The Hyundai Creta has been one of the automaker’s best-selling vehicles in our country ever since it was introduced with its newest distributor back in 2022.

But in other places like India, it has taken the top spot in its class for eight years consistently since it was launched in 2015. Currently in its second generation (released in 2019), it’s now overdue for a midlife refresh just as Hyundai India has been teasing on its Facebook page.

The company is going all-in with its blocky design, with the new Creta drawing heavily from the likes of the Santa Fe and the Palisade for its revised looks.

It has a “bolder stance” that’s accentuated by a blocky silhouette with an upright hood and a sharp LED lighting design following the “Horizon” lighting theme (front and rear lightbars, basically).

The interior design also matches the rest of the refresh with a single slab of glass being home for the two displays, with new digital climate controls at the bottom.

Customers can choose from three powertrains and four transmission choices. These are a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine, a naturally aspirated 1.5-liter gasoline engine, and a 1.5-liter turbodiesel engine. Transmissions vary among a six-speed manual, a six-speed automatic, an Intelligent Variable Transmission (a CVT), and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.

Take note that the Cretas sold in India are manufactured at its Chennai plant, and have a slightly different fascia compared to the ones we get (which are made at the Cikarang plant in Indonesia. This could mean that we might get a slightly altered version, or this could turn out to be a global variant.

Either way, the release is pegged for January 16, so stay tuned until then for updates.