These are the three factors that make you look at the Hyundai Creta

 The experience of driving a Hyundai Creta for the first time still leaves an impression on us. Although the opportunity was short on the island of Bali some time ago, we feel that there are still some details of this latest Hyundai product that deserve to be discussed.

The discussion, especially on the three factors that we think is the most interesting, is used as a reason for potential consumers to look at Creta. Anything? Check out the following:

These are the three factors that make you look at the Hyundai Creta

Hyundai SmartStream 1.5 Engine Sensation

Actually, there is no doubt about this 1.5L engine, because this engine has also been used in its sister brand, KIA Sonet, which has a slick impression. Of course there are different tunings given by Hyundai for road conditions in Indonesia and this is answered by bulldozing the streets of the island of Bali which has many winding and up and down road contours.

On paper, the Smarstream 1,497 cc 16 valve 4-cylinder engine is capable of producing a maximum power of 115 ps at 6,300 rpm with a maximum torque of 143.8 Nm at 4,500 rpm. The energy sensation can be translated well thanks to the installation of the Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT) transmission. 

The character of Creta's power is actually slow at the bottom, this is felt when the road conditions are congested or stop and go.

But thanks to a fairly sophisticated transmission, to get power when the gas pedal is stepped on, this SmartStream engine does not disappoint. Moreover, the driver is given the convenience of adjusting the transmission gear from the paddle shift behind the wheel and the transmission lever that includes manual mode by shifting to the right in D mode.

Hyundai Creta still includes a driving mode that can be selected via the dial on the center console with the transmission lever. Simply turning the dial, the driver can select ECO, Smart, Sport and Normal driving modes, which will change the color of the meter cluster according to the selected mode. Experiments while driving on the island of Bali use a lot of Sport and Smart modes which provide the sensation of fast gear shifting with fast charging power because you are driving with an escorted group. Apart from driving modes, Creta still offers a traction mode consisting of Snow, Mud, and Sand for suitable road conditions. This is quite an interesting feature for a front-drive SUV.

Hyundai Creta

The Creta digital meter cluster measuring 10.25 inches TFT also provides information on the average fuel used during driving on the island of Bali. During use, the driving style is carried out as normal as possible and even tends to be extravagant thanks to the use of Sport mode and often stepping on the gas pedal. From the information screen, the first day of use with the Airport - Uluwatu - Nusa Dua route, covered a distance of about 200 kilometers and recorded a fuel consumption figure of 10.8 kilometers per liter. For the second day, with the Nusa Dua - Kintamani - Airport route which has uphill and downhill routes, covering a distance of about 250 kilometers, recording fuel consumption of 8.3 kilometers per liter.

It feels a little lacking if the discussion of engine power is not accompanied by handling. Speaking of handling Creta, the suspension feels quite rigid which makes it feel hard on certain road contours. However, this setting feels right for maneuvering in many turns which makes the symptoms of body roll minimal. The steering wheel also feels precise enough to translate the driver's wishes when turning. This makes driving with Creta on the narrow roads of the island of Bali even more confident.

Advanced Features of Hyundai SmartSense

The opportunity to drive a Creta is also the right time to try the Hyundai SmartSense feature that is present in the top variant of Prime. This is a contemporary safety feature that has recently been present in several rival products that are present in the country.

The first feature that is felt is the cruise control mode which comes with the additional features of lane keeping assist and lane following assist while on the Mandara toll road, Bali. This feature feels helpful because Creta automatically directs the vehicle to stay in the lane through visual and audio information. When trying to change lanes without turning on the turn signal, this feature actively corrects the steering wheel to return to the right lane.

The blind spot collision avoidance assist feature is present to warn the driver in the rearview mirror when a vehicle is present from the left and right rear of the vehicle that is usually not visible. Several times this feature is active considering the traffic on the island of Bali is quite dense with the speed of vehicles going hand in hand. This congested road condition has also made the forward collision avoidance assist feature work several times to provide warnings and activate braking. Conditions that require the driver to continue in a series make this feature work to ensure that there is no collision with the vehicle in front.

Another feature that was felt was the hill start assist control which made it easier for the vehicle to stop and drive on an incline without worrying about moving backwards. The presence of a rear view monitor also helps when you want to park the vehicle. The Driver attention warning feature also had the function of giving a warning to the driver to rest after a long journey. Creta still has features such as safe exit warning, rear cross traffic collision avoidance assist, high beam assist, and manual speed limit assist, which unfortunately has not been felt in this experiment.

The presence of Hyundai BlueLink

This is an Internet of Thing (IoT) feature of Creta that connects the settings of several vehicle features via a mobile phone utilizing an internet connection. Hyundai calls it BlueLink which is a Connected Car Service technology with various functions. On the occasion of some time ago, Hyundai showed the function of this feature directly.

Technically, the Creta head unit has a SIM card attached to connect to the internet. Drivers just need to download the Bluelink application on their mobile phones to connect with various features. This BlueLink feature is also included with every purchase of Creta Trend, Style and Prime variants and has been subscribed for the next three years to experience these features.

Some of the features that come from the mobile phone application include remote engine start stop where the driver can start the Creta engine for two to 10 minutes to be ready for use. There is also a remote climate control feature that regulates the cabin temperature to suit the driver's wishes before entering the vehicle.

There is also a remote horn and light control feature that makes it easy to find a location in the parking lot. This feature will turn on the lights and horn for 30 seconds. In addition, there are remote door lock and unlock features as well as find my car which is connected to a map to show the car's position.

In the center of the Creta glass there is an SOS help button to connect to the emergency service center which operates 7 x 24 hours. Just by pressing the button, the Creta owner will be connected to the operator who will ask for emergency needs such as an ambulance, tow truck or the location of the nearest repair shop.

This BlueLink technology also has an auto collision notification feature where the vehicle sends a signal that an accident has occurred and the driver will be immediately contacted by the operator to inquire about conditions and needs during an emergency. The operator contacted through the mic and speaker in the car to confirm the condition of the driver who then contacted the police and medical services to the accident site.

Regarding security from theft, BlueLink also features stolen vehicle notification, stolen vehicle tracking and stolen vehicle immobilization. This feature detects sudden movements in the car such as breaking the glass and forcibly opening the car to then notify the Creta owner. When a car is stolen, for example, BlueLink provides car tracking by providing its location and route. Then through the call center, vehicle owners can request that the car engine be completely turned off so that it cannot be used by thieves.

Furthermore, the BlueLink feature can also set the vehicle's cruising area through geo-fence alerts. This feature provides a warning if the car is driven through a restricted area. There is also a speed alert feature to provide notification that Creta is brought beyond the specified speed. There is also a time fencing alert that regulates when Creta can and cannot be ridden. Valet mode is here to monitor the vehicle when it is handed over to the valet officer via a smartphone.

Regarding the BlueLink feature, many think this feature will not be used too much. However, seeing the full range of features on offer, the presence of this feature cannot be viewed only as a decoration. For Creta owners, this is the first to experience the connectivity technology that will surely become a feature standard in future products.

To experience the most complete features of Creta, prospective consumers must choose the top variant Prime with a price tag of IDR 397.5 million for single tone and IDR 399 million for two tone roof mode. This top variant is only available in IVT transmission options.