BENGALURU: Many car enthusiasts love to link the word performance with the cars they love. There are many performance-oriented cars in the market, but at least for some petrolheads, the ‘performance character’ is limited to a bunch of stickers they paste on their ride.
Meanwhile, for car brands, introducing sporty line-ups into their models always means a boost in sales, because the sportiness, of course, attracts a lot more youth to their fold. That’s exactly what Hyundai Motor India aims at with the launch of the N-Line of their uber-popular Creta model.
The automaker has ‘N’ variants and N-Line variants above its usual models. The N sets the tone for the performance car division of the Korean automaker. The N models are sporty and synonymous with high-power performance. Though Hyundai launched its first N model in 2013, in India so far the variant is not available. Instead, a much more economical N-Line has been launched here with mainly some design cues that denote some sporty character. Hyundai already has an N-Line variant series for its Venue and i20. And now, Creta is a new addition to the line.
As I was driving the new Creta N-Line on the Mumbai-Delhi Expressway near Gurugram I found a few core factors which differentiate N-Line Creta from its original edition.
The look
Overall, it looks similar to Creta. But the black grille, bumper and skid plate get some revisions. The red stripe on the body adds character to the car. Matching red brake callipers and 18-inch alloys are also new additions. The rear spoiler and the twin-tip muffler are some cool add-ons.
The colours
The Hyundai Creta N-Line comes in three mono-tone colours – Titan grey matte, abyss black and Atlas white. Then, there are three dual-tone colour options – thunder blue with black roof, Atlas white with black roof and shadow grey with black roof.
The tech
The technical changes Hyundai has introduced in the Creta N-Line that ensure a sportier ride are the reworked steering and suspension. Both are tuned for enthusiastic driving.
I experienced the power of the car on the highway. The 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine offers 160bhp peak power and 253 Nm of torque. Six-speed manual (6MT) and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic (7DCT) are the transmission options on the N-Line. I was able to test both of them. It is a powerful car with both the transmission options. Both gearboxes are smooth. The engine performs without any evident power lag. The automatic model has drive and traction modes, too.
Efficiency
The fuel efficiency of 7DCT is 18.2 km/l and for 6MT 18.0 km/l. I got a 14km/l fuel efficiency in the seven-speed automatic version. The digital cluster helped me utilise level-2 ADAS features with alerts and displays. Creta N-Line is loaded with 42 standard safety features and over 70 advanced safety features. Hyundai has included a dashcam with dual camera exclusively for this new line.
Verdict
Overall, the N-Line is a more stylish and youthful Creta. The price is decent too, at around Rs 30,000 above that of the standard model, one can drive a slightly sportier and eye-catching beauty with an elevated feel.
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