What if you wanted the new Hyundai Santa Fe, but without the heft and the bulk of the midsize SUV? Well, there’s good news with the updated Hyundai Creta.

Whereas the current iteration looks like a baby Tucson, the subcompact crossover has just undergone a facelift in India, which now resembles its bigger brother with boxier headlights and taillights that give it a more rugged appearance.

In terms of size, the new Creta isn’t a significant departure from the current model, measuring 4,330mm long, 1,790mm wide, and 1,635mm high with a wheelbase of 2,610mm. Under the hood, there are three available powertrains—all 1.5-liter engines.

The naturally aspirated petrol engine produces 113hp and 143.8Nm, and it comes with either a six-speed manual transmission or an Intelligent Variable Transmission (Hyundai’s own take on the CVT).

The turbodiesel engine has 114hp and 250Nm, and is mated to either a six-speed transmission, either manual or automatic.

Meanwhile, the turbo-gasoline engine pumps out 158hp and 253Nm, and is only available with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Another highlight of the new Creta is the updated Hyundai SmartSense. The forward collision avoidance can now distinguish between cars, bicycles, and pedestrians. And it also works when turning at intersections. There is smart cruise control with stop-and-go, as well as a driver-monitoring system that tells you when to take a break.

In addition to the usual features such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the infotainment system now incorporates Hyundai’s Bluelink subscription service for more in-depth connectivity.

It also has a home-to-car (H2C) feature that works with digital assistance Alexa. This can be handy if ever you need to turn on your vehicle’s AC while still inside the house.

Knowing that Hyundai Motor Philippines will be launching the new Santa Fe later this month, do you think it should bring in the face-lifted Creta, too?