Hyundai Motor India Ltd launched its compact SUV, Creta, in the Indian market on 21 July, 2015. Being one of the most anticipated launches of the year, Creta enjoyed a dream beginning with 15,000 pre-bookings and over 32,000 post-launch bookings (till 17 August).

The overwhelming response has forced the manufacturer to postpone the export for the time being. Earlier, the company had plans to produce 5,000 units per month. However, now the target has been increased by 40% to 7,000 units a month.

Creta took an early lead in the segment with first month sales crossing 6,700 units, which is higher than what Renault Duster and Ford EcoSport had recorded in their debut month.

It has been reported that due to excessive demand, the waiting period has extended to more than six months in some of the cities.

Priced between Rs 8.59 lakh and Rs 13.60 lakh, Creta is being offered in both petrol and diesel engine options. The 1.6-litre VTVT petrol engine churns out 121bhp and 151Nm of torque, while the 1.6-litre CRDi diesel engine develops 126bhp and 259Nm of torque. The less powered 1.4-litre CRDi diesel unit churns out 89bhp and 220Nm of torque. The entire engine is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission, while the 1.6-litre CRDi is also available with 6-speed automatic transmission.

Hyundai Creta 1.6 petrol engine offers a fuel efficiency of 15.29 kmpl, while the 1.4 diesel and 1.6 diesel engine variants return 21.38 kmpl and 19.67 kmpl, respectively.