2025 Hyundai Creta: Game on!
With the seemingly ceaseless deluge of small crossovers from China, many of you might be wondering where on Earth the established auto brands are.
In the case of Hyundai Motor Philippines (HMPH), it is swimming into this tidal wave head-on after debuting the revamped Creta in May this year. The South Korean carmaker had first unveiled the subcompact crossover in June 2022, just months after the Philippine distributorship was placed under new management.
“As we launch the new Creta, we want to keep pushing for our vision to provide not just innovative mobility solutions, but more so, a vehicle line-up that caters to the needs of every Filipino and becoming their best partner on the road,” said HMPH president Jiho Son in a press statement.
Four variants are available, namely the GL, GLS, Premium and the turbocharged N Line.
‘Sensuous Sportiness’
The restyled Creta follows a design language that Hyundai calls “Sensuous Sportiness,” which gives it a more aggressive aesthetic than its predecessor.
This includes a black-chrome Parametric Jewel front grill that is flanked by halogen headlights in the GL and GLS or LED headlights in the Premium and N Line. The top two variants likewise get sequential turn signals and LED daytime running lights with center-garnish lamp that span the full width of the hood.
Down the side, elements like the flowing fender flares and notched beltline are carried over into this latest model. The GL, GLS and Premium variants get 17-inch alloy wheels with 215/60-series tires, while the top-spec N Line sports 18-inch alloy wheels with 215/55-series tires (and red brake calipers peeking from behind).
The back is where the most substantial styling changes have been made, thanks to the addition of a large tailgate spoiler and full-width LED taillights. Only the N Line variant gets a body kit and dual exhaust tips to signify its sportier flavor.
Cool, safe cabin
The interior has also been revised for the latest Creta
While the GL model comes with fabric upholstery and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, all other variants feature leatherette upholstery, ventilated front seats and a 10.25-inch touchscreen with built-in Waze navigation that compliments the 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster.
Meanwhile, the N Line gets exclusive goodies like red accents, red ambient lighting, a three-spoke steering wheel with paddle shifters and Drive Mode Select. All Creta models have 433 liters of cargo space with the split-folding rear seats up and 1,401 liters with the seats down.
New turbo engine
The GL, GLS and Premium variants are powered by Hyundai’s proven 1.5-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve inline-4 gasoline engine pumping out 113 horsepower and 144 Newton-meters of torque, which are coursed through an Intelligent Variable Transmission.
But the biggest news is the N Line model – this gets a turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-4 that produces 158 horsepower and 253 Newton-meters of torque. This is mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.
In addition, the Premium and N Line models comes standard with Hyundai SmartSense that includes life-saving features like Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go, Forward Collision Avoidance Assist, Lane Following Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Blind Spot Collision Avoidance Assist and Reverse Parking Distance Warning.
China beware?
The 2025 Hyundai Creta is available in Creamy White Pearl, Midnight Black, Magnetic Silver, Slate Blue Pearl, with the N Line getting exclusive two-tone colors like Shadow Gray and Dragon Red.
Prices start at P1,134,000 for the GL, then go up to P1,254,000 for the GLS, P1,333,000 for the Premium and P1,379,000 for the N Line. This substantially undercuts similarly equipped Japanese rivals like the Toyota Yaris Cross and Honda HR-V, while going head-to-head with the likes of the MG ZS and GAC GS3 Emzoom.
The revamped Creta is HMPH’s way of saying that it won’t put its decades of heritage in the Philippines to waste.
