HYUNDAI is likley to launch their new Creta small SUV on July 21, 2015. The Creta, earlier known as the Hyundai iX25, will be Hyundai’s foray into the small SUV segment and will rival the likes of the Renault Duster and upcoming Maruti S-Cross which is also expected to launch next month.

Hyundai expects the new Creta to further strengthen the company’s position in the Indian market, especially with the growing popularity of the SUV segment. The Creta was initially expected to be launched in August, but with the Maruti’s S-Cross coming in July, Hyundai rescheduled the launch, to keep one of the main rivals in check.

Hyundai has also released official design sketches of the upcoming SUV as a teaser of what to expect when it is launched in the market.

In terms of styling, the Creta gets black body cladding with faux scuff plates, a triple-slat hexagonal grille which will likely receive chrome treatment on the production version, angular headlamps with LED elements and though the sketches show twin-projector units, the production car may only get single projector lamps, robust-looking front and rear bumpers, 17 or 18-inch alloy wheels, neatly styled tail-lamps and around 200mm of ground clearance. The Creta has also been styled to look well planted, with the lower half of the car being wider than the top.

On the inside, the Creta is expected to get colour-coordinated dashboards depending on the variant with the design sketches showing a dual tone dashboard with similar colour inserts carrying onto the doors. The centre console as per the sketches seems to get a media system similar to the one in the Elite i20 flanked by vertical air-con vents with silver surround though we expect the unit to be replaced by a touchscreen unit in the top variant. Lower down it gets the familiar climate control switch-gear as seen on its siblings. The multi-function steering is also similar to the one in the Elite i20. The instrument cluster consists of traditional dials that are easy to read. The Creta also gets twin cupholders placed besdie the hand-brake between the front seats and a central armrest along with rear air-con vents. Other inclusions in the Creta are the push button start, Bluetooth telephony controls on the steering and safety features such as ABS and dual airbags as standard.

Under the hood, the Creta is expected to be powered by Hyundai’s 1.6-litre diesel engine pumping out 126bhp and 26.5kgm of torque. Power will be sent to the wheels through a six-speed manual and an automatic gearbox. A 1.6-litre petrol engine developing 121bhp is also expected sometime in the future.

There are no details on the price of the Hyundai Creta, but expect it to be priced competitively in the segment.