Mid-size SUV space heats up: Hyundai offers year-end benefits on Creta as Tata brings Sierra

The Hyundai Creta and the Tata Sierra are based in the mid-size SUV segment and are direct rivals.

In a surprising move, Hyundai Motor India is offering year-end benefits on the Creta, the country's largest-selling mid-size SUV. This comes at a time when the Tata Sierra has entered the market.

Multiple Hyundai dealerships in Delhi NCR, who did not wish to be named, confirmed that the Creta has an official exchange bonus of up to Rs 30,000 in December 2025. The demand for the Creta is so high that Hyundai rarely comes out with offers on it, they told Moneycontrol.

For reference, Hyundai has sold 1,87,968 units of the Creta in calendar year (CY) 2025, according to industry figures. This is almost double that of the nearest competitor, which is the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara at 95,612 units.

The popularity of the Creta can also be gauged from the fact that it is not only the largest-selling mid-size SUV in India in CY25, but also the second best-selling overall model, only behind the Maruti Suzuki Dzire compact sedan that has clocked 1,95,416 units this year.

While the Creta registered record domestic sales of 1,86,919 units in CY24, a source told Moneycontrol that the vehicle is well on its way to cross the annual sales milestone of 2,00,000 units in CY25.

Although there are no official benefits other than the exchange bonus on the Creta, the Hyundai dealerships said that they were offering discounts to the tune of Rs 70,000 from their end to clear the 2025 stock. They noted that these discounts varied depending on the variant and powertrain.

Hyundai did not immediately respond to an email seeking comments on the year-end benefits being provided on the Creta.

"The Creta has consistently dominated the mid-size SUV segment since its launch, maintaining leadership despite intensifying competition. However, the current generation is nearing the end of its lifecycle, with next year likely being its final full year before replacement. In this context, Hyundai is expected to deploy more aggressive offers to defend market share, particularly as new entrants and refreshed models crowd the segment. These incentives are less about a short-term sales push and more about sustaining Creta’s leadership until the next-generation model arrives," said Gaurav Vangaal, Associate Director, Light Vehicle Production Forecasting, S&P Global Mobility.

The mid-size SUV segment, in which the Hyundai Creta operates, is among the most fiercely contested spaces in the passenger vehicle (PV) market. Almost all the top manufacturers are present here, with rivals being the Tata Sierra, Tata Curvv, Kia Seltos, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Maruti Suzuki Victoris, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Mahindra Thar Roxx, Honda Elevate, Skoda Kushaq, Volkswagen Taigun and MG Astor.

The mid-size SUV segment has grown at around 12% over the past two years. Growth of about 10% (CAGR) is projected through CY30.

The launch of the Tata Sierra in November has enhanced options for buyers in this segment. Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles (TMPV) opened bookings for the Sierra today (December 16) for a token amount of Rs 21,000.

However, two separate Tata dealerships told Moneycontrol that they received 800 orders each for the Sierra during the pre-booking phase.

Vangaal said that the Sierra represents a credible competitor rather than a minor threat. The Sierra's market entry could materially disrupt Creta's dominance; it can dent the leader but may not be able to replace Creta as the segment's frontrunner, he added.

The segment has also witnessed the arrival of the second-generation version of the Seltos this month. While its bookings are open now, the price will be announced on January 2.