2023 Hyundai Creta vs Volkswagen T-Cross Comparison: Spec Sheet Battle

Hyundai’s re-entry into the Philippines market under new management has also brought along with it several new models. One of these is the Hyundai Creta. 

The all-new 2023 Hyundai Creta

The Creta is the marque’s entry into the ever-competitive subcompact crossover market. It promises to provide a comfy ride, whilst being compact enough to deal with tight city roads.  

But how does it compare specs-wise to what Volkswagen is offering? Specifically, the T-Cross? 

To find out, we’ll be comparing the Hyundai Creta GLS 1.5 IVT against the Volkswagen T-Cross SE 1.5 AT with AID. Both are the top-spec variants of their respective models, and both are positioned within the Php 1.3 million price range.

To start, let’s compare their dimensions. For the all-new Hyundai Creta, it is 4,315mm long, 1,790mm wide, and 1,630mm wide. Its wheelbase then spans 2,610mm, and it has a ground clearance of 200mm. 

The Creta from the front

For the Volkswagen T-Cross, it is 4,218mm long, 1,760mm wide, and 1,599mm in height. It then has a wheelbase length of 2,651mm, and it has a ground clearance of 185mm.  

To sum it up, the Hyundai is a fair bit larger overall compared to the Volkswagen. It also has a bit more ground clearance. The Volkswagen T-Cross, on the other hand, does have a slightly longer wheelbase. 

For exterior equipment, both do have LED headlamps, LED daytime running lamps, and LED taillights. The Hyundai however does come with automatic light control while the Volkswagen does not. 

The Volkswagen T-Cross

Furthermore, both also have power-folding side mirrors, a roof-mounted rear spoiler, as well as roof rails. The Volkswagen does come with front fog lamps, while the Hyundai does not. Moreover, the T-Cross SE also gets a sunroof which isn’t present on the Hyundai model. 

For wheels, the Hyundai Creta’s top-spec variant rides on a set of 17-inch alloy wheels that come with a two-tone color scheme. The T-Cross meanwhile also uses a 17-inch alloy wheel set.  

On the inside, both models can seat up to five occupants. Both also provide a push-to-start button, a manually adjustable driver’s seat, and cruise control.

The top-spec Creta and top-spec T-Cross also have digital gauge clusters. In the case of the T-Cross, it is dubbed as the active information display. As far as functionality goes, both can display a myriad of relevant driving information.

The Creta's cockpit

Back to the seats though, the top-spec Creta uses full leather covers whereas the top-spec T-Cross uses a combination of leather and fabric.  

Moreover, the Creta provides a tilt and telescopic steering column while the T-Cross only has a tilt-only. The Hyundai also gets a more advanced automatic climate control system, while the T-Cross comes with a manual air-conditioning system.  

For entertainment, the Hyundai Creta’s top-spec GLS IVT trim comes standard with an eight-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and USB connectivity.  

A peek inside the Volkswagen T-Cross

In turn, the Volkswagen T-Cross SE gets a 9.2-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth and Apple Carplay.  

Both are linked to a four-piece speaker system. However, while the T-Cross gets a larger headunit, the one on the Creta has more connectivity options. 

Furthermore, the Creta also provides a wireless smartphone charging pad, while the T-Cross does not. Both though, do have USB charging ports spread inside their interiors.  

For engines, the Creta uses a 1.5-liter inline-4 gasoline engine. At the most, this four-banger can make up to 111 horsepower and 144 Nm of torque. It then uses Hyundai’s intelligent variable transmission (IVT) sending power to its front wheels. The said transmission can be controlled manually using paddle shifters. 

The Creta's 1.5-liter Slipstream inline-4 gasoline engine

In turn, the T-Cross is propelled by a 1.5-liter engine that makes 113 horsepower and 145 Nm of torque. It is also front-wheel-drive, and it uses a six-speed automatic gearbox.  

So when horsepower is concerned, the Creta and the T-Cross have nearly identical outputs. The difference between the two is marginal. 

Concerning suspensions, both models use a MacPherson strut for the front and a torsion-beam type suspension for the rear. The one on the Hyundai though, is a coupled torsion beam type suspension. 

The T-Cross' 1.5-liter inline-4 gasoline engine

For braking, both models come with disc brakes for all four wheels. The Creta does have an electronic parking brake with an auto-hold function, while the T-Cross has a hand-operated manual parking brake.  

For safety, the Creta gets two airbags while the T-Cross has a total of six airbags. Both do come with anti-lock braking with electronic brake-force distribution, stability control, traction control, ISOFIX child seat tethers, a tire-pressure monitor, an engine immobilizer, and a security alarm. 

The Creta has autonomous emergency braking

The T-Cross however, does not have blindspot monitoring, driver attention warning, forward collision avoidance assist, and lane follow assist which are all present on the Hyundai. Both do have hill-start assist.  

When power output is concerned, both the Hyundai Creta and Volkswagen T-Cross aren’t that different from each other. One can expect though that the Hyundai IVT on the Creta and the automatic tranny on the T-Cross will provide a vastly different driving feel.  

The Creta from the rear

For on-board features though, the Creta gets better connectivity options for its touchscreen. It also has a better climate control system, and it has more leather for its seats.  

Concerning safety, it’s a mixed bag. The Volkswagen model has more airbags, but the Creta has more driver assist features.  

A view of the T-Cross from the rear

To this end, one should give each vehicle a good old test drive. And for the safety kit in particular, it depends on what you prioritize. Do you need more crash safety, or do you need more features to keep you from crashing in the first place? 

For more car comparisons like this, keep it here on Philkotse.