Hyundai Creta vs. Kia Seltos: The Ultimate SUV Showdown

When we talk about the most popular midsize SUVs in the market, there are only two names to reckon with: Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos. Both these SUVs are undeniably Korean and belong under the umbrella of Hyundai Motor Company. 

They also share the same platform, but are not a mere rebadging attempt like the Glanza and Baleno, or Fronx or Taisor. 

It means that Hyundai has been diligent enough to give both these SUVs their distinct identities. Kia has positioned itself as a distinct and successful brand in India within a very short time. 

The Seltos is a big reason and probably the only reason behind such huge popularity among the new buyers. 

On the other hand, the Creta’s been a common household name when considering midsize SUVs. It changed the fortunes of the brand and led other automakers to follow suit and bring in their midsize SUVs on the pitch. Unfortunately, none of them has seen the same level of success. Let’s dive deeper and find out how these SUVs are different despite sharing the same DNA. 

Exterior Design 

Hyundai has been proactive enough and has been refreshing its best-selling compact SUV. 

The strategy worked very well, and it became the best-selling compact SUV for April 2025 as well. The Creta received its most recent facelift just last year, and the curvy-fluidic design cues of the older model have vanished for good. 

The latest iteration of the Creta looks sleeker and more refined, exactly the way a SUV should look. 

The front profile is more rectangular, and so is the rear profile with the connected lightbar. The side profile remains unchanged, and we can’t complain. The redesigned 17-inch alloy wheels and dark metallic green paint take the game to another level altogether. 

Hyundai revised the exterior styling, which got mixed reviews from customers and media critics alike. 

The Kia Seltos exterior design was last refreshed in somewhere around 2023. However, it was not as extensive as that of the Creta. 

The good news is that Kia is all set to launch the completely redesigned Kia Seltos for the 2026 model year. 

Meanwhile, the test mules were spotted testing, and their front fascia closely resembled that of the EV9. Talking about the outgoing model, the tiger nose grille on the front fascia is fine-tuned for the aggressive design language and looks perfectly in sync. 

Even the rear fascia is tastefully designed, and everything looks very good. 

The top-tier GTX+ and rugged-looking X-Line trims offer 18-inch alloy wheels and look even better. 

Talking about exterior dimensions, the Seltos is wider, taller, and longer than the Creta, making it more of an SUV. With the news and spy pics of the 2026 Seltos already out, it will certainly be a step ahead in design, and the Creta needs to be cautious. 

What’s Inside

The interior of the 2025 Hyundai Creta is top-notch in every aspect. Be it the loads of tech on offer, the space, or the multimedia experience, it has all you’ll ask for. On the other hand, the Kia Seltos is no less in any manner. 

It also features the same modern dual-screen layout as the Creta. However, when talking about space and comfort at the rear seats, the Creta has an upper hand. 

The upright seating and two cushioned headrests in the rear make all the difference. The Seltos might feel a bit cramped in comparison, but it offers three headrests in the back seat. However, the Seltos does have an upper hand with five different upholstery color options and added tech. 

The Hyundai Creta offers only grey/white upholstery color options paired with copper elements. The Seltos offers a heads-up display and rain-sensing wipers in the X-Line trim, something the Creta misses. 

The Hyundai Creta’s dual 10.26-inch infotainment displays are blended quite well into the dashboard, while the ones seen in the Seltos protrude away from the dashboard. Nothing wrong with any of them, but just a subjective matter of choice. 

Talking about similarities, the top trims of both these SUVs are brimmed with features like dual-zone climate control, panoramic sunroofs, dual screens, ventilated seats, an 8-speaker Bose sound system, and Level 2 ADAS, to name a few. 

One thing to note is that the above-mentioned features are available for the HTX(O) and above trims in the Seltos, while they are for the Creta's SX(O) and SX(O) Knight variants. 

So, the best tech wizardry is reserved for the top-tier trims, and they demand a premium over the standard and mid-tier trims.

How’s The Performance Like

Hyundai is known to offer different engine and transmission options for most of its cars, and the Creta is no different. The latest iteration gets three different 1.5-liter engine options: Petrol, Diesel, and Turbocharged. Talking about transmission options, there’s one for everyone. The standard petrol engine can be had with a manual transmission or iVT (CVT)

The diesel engine can be had with a manual transmission or an automatic transmission. The top-tier turbocharged engine can be had with only the DCT to do justice to the performance. The Kia Seltos also comes with the same powertrain and drivetrain options. So, it’s obvious there’s not much of a performance difference between these cars. 

Well, not that most customers buying these SUVs will care too much about handling. Anyways, having a better-handling car is always a good thing. To be honest, comfort and handling don’t always go hand in hand, and the same is the case here. 

The Creta offers better comfort and damping over bad roads, but handling is neutral over sharp bends. On the other hand, the Seltos relatively feels stiffer and not so good over bad roads. However, the story changes at high speeds and sharp turns as it scores well here. 

How safe are the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos? 

Being based on the same platform can be a boon or a bane. The Creta and Seltos receive a 3-star safety rating, which is just about satisfactory. Fortunately, the higher variants of these cars are loaded with Level 2 ADAS, ensuring a safer drive. 

Pricing and Variants 

The pricing of the Hyundai Creta and the Kia Seltos is also very similar, as one would expect. The Hyundai Creta price starts at an ex-showroom price of Rs 11.10 lakh and goes all the way up to Rs 20.49 lakh for around 54 different variant combinations, depending on the powertrain, transmission, and model. 

The Kia Seltos price starts at an ex-showroom price of Rs 11.18 lakh and goes all the way up to Rs 20.55 lakh, thereby making it a bit more expensive than its counterpart. 

Certainly, Kia demands a premium for its brand appeal in India, and it all boils down to customer sentiments, whether they are willing to shell extra for the moniker. 

The Final Question: Which One To Buy? 

Just like any other two closely-speced cars, choosing the winner here is a bit more challenging because both belong to the same parent company and are very good products. Hyundai has been smart enough with the pricing and offers a bunch of variants to choose from. 

As a result, the mid-level variants are the best to buy and offer value for money over the Seltos. Talking about the top-tier trims, the GTX+ and X-Line trims feel more upmarket and worthy of the premium they demand. 

Taking other points into consideration, Hyundai enjoys a nationwide service network and reach to almost every point in the country. On the other hand, Kia benefits from the same supply chain and is slowly expanding, but still not on the same level. 

In terms of overall experience, the Creta delivers a more balanced approach to everything, while the Seltos does a few things better than the Creta, say handling and styling, for example. Finally, we would say, Creta is the “Jack of all Trades” and Seltos is a “Master of Some”. 

So, for the majority of general buyers, the Creta would be a more traditional and balanced buying option. But both of these cars changed the face of SUV sales in India, and you can’t go wrong with either of them if putting your hard-earned money into them.