Here, we have a detailed on-paper comparison between Suzuki Vitara, which was recently spied in India, and the extremely popular Hyundai Creta

Recently, a Suzuki Vitara was spotted near Maruti’s Gurugram manufacturing facility. The spy pictures have sparked plenty of speculations, but we believe that it was brought here likely as a test model or a component study for Maruti’s upcoming vehicles. The Indo-Japanese carmaker has no plans to launch the Vitara in India as of now.

Still, we thought it would be a fun exercise to compare the Vitara with its biggest potential rival in our market, Hyundai Creta, to see how the two SUVs stack up against each other.

Hyundai Creta Vs Suzuki Vitara – Exterior comparison

The Creta has a rather bold and quirky exterior design. The front end of the SUV features a split headlamp setup, with a wide cascading grille. The side profile is muscular, with squared wheel arches and silver highlights above the doors and on the C-pillars. The taillights mirror the headlamp design, with an additional stop lamp near the centre of the tailgate.

Suzuki Vitara takes a more conventional approach towards styling. It gets a bold grille at the front, flanked by dagger-shaped headlamps. The side profile is simplistic, with rounded wheel arches and a boxy greenhouse. At the rear, we see a pair of bulbous taillights, and the faux roof-mounted spoiler gets an integrated stop lamp.

Hyundai Creta is slightly larger than the Vitara in all areas – length, width, height, and wheelbase. That, combined with its unconventional styling, gives it a better road presence overall to the Hyundai. The Suzuki, on the other hand, has a relatively plain but more palatable look.

Hyundai Creta Vs Suzuki Vitara – Interior comparison

The cabin of Hyundai Creta feels premium, well built, and quite spacious. The highlights of the interior are the 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, the four-spoke flat-bottom (multi-functional) steering wheel, and the semi-digital instrument console with a 7-inch TFT MID.

There are plenty of other features on offer here, like a panoramic sunroof, power-adjustable driver seat, e-parking brake, cabin air purifier, automatic climate control, cooled glove box, all power windows, keyless entry and go, rear parking camera, power-adjustable ORVMs (auto-folding), all-LED exterior lights, etc.

Suzuki Vitara has a simpler cabin design, which doesn’t feel as upmarket as that of the Creta. It gets a 7-inch infotainment touchscreen in the centre console, with a clock just above it. Behind the round three-spoke (multi-function) steering wheel, the SUV gets conventional analogue dials with a 4.2-inch colour LCD MID.

The SUV also gets a panoramic sunroof, automatic climate control, power-adjustable ORVMs (auto-folding), keyless entry and go, reverse camera, dust and pollen filter, etc. For the international markets, there are plenty of advanced safety features on offer – autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, active cruise control, and rear cross-traffic alert.

Hyundai Creta Vs Suzuki Vitara – Powertrains

In the Indian market, Hyundai Creta is available with three engine options. The first one is a 1.5-litre NA petrol motor (115 PS/144 Nm), which can be had with a 6-speed manual gearbox or a CVT. The second one is a 1.4-litre turbo-petrol mill (140 PS/242 Nm), which comes mated to a 7-speed DCT.

The third one is a 1.5-litre turbo-diesel engine (115 PS/250 Nm), which is available with a choice between a 6-speed MT or a 6-speed AT. Regardless of the powertrain, the India-spec Creta is only available in a front-wheel-drive format.

Suzuki Vitara is available with different engine choices in different countries. The options include a 1.6-litre NA petrol, a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol, a 1.4-litre turbo-petrol (with and without mild-hybrid system), and a 1.6-litre turbo-diesel.

Transmission options include a 5-speed manual, a 6-speed manual, and a 6-speed automatic gearbox. Front-wheel-drive configuration is offered as standard, and select variants get an all-wheel-drive option as well. It should be noted that the Creta gets an AWD option as well in a few international markets, along with additional engine options.

Hyundai Creta Vs Suzuki Vitara – Verdict

It’s hard to give a verdict when one of the contenders isn’t on sale in our market. That said, Suzuki Vitara would’ve been a worthy competitor to the Creta, thanks to its punchy powertrains and a long list of features. However, Maruti Suzuki is working on a new SUV (in partnership with Toyota) to compete with the Creta, and we’re excited to see what’s in store.

As for Hyundai Creta, it is currently the best-selling model in its segment, thanks to its extensive features list, multiple engine/transmission choices, and a competitive price list. A mid-life facelift is reportedly in the works, and the new model is expected to feature major changes to the exterior design. There likely won’t be any changes besides that, which is fine, as the vehicle is brilliant otherwise.