Indian market's SUV kingdom remains dominated by the Hyundai Creta, with its widespread appeal under scrutiny. What factors contribute to its immense popularity?
The Hyundai Creta has cemented its position as the top-selling SUV in India for FY2025 and Q1 FY2026, consistently outperforming its competitors in the segment. Some of the key SUVs that have held significant market share during this period include the Maruti Brezza, Mahindra Scorpio, Tata Nexon, Maruti Fronx, and Tata Punch.
Top-selling SUVs in India for FY2025 and Q1 FY2026 (approximate units sold)
- Hyundai Creta: 194,871 units in FY2025 with an 8% YoY growth in 2025; 117,458 units Jan-July 2025; Q1 FY2026 sales strong, leading among all SUVs.
- Maruti Brezza: Close competitor to Creta, second bestselling compact SUV.
- Mahindra Scorpio: 42,675 units in Q1 FY2026, showing 5% growth YoY.
- Tata Nexon: 40,155 units in Q1 FY2026, up 16% YoY; popular with petrol, diesel, CNG, and electric variants.
- Maruti Fronx: 37,744 units in Q1 FY2026, with increasing exports.
- Tata Punch: 36,075 units in Q1 FY2026, though sales declined 36% YoY.
Hyundai Creta: Key Features and Highlights
The Hyundai Creta's success can be attributed to its blend of updated design, extensive safety and tech features, and wide engine choices.
- Position: Best-selling SUV and highest-selling car in India for several months in 2025.
- Performance: 20% YoY growth in FY2025 with nearly 195k units sold.
- Updates: Midlife facelift in 2024 brought enhanced styling and loaded it with new tech features to maintain competitiveness.
- Variants: Available with multiple petrol and diesel engine options, paired with manual and automatic transmissions.
- Features: Known for premium interiors, advanced infotainment system, safety features including multiple airbags, ABS, and stability control.
- Market appeal: Strong brand presence and reliability have supported its continued leadership despite fierce competition from models such as Kia Seltos, Maruti Grand Vitara, and Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder.
- Pricing: Typically ranges around ₹11 lakh ex-showroom, making it a mid-size SUV with balanced price-performance value.
The Creta offers a range of transmission choices for its naturally aspirated petrol engine, including a six-speed manual gearbox and a CVT. For those seeking a sportier look, Hyundai offers the Hyundai Creta N Line, which features more aggressive styling, highlighted by striking red accents and larger 18-inch alloy wheels.
The Creta's design includes connected LED lighting elements at both the front and rear, and its cabin offers a plush and comfortable experience. The seats are upholstered in a grey and white palette, and the dashboard features a rubber-like texture and glossy black and copper highlights.
The Creta's feature-packed appearance includes a dual integrated screen setup, digital driver's display, touchscreen infotainment system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, dual-zone AC, connected car tech, an eight-speaker Bose sound system, a wireless phone charger, ventilated front seats with powered adjustment functionality, a panoramic sunroof, sunblinds, reclining rear seats, and a central armrest with two cup holders.
The turbo-petrol motor comes with a six-speed manual unit, which is available only with N Line, while there is a seven-speed DCT unit. The diesel variant comes with a six-speed manual gearbox and a six-speed automatic unit as an option.
In addition to its extensive list of features, the Creta is equipped with a wide range of safety features such as six airbags, ABS with EBD, Hill Start Assist, Vehicle Stability Control, tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), all-wheel disc brakes, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and blind spot detection.
The Hyundai Creta registered 52,898 units in Q4 FY2025, and it came third as the highest-selling car of FY2025. Despite tough competition, the Creta has consistently maintained a strong position in the Indian market. The Creta underwent a midlife update in 2024, and the current model features a dark grey and light grey theme.
In conclusion, the Hyundai Creta continues to dominate the Indian SUV market with its blend of updated design, extensive safety and tech features, and wide engine choices. Its strong brand presence, reliability, and competitive pricing make it a popular choice among Indian consumers.
- The success of the Hyundai Creta in the Indian automotive industry is demonstrated by its consistent sales, outperforming competitors like the Maruti Brezza, Mahindra Scorpio, Tata Nexon, Maruti Fronx, and Tata Punch.
- With key features such as updated design, extensive safety and tech features, and wide engine choices, the Hyundai Creta is not only the top-selling SUV but also the highest-selling car in India for several months in 2025.
- The Hyundai Creta's strong market position extends to the finance sector, with its typically affordable pricing of around ₹11 lakh ex-showroom, offering a balanced value for a mid-size SUV.
- Lifestyle considerations also play a role in the Creta's popularity, as it caters to diverse consumer preferences with options for petrol, diesel, CNG, and electric variants, as well as sportier versions like the Hyundai Creta N Line.
