Honda City 2020 vs Hyundai Creta vs Kia Seltos Clash Of Segments

The is here and boy, has Honda priced it aggressively this time around. It starts from Rs 10.90 lakh for the base-spec petrol MT variant and goes up to Rs 14.65 lakh for the top-spec diesel manual variant. Have a look at the detailed variant-wise prices here.

Though the base-spec V variant offers incredible value for money for the price you pay, you should know that the top-spec ZX variant clashes into the compact SUV category. This got us thinking with a slight twist: "Should you pick up the City or step up for the?" Let's get it crackin'.

Fair Play - The Price:

	Honda City	Kia Seltos	Hyundai Creta
Petrol Variants Prices (ex-showroom)	Rs 10.90 lakh to Rs 14.45 lakh	Rs 9.89 lakh to Rs 14.34 lakh	Rs 9.99 lakh to Rs 16.15 lakh
Diesel Variants Prices	Rs 12.40 lakh to Rs 14.65 lakh	Rs 10.34 lakh to Rs 17.34 lakh	Rs 9.99 lakh to Rs 17.20 lakh
Turbo-petrol Variants	-----	Rs 15.54 lakh to Rs 17.29 lakh	Rs 16.16 lakh to Rs 17.20 lakh

All prices, ex-showroom

• The top-spec City and Seltos' naturally aspirated petrol variants have a similar price tag while the same in the Creta is more expensive as it's offered in the top-spec SX (O) variant as well.

• Prices for the base-spec City V are more expensive than both the SUVs' entry level variants because it has more features on board, and that's the variant we recommend.

• While the diesel City with the manual gearbox clashes segments, the top-spec diesel Creta and Seltos are more expensive as they feature a 6-speed torque converter.

• Turbo petrol variants, though expensive, offer incredible fun behind the wheel.

Who Is The Biggest Here?

	2020 Honda City	Kia Seltos	Hyundai Creta
Length (mm)	4549mm	4315mm	4300mm
Width (mm)	1748mm	1800mm	1790mm
Height (mm)	1489mm	1620mm	1635mm*
Wheelbase (mm)	2600mm	2610mm	2610mm
Boot Space (litres)	506 litres	433 litres	433 litres

*including roof rails

Unsurprisingly, the 2020 City is the longest car in this comparo while the Seltos is the widest and the Creta the tallest. Both the SUVs also have a slightly larger wheelbase though they fall short on boot space when compared to the City, which has a 506-litre boot.

Style Statement:

Styling is a personal opinion. We feel the Seltos and City come across as neatly styled while the Creta's design goes a bit overboard. Yes, it might grow on you as time passes by but it could also be a deal breaker for some.

While the Creta's exterior design may be quirky, its interior design comes across as conventional. Meanwhile, the City and Seltos' interior takes a more European approach to its design. You can have a look at the design of all three cars in the gallery links attached below:

Had a look at the gallery? You tell us which car's styling you prefer in the comments section below.

Equally Feature Loaded

All three cars come with impressive features even though the NA petrol variants of the Seltos and Creta aren't offered in their top most trims. Common bits include a touchscreen infotainment system with connected car technology, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, climate control, a sunroof, cruise control, keyless entry with push button start, a large colour multi-info display, LED headlamps with LED DRLs and alloy wheels.

The Seltos and Creta go a step further by offering a nice sound Bose Sound System. And while only the left mirror in the City features a blind spot monitor, it is offered on both sides in the Seltos.

Here are the unique features each car offers:

	Honda City ZX Petrol MT	Kia Seltos HTX	Hyundai Creta SX
Unique Features	Lane Watch Camera (Blind Spot Monitor)	Sound Mood Lighting, Heads-up Display	Wireless Phone Charger, Panoramic sunroof

All Safe Enough?

Top-spec variants of all cars come with six airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, a rear view camera, a tyre pressure monitor, electronic stability control and ISOFIX child seat mounts. The Seltos further adds a 360-degree camera and front parking sensors to the kit.

Equally Powered?

All three cars in this test come with 1.5-litre petrol and diesel engines. The City's petrol unit is the most powerful at 121PS while the Seltos' and Creta's petrol engine puts out 115PS. They all develop similar amounts of torque at around 145Nm. All of them can be had with either a 6-speed manual or a CVT. Here's how all three engines fare on fuel efficiency:

	Fuel Efficiency (Claimed)	Remarks
Honda City NA Petrol (MT / AT)	17.8kmpl / 18.4kmpl	City is the most fuel efficient in this test.
Kia Seltos NA Petrol (MT / AT)	16.8kmpl / 16.5kmpl	While the Seltos MT is as fuel efficient as the Creta, the AT variant is the least fuel efficient.
Hyundai Creta NA Petrol (MT / AT)	16.8kmpl / 16.9kmpl	Creta is the second most fuel efficient car here.

While the City's petrol variants overshadow the SUVs in terms of power, it's vice versa if you want diesel powered cars. Both the SUVs come with a powerful 115PS/250Nm diesel engine while the City's unit develops 100PS/200Nm. And while all three of them are offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox, only the SUVs come with a 6-speed torque converter.

	Fuel Efficiency (Claimed)	Remarks
Honda City Diesel	24.1kmpl	City is the most fuel efficient.
Kia Seltos Diesel (MT / AT)	21.0kmpl / 18.0kmpl	Kia Seltos is the least fuel efficient despite using Creta's engine.
Hyundai Creta Diesel (MT / AT)	21.4kmpl / 18.5kmpl	Creta plays middle ground here.

However, if you want something fun, we suggest you look at the Turbo variants of the Creta and Seltos. Both SUVs come with a 140PS 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine that's offered with a 7-speed DCT. The Seltos Turbo can also be had with a 6-speed stick shifter if you want to take matters in your own hands.

Which One Should You Pick?

Honestly, this boils down to personal preference. If you want a car that's engaging to drive, has a comfortable rear seat and might be predominantly used as a chauffeur-driven car, then pick up the Honda City. Even the base-spec V variant comes loaded with all the features and you don't need to step up to the top-spec ZX trim unless you want your City to woo others.

If you need a car with more rugged appeal, mild offroading capabilities and some visual pull, head towards a showroom. If you have the budget to extend, we suggest you pick up the sporty Turbo variants for an engaging drive, or a diesel-automatic variant if convenience and fuel efficiency matters.

Nevertheless, whichever car you pick, we are sure it won't let you down.

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