Creta Electric Review: Cramped
When I reviewed the Hyundai Creta petrol, I found that it’s the best petrol car. Unfortunately, the Creta EV doesn’t earn my unqualified recommendation. This is because it’s cramped: my stomach is pressed, the headroom is poor, the windshield header is close to my face, and the windshield doesn’t feel panoramic. This crossover1 isn’t an obvious choice for me to buy.
Read on for details:
+ Looks more sleek than petrol
+ EPB
± The gear lever is on the steering column
- There’s storage area below wireless charger, for a total of 2 levels in the center console, in addition to the under-arm storage.
+ Both turn indicators present a blind view camera.
- When I press the brake, the dashboard shows that the car is charging, increasing the car’s range. This is better than most EVs, where the brake wastes energy.
Comfort
- My stomach is pressed
+ Good legroom
- Poor headroom. This is because the total height of the car is same as petrol (1635 mm) but the floor is probably higher because of the battery pack.
- The windshield header is close to my face, so it feels cramped. The windshield isn’t panoramic.
+ 8-way electrically adjustable seat.
+ No noise or vibration. This is similar to most electric cars.
Driving
+ The car accelerates and drives smoothly, as EVs do.
+ If you find yourself surrounded by other vehicles to your left, right and diagonally ahead of you, and you want to get away, it’s effortless to accelerate fast.
+ There’s lot of acceleration even in Eco.
+ The range of the car is 327 km in a mix of city and highway driving. I forgot to calculate the range for highway driving, which would be a better test, since it’s the worst-case scenario. Even this isn’t number comparable to my reviews of other EVs, because I drove those at their maximum speed.
+ I can turn off regen for a smooth ride, avoiding acceleration / deceleration cycles.
Digital features
+ USB-C, -A and 12V 180W ports
- CarPlay works only via USB-A, not -C.
± Wireless charging
- You can’t pinch to zoom Google Maps via CarPlay. This limitation exists in most cars.
+ Bose 8-speaker premium music system. Music sounds emotional on it.
Front passenger
+ 8 way electrically adjustable
+ Legroom is good
+ Ventilated
+ Fast acceleration feels comfortable, unlike other cars where it feels fine when I’m driving, but jarring when I’m in the front passenger seat.
Rear seat
± No seat belt warning
- The window is small in both width and height, rather than panoramic like MPVs.
+ 2 USB-C ports
- The seat reclines too much and can’t be adjusted.
+ The legroom is better than many cars
- The headroom isn’t great
- No AC controls
+ Panoramic sunroof
- You feel vibrations through the headrest. When my head wasn’t resting against the headrest, I couldn’t feel vibrations.
It’s a unibody / monocoque.