Hyundai Creta crosses 15 lakh sales mark. Why the craze for this SUV doesn't die?

New Delhi:Hyundai Creta has achieved a big sales milestone in India, crossing 15 lakh cumulative domestic wholesales by the end of September 2026. Since its introduction in July 2015, the SUV has accounted for approximately 15 percent of Hyundai Motor India’s total passenger vehicle sales. 

It has also made up around 55 per cent of the manufacturer’s utility vehicle dispatches since its launch.

The Creta recorded its highest annual wholesales in FY2026, although sales have declined in the first half of the current financial year.

Hyundai Creta sales performance: Exports near 3 lakh units

The Hyundai Creta started its journey in India with 63,836 units dispatched during FY2016. Sales increased to 96,899 units in FY2017 before crossing the 1 lakh-unit mark in FY2018. The SUV continued to gain popularity, recording 1,24,300 units in FY2019.

However, wholesales declined to 82,074 units in FY2020 before recovering to 1,20,035 units in FY2021.

The Creta’s strongest sales performance came in recent years, particularly following the introduction of the updated model in January 2024. Hyundai dispatched 1,62,773 units in FY2024, followed by 1,94,871 units in FY2025, representing a 20 per cent increase. In FY2026, the SUV achieved its highest annual wholesales of 2,01,921 units, registering a further 4 per cent growth.

However, sales have slowed during the current financial year. Between April and September 2026, combined wholesales of the Creta and Creta Electric stood at 89,727 units, down 10 per cent from 99,345 units during the same period last year. The updated Creta and Creta Electric, introduced in January 2024 and January 2025, respectively, have together contributed an estimated 5.3 lakh domestic units through September 2026.

Apart from its domestic success, the Creta has also been an important export model for Hyundai.

The SUV’s cumulative exports reached 2,95,994 units by August 2026, leaving it just over 4,000 units short of the 3 lakh milestone.

The Creta recorded its highest annual exports in FY2018, when Hyundai shipped 50,820 units overseas. However, export volumes declined considerably in the following years, reaching 3,859 units in FY2024. Shipments subsequently increased to 4,314 units in FY2025 and 6,496 units in FY2026. During April-August 2026, Hyundai exported 2,338 units of the SUV.

Hyundai Creta powertrain options and prices

The Hyundai Creta is currently offered with three engine options in India. These include a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine producing 115hp, a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine developing 160hp and a 1.5-litre diesel engine generating 116hp.

The SUV is available with four transmission options across 27 trims. Depending on the engine and gearbox combination, the Creta delivers an ARAI-certified fuel efficiency of between 17.4kmpl and 21.8kmpl.

Safety features such as six airbags, ABS and electronic brake force distribution (EBD) are standard across the range.

The Hyundai Creta is currently priced between Rs 10.91 lakh and Rs 20.14 lakh (ex-showroom).

Hyundai is also working on the next generation of the Creta, which is expected to arrive in India sometime in 2027. The upcoming SUV is likely to use the K3 platform that underpins the second-generation Kia Seltos.

While Hyundai has not officially disclosed details about the next-generation model, it is expected to bring significant changes compared with the current Creta.

More information regarding its design, features and powertrain options is likely to emerge closer to its debut. 

For Hyundai, the Creta has been one of its most successful products, alongside nameplates like the Santro, i10, and more. The SUV comes with a host of powertrain and drivetrain options with a wide price range. It has been updated constantly with features and gives a premium feel interior-wise as well.