Affordable Luxury: Best Budget Variants of Kia Seltos and Hyundai Creta

What a Budget-conscious buyer looks for in a car

A budget-conscious buyer prioritizes value for money while searching for the best budget cars in India. This includes essential safety features like ABS and airbags, a robust engine with good fuel efficiency for lower running costs, convenience features like power steering and power windows, and moderate comfort enhancements such as a basic touchscreen and audio system.

While exterior design and premium features can be appealing, they do not usually drive the purchasing decision for a budget-conscious buyer. In this regard, the Kia Seltos and Hyundai Creta can be considered some of the value for money cars in India.

Why Kia Seltos and Hyundai Creta are popular among Budget-conscious buyers

Kia Seltos and Hyundai Creta offer an optimal mix of affordability, performance, and comfort, making them popular choices among budget-conscious buyers. Both these models are available in various variants catering to different price segments. Importantly, even their base variants come equipped with standard safety features like ABS and airbags, meeting the primary requirements of safety-conscious budget buyers, and making them some of the best budget mid-size SUVs.

The engines of both Seltos and Creta are known for delivering high fuel efficiency, thus promising lower running costs. The convenience of features like power steering, power windows, and a basic touchscreen interface, even in the lower-priced variants, adds to their appeal.

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In addition, both cars are praised for their contemporary exterior designs, which resonate well with buyers desiring an affordable yet modern-looking vehicle. Moreover, the reputation of Kia and Hyundai for delivering high-quality vehicles at competitive prices enhances their appeal to budget-conscious buyers.

For this comparison of these two affordable car options in India, we look at their base variants for their budget-friendly proposition. You can check out our comparison of Hyundai Creta and Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara’s base variants, too.

Base variants of Kia Seltos and Hyundai Creta

Variant	Price (INR)
Kia Seltos HTE	10,89,000
Hyundai Creta E	10,87,000

The Kia Seltos HTE, priced at INR 10,89,000, delivers a good fuel efficiency of 16.8 kmpl overall, with a slightly higher highway mileage of 18.03 kmpl. It is equipped with key safety features like ABS and six airbags. Moreover, it offers basic convenience features like power steering, power windows, an LCD touchscreen, and a four-speaker audio system. The variant is also praised for its body-colored bumpers, which add to its aesthetic appeal.

The Hyundai Creta E variant, slightly cheaper at INR 10,87,000, also provides a reasonable fuel efficiency with ABS and six airbags for safety. It comes with power steering and power windows, with no touchscreen system but does have rear AC vents and glove box cooling. Although it lacks some convenience features compared to the Seltos HTE, it does offer a good balance of essentials. Read how the base variants of Creta and Skoda Kushaq fare against each other as budget-friendly cars.

Best variant among Kia Seltos and Hyundai Creta for Budget-conscious buyers

Considering the balance of safety, fuel efficiency, convenience, and price, the Kia Seltos HTE emerges as the best variant for budget-conscious buyers. Despite being marginally more expensive than the Creta E, the Seltos HTE offers additional features like a touchscreen interface and a four-speaker audio system. Its superior fuel efficiency further drives down the cost of ownership in the long run.

Thus, the Kia Seltos HTE offers more value for the additional money spent, making it the best choice for budget-conscious buyers that fits their wallet. If you’re a safety-conscious buyer, you can read our comparison of Kia Seltos with Hyundai Creta as safe cars.

Kia Seltos, Hyundai Creta’s Base Variants Ranked

The two choices for a budget-conscious buyer are Kia Seltos HTE, followed by Hyundai Creta E, due to their balance of essential features and affordability.

Attributes	Kia Seltos HTE	Hyundai Creta E
ABS	Yes	Yes
Airbags (number)	6	6
Engine – Fuel type	Petrol	Petrol
Power Steering	Yes	Yes
Power Windows – Back	Yes	Yes
Power Windows – Front	Yes	Yes

Despite the similar price, Kia Seltos HTE offers a more comprehensive package with its touchscreen interface and better fuel efficiency. The Hyundai Creta E, however, also provides a solid blend of essential features and affordability, even without the touchscreen system.

Overall, both these variants are value-packed, affordable SUV choices for budget-conscious buyers who prioritize safety, fuel efficiency, and essential convenience features. They embody the idea that affordability does not need to compromise on safety or comfort, making them attractive options in their segment.

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