The Creta continues to witness strong demand in the Indian market. Hyundai India has now given its variant lineup a notable rejig. Two variants have been discontinued, streamlining the range. Previously, the Creta used to come in nine trims. The revision has brought this count to just seven broad trims- E, EX, EX (O), S (O), SX, SX Premium, and King. The SX Tech and SX (O) trims are no longer available!
Hyundai has taken two of the Creta’s variants- SX Tech and SX (O). The former was previously priced between Rs 15.69 lakh and Rs 17.22 lakh. It used to enjoy decent acceptance. One of the biggest highlights was that it offered ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) at a relatively accessible price point.
This variant’s departure has now made ADAS an expensive purchase. The only variant that offers it now is the top-spec King, which starts at Rs 17.27 lakh, ex-showroom. In other words, the entry price of the ADAS kit on Creta has gone up by roughly Rs 1.48 lakh, ex-showroom. This isn’t a small increase.
SX (O) used to be Creta’s flagship variant. When the SUV got a facelift in 2024, the King trim became the new top-spec. It is available with all engine and transmission options- two petrol engines and manual and automatic transmissions.
Axing the SX (O) has simplified the hierarchy, and to some extent, made decision making less complex. However, it has also reduced the number of options higher up in the range. People looking to buy a heavily packed Creta now have fewer options to choose from.
Despite the discontinuation of two trims, Hyundai hasn’t made changes to the Creta’ feature list or distribution. The remaining variants continue to have exactly the same equipment that they used to be offered with before. The Creta, in fact, comes packed with features. The top-spec is well-kitted. If you want even more features, you may have to resort to the optional Summer edition that come with a higher price tag. These, however, do not address the feature gap left by the discontinuation.
The 2026 update makes no mechanical changes to the Creta. It continues to be offered with the same set of engines and transmission options as before. Interestingly, ‘King’ is the only trim that offers all available engine and gearbox options.
The Creta comes with three engine options- 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol making 115hp and 144Nm, 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine delivering 160hp and 253Nm, and 1.5L diesel making 116hp and 250Nm. The naturally aspirated petrol offers the option of a 6-speed manual gearbox and a CVT.
The turbo-petrol can be had only with a seven-speed dry clutch DCT transmission. The diesel is offered with a six-speed manual and a six-speed torque converter automatic gearbox.
The discontinuation of SX (O) and SX Tech variants has created an equipment gap that is hard to ignore. We see it. Hyundai likely sees it too. We think this is a strategic restructuring move, possibly aimed at pushing buyers more toward higher trims, particularly the ones seeking advanced safety equipment like Level 2 ADAS.
For the cost-conscious crowd, SX Tech’s exit has left a blank. They would now be pushed towards higher trims or would have to settle for lower ones with limited equipment. In short, the variant reshuffle has subtly shifted the Creta’s value equation, especially for the mid-spec variants. How the same would impact sales is something we’ll have to wait to find out…
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