Wait, Creta? N Line? Tell us more.
Gladly. The facelifted Hyundai Creta took a trip to the Korean carmaker’s performance division and received a sporty overhaul with some welcome modifications to the powertrain.
When we reviewed the Creta last year, we found it to be a capable subcompact crossover, with a rather ‘quirky’ design language. This new Creta’s design has been elegantly cleaned up, combining motifs from the bigger Palisade.
The Creta N Line also sports a new 1.5-liter turbocharged engine that outputs 158hp and 253Nm of torque. It is a welcome upgrade over the 113hp and 145Nm that came from the previous 1.5-liter naturally aspirated mill.
What else is different about it?
The interior has also received a makeover from Hyundai N. It is now mostly dressed in black upholstery, with Hyundai N red accents laid all over the cabin. The seats feature another layer of cushioning that should keep passengers cool, along with sharp, red stitching along the backrest and the sides. On the driver and passenger seats, a soft-touch Hyundai N logo has also been stitched on for extra style points.
Around back, the tailgate has been tastefully redone and looks a lot neater. Those big CRETA letters have been swapped for a flat Hyundai logo and minimal badges on the corners. The new tailights tie the whole look together with clean angles and a long light that stretches from end to end.
OTHER STORIES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED:
Specs, prices, features: Everything you need to know about the new Hyundai Creta
Review: 2025 GAC Emkoo Hybrid
How does it drive?
For this bit, we had our assistant managing editor Leandre Grecia do the driving. Here’s what he thinks of the new Creta N Line:
“Our drive wasn’t enough to tell whether or not it handles better than the ‘regular’ Creta, but we can only assume that it does. What we were able to test a bit, though, is the new turbocharged powerplant in the N Line—it’s a huge jump from the NA engine.
“There’s significant lag from the turbo when you mash the pedal, but when the it spools, there’s boost there that we’ve never experienced in a Creta before. Frankly, the crossover didn’t feel like it lacked power then, but this is a welcome upgrade nonetheless. Besides, it’s just an option on the top-of-the-line trim, anyway.
“Fuel economy, however, will require more testing. We reckon this might be more economical on the highway because it’ll cruise on open roads more gently.”
How much does it cost?
This particular Creta will set buyers back P1.379 million, but the lineup starts at just P1.134 million for the base, 1.5 GL IVT variant. Buyers should take note that this is the Creta N Line is the only variant with a turbocharged engine and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The other variants make use of the previous 1.5-liter naturally aspirated engine we previously mentioned, along with Hyundai’s Intelligent Variable Transmission—the brand’s version of a CVT.
Hyundai Creta 2025 Philippine prices
- Creta 1.5 GL IVT – P1,134,000
- Creta 1.5 GLS IVT – P1,254,000
- Creta 1.5 Premium IVT – P1,333,000
- Creta 1.5T N Line 7DCT – P1,379,000
Is it worth it?
That question will need more wheel time and a full review before a definitive answer can be given. However, the Hyundai Creta N Line already poses an interesting argument against its probable main competitors.
This top-spec’d Creta undercuts the base Honda HR-V, which stickers for P1.45 million, while coming in at just P71,000 more expensive than the highest, non-hybrid Toyota Yaris Cross variant. Stay tuned for the said full review.
