Tata Motors will launch the new Tata Sierra 2025 in India on November 25. Its biggest rival will be the Hyundai Creta, which dominates the mid-size SUV sub-segment. This space also has other formidable contenders like the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Mahindra Thar Roxx, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara and Kia Seltos.
The SUV segment is the largest contributor to the passenger vehicle (PV) volumes in India. Within the SUV segment, the largest sub-segment is compact SUV, followed by mid-size SUV.
The mid-size SUV contributed 25.76% to the overall SUV volumes in the domestic market in FY25. Of the 23,66,274 units of SUVs sold in India during the fiscal, 6,09,516 units were of mid-size SUVs.
The Creta was the largest-selling mid-size SUV in India in FY25, with 1,94,871 units sold. The Grand Vitara followed it at 1,23,946 units and the Seltos at 72,618 units. Behind these three models was the Urban Cruiser Hyryder at 60,388 units.
While the Creta has continued its dominance this year (FY26 - April to October), models like the Hyryder and the Thar Roxx are making their presence felt with relatively better performance.
Year-to-date, the Creta has sold 1,17,726 units in the domestic market. Rivals are far behind with the Hyryder at 56,754 units, Thar Roxx at 47,765 units, Grand Vitara at 47,402 units and the Seltos at 41,085 units.
The dominance of the Creta is such that its sales have been more than double that of its nearest rival (Hyryder) this year. Also, the Creta is the second largest-selling overall car in India this fiscal, only behind Maruti Suzuki's Dzire compact sedan at 1,28,797 units.
A market analyst told Moneycontrol that the Hyundai Creta remains popular in India because it sits in the high-demand mid-size SUV space and offers a wide choice of engines, transmissions and variants.
"Its consistently rich feature list, including segment-leading equipment, keeps it appealing. Hyundai's strong service network and reliability further boost buyer confidence, while the Creta's solid resale value and established market reputation reinforce its long-term desirability," he added.
While the internal combustion engine (ICE) version of the Creta is priced between Rs 10,72,593 and Rs 20,19,862 (ex-showroom), the Creta Electric sits in the price bracket of Rs 18,02,200 to Rs 24,69,500 (ex-showroom).
The Creta has three engine options -- 1.5-litre MPi petrol (115PS and 144Nm), 1.5-litre Kappa Turbo GDi petrol (160PS and 253Nm) and 1.5-litre U2 CRDi diesel (116PS and 250Nm). The transmission options -- 6-speed MT, 6-speed AT and 7-speed DCT -- vary depending on the engine.
The Creta Electric has a couple of battery pack options -- 42kWh and 51.4kWh. The claimed range for the smaller battery pack option is 390km, while the larger battery pack extends the range to 473km.
The SUV's feature list focuses on practicality, safety and cabin technology. It offers Level 2 ADAS with functions like forward collision avoidance, lane keeping assist and blind-spot monitoring. Six airbags, ESC, rear disc brakes, TPMS and an electric parking brake strengthen safety.
The cabin gets an integrated screen setup that combines a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment and a 10.25-inch digital cluster. Other noteworthy features are Bose audio, dual-zone automatic climate control, a voice-enabled panoramic sunroof and front ventilated seats. Convenience features include powered driver and passenger seats, rear sunshades, a rear wireless charger and Bluelink connectivity.
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