tata Curvv vs Hyundai Creta: Fuel Efficiency
The engine and driving experience is where Creta wins with the narrowest of margins while in terms of handling and ride quality, it is the Curvv which wins and claws back ground. Both cars are evenly matched when it comes to efficiency, but the Curvv just about edges out the Creta in this round thanks to the diesel-DCT combination.
Tata Curvv vs Hyundai Creta: ADAS & Safety
Now both cars get level 2 ADAS with 15+ features and both get six airbags as standard too along with the usual fix of ABS, vehicle stability management, tyre pressure monitoring and so on. But the Curvv gets a 5-star BNCAP rating while the Hyundai Creta is yet to be tested by BNCAP. That is another round going to the Tata. The one huge issue we had with the Tata Curvv was that the if you turn off ADAS or change the settings, and switch off the car, then the settings go back to default, where everything is on. We would have preferred if the ADAS settings had a memory function.
Tata Curvv vs Hyundai Creta: Pricing & Other Rivals
Coming to the pricing, prices of the Creta start from Rs. 10.99 lakh and go up to Rs. 20.30 lakh. On the other hand, prices of the Curvv start at Rs. 9.99 lakh and go up to Rs. 18.99 lakh. All prices are ex-showroom, Delhi. The starting prices are a lakh rupees lesser on the Curvv and there is a difference of Rs. 1.3 lakh between the top variants of the two cars. Also, prices of the diesel Curvv with the DCA gearbox starts at Rs. 14 lakh, which offers more options to customers who want a diesel automatic. Other models in the same segment are the Kia Seltos, Citroen Basalt, VW Taigun, Nissan Magnite, Renault Kiger, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara and the Honda Elevate.
Tata Curvv vs Hyundai Creta: Verdict
So, we had 6 rounds of intense competition between the Tata Curvv and the Hyundai Creta. And where the Creta won is the cabin space and ergonomics. The rest of the rounds went to the Tata Curvv! And honestly, we aren't surprised because Tata has been upping the game with its cars for a few years now. The Curvv is seriously good-looking, has a decent set of features and powertrain options, it is safe and is priced more competitively. But mostly importantly, the Curvv offers a uniqueness, a freshness that was perhaps lacking in this segment and which is why the Tata Curvv wins this closely contested battle with the Hyundai Creta.
Photography: Rakesh Singh