SA Road Tests

Welcome

This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. I drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under real-world South African conditions. Many of the vehicles driven are world cars as well, so what you read here possibly applies to the models you get where you live.

My most recent drive is on the home page. Archived reviews and opinion pieces are in the active list down the left side. Hover your cursor over a heading or manufacturer's name and search through the drop-down menu that appears.

Editor's note: SA Roadtests accepts multi-day vehicle loans from manufacturers in order to provide editorial reviews. All vehicle reviews are conducted on our turf and on our terms.

For out-of-province vehicle launch features however, travel costs are covered by the manufacturer concerned. This is common in the motor industry, as it's more economical to ship journalists to cars than to ship cars to journalists.

Judgments and opinions expressed on this site are our own. We do not accept paid editorial content or ads of any kind.


This is a launch report. In other words, it's simply a new model announcement. The driving experience was limited to a short drive over a preselected course. We can therefore not tell you what it will be like to live with over an extended period, how economical it is, or how reliable it will be. A very brief first impression is all we can give you until such time as we get a test unit for trial. Thank you for understanding.

Expanded: 2022 Hyundai Grand Creta arrives in SA

Ticks boxes

Posted: March 28, 2022

The numbers:  
Prices range from R449 900 to R559 900
Petrol engine: 1999 cc, DOHC 16-valve four-cylinder with GDI developing 117 kW and 191 Nm
Diesel engine: 1493 cc, DOHC 16-valve four-cylinder with CRDi and VGT developing 84 kW and 250 Nm
Zero to 100 km/h in 9.5 or 10.5 seconds, model-dependent
Top speeds: 190 km/h (all)
Claimed average fuel consumption: 6.5 l/100 km diesel auto, 8.5 l/100 km petrol manual, 8.9 l/100 km petrol automatic.
Fuel tank: 50 litres
Luggage: 180 – 1670 litres
Ground clearance: 200 mm
Turning circle: 11.2 metres
Towing capacities: Unbraked 750 kg. Braked 900- to 1100 kg, model-dependent
Manufacturer’s warranty: Five years, 150 000 km.
Powertrain warranty: Additional two years and 50 000 km.
Roadside assistance: Seven years, 150 000 km
Service plan: Four years, 60 000 km at 15 000 km intervals.

The word Grand(e), in French, means big, large, great or considerable. In English it’s all those as well as fancy, wonderful or impressive. Hyundai’s new Grand Creta does a good job of ticking all those boxes. It’s not huge like a Kia Carnival or Opel Zafira Life, mind you; just a comfortably sized seven-seater Creta to supplement the existing five-chair range.

Specifically it’s 200 mm longer on a wheelbase stretched by 150, the same width as the original and 55 mm higher. Ten mm of that goes to added ground clearance, making the actual body 45mm taller. The result is space for two more seats and maximum cargo capacity, with rows two and three lowered, 269 litres bigger. All models in the range are front-wheel drive.

Changes to appearance include reworked rear panel, tail lights and diffuser while the front end features slightly changed grille, running lamps and lower air intake. Instruments, vents and controls remain much the same but the wheels are new.

Standard equipment-wise even entry-level Executive models, offered only with Hyundai’s Nu two-litre petrol motor and choice of six-speed manual or automatic, are quite fancy. Consider 17” alloy wheels, six airbags, motor driven power steering, disc brakes at both ends, ABS with all the usual peripherals, artificial leather upholstery, automated LED head lights, front foglamps, LED running- and tail lights, powered windows and folding mirrors, eight-inch touchscreen entertainment centre with all the expected bits and pieces, keyless entry, reversing camera, rear park assist, standard cruise control and wireless phone charging.

Two Elite versions are fitted with the same petrol engine or a 1.5-litre diesel, and six-ratio automatic only. Wheels change to 18” and added kit includes, but isn’t restricted to, an electric parking brake; automatic climate control; electrically adjustable driver’s seat; seatback pockets and aircraft-style tray tables; ventilated front chairs; push-button starting; a bigger TFT instrument cluster; rear window curtains; sunroof; traction control with snow, mud and sand settings; three drive modes and privacy glass.

Colour range: Typhoon Silver, Polar White, Titan Grey, Phantom Black and Moonlight Blue.

Fit into your garage? 4500 mm long, 1790 wide and 1675 mm high.

Behaviour on dirt? A brief test drive on moderately challenging gravel proved encouraging but let’s wait until we get a test unit to try.

Information obtained at a manufacturer-sponsored launch event

We reviewed a 2.0 petrol version here

What We Do

This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.

Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads or goat tracks as well. As a result, my test cars do occasionally get dirty. It's all part of the reviewing process.

I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material.

If ever I place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with a very similar vehicle already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.

Hope you like what you see, because there are no commercial interests at work here. There are no advertisers and no “editorial policy” rules. I add bylines to acknowledge sponsored launch functions and the manufacturers or dealerships that provide the test vehicles.  And, as quite a few readers have found, I answer every serious enquiry from my home email address, with my phone numbers attached, so you can see I do actually exist.

Comments or questions?
Want to ask a question, comment or just tell me you completely disagree with what I say? If you want advice or have a genuine concern, I will be happy to hear from you. All I ask is that you write something in the subject line so I know which vehicle you're talking about.