6 Hyundai Creta Rivals Launching Next Month! » MotorOctane

After having a solid run in India, the Hyundai Creta is finally feeling the heat from the competition. In November 2025, Tata Motors launched the new Sierra & shook the entire auto industry with the offering. In fact, the brand recently announced that it received more than 70,000 bookings on the first day of bookings. The Sierra will likely neutralise the dominance of the Creta. But that’s just the beginning! Next month, in January 2026, the Creta will have to face as many as five new rivals.
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Return Of Badass!

The first SUV on the list is an SUV that took help from the Creta to enter the Indian market! And now, it has become a big threat to its own sister. Unveiled in December 2025, the new-gen Kia Seltos is all set to be officially launched in January 2026. Talking of which, Kia will be announcing the prices of the new-gen Seltos on the 2nd of January 2026. But how will the new Seltos create a threat to the Hyundai Creta?

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What always makes the Seltos an attractive choice is the design. The Seltos has always been known for its aggressive styling & which is why the brand calls it a Badass SUV. With the new-gen, Kia has taken the design game a few steps ahead. It now gets one of the unique front designs, which is not just aggressive but commands impressive road presence. Also, it is now the longest SUV in the segment and has a larger wheelbase than the Creta! How? Well, the new-gen Seltos is based on the K3 platform, which helped Kia to play with the dimensions. And guess what! The new K3 platform is also expected to have a rigid frame, which may help the Seltos to achieve 5-star safety ratings. 

Apart from the new exterior & platform, the new Seltos also gets a revamped interior and an updated feature list. The dashboard design is completely new and is now dominated by two 12.3-inch screens. Also, to keep things fresh, the Seltos gets a new & brighter dual-tone interior colour theme. Some of the additional features include – 12.3-inch touchscreen system, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, improved HUD, 10-way powered driver seat, powered co-driver seat and more!

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The only similarities the Creta & the new-gen share are the engine options. Both these SUVs are offered with a 1.5-litre NA petrol engine, a 1.5-litre diesel engine & a 1.5-litre TGDi engine. All three units are extremely refined & drivable in any driving conditions.

The Legend Returns! – Upcoming SUVs Under Rs 20 Lakh

This month, we saw the return of the legendary nameplate – the Tata Sierra. And we already saw how the Sierra has created trouble for the Creta. Now, on the 26th of January 2026, another legendary nameplate is set to make a comeback to take on the Korean SUV! We are talking about the Renault Duster, an SUV that started the C SUV segment and has been thrashed ever since the Creta entered the country. Now, the brand is all set to bring back the Duster in a new avatar.

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To reestablish the brand value, Renault is set to bring the Duster with bigger dimensions, boasting a boxy shape design. The SUV is already on sale in global markets, and its spy shots on Indian roads show a strong road presence. It gets a more upright bonnet and is overall taller, wider, and longer than the Creta, with a longer wheelbase. So, the muscular stance will attract many buyers, and the dimensions also hint at a spacious cabin. 

On the inside, the Duster gets a no-nonsense interior layout. The dashboard design may not wow you, but it will likely be the most practical in the segment, with multiple storage places. In terms of features, the new Duster could get –  a 10.1-inch touchscreen, a 7-inch instrument cluster, a 360-degree camera, ADAS, auto AC and much more. Yes, the feature list isn’t the most attractive, but the fact that Renault may price the Duster aggressively should justify the package. Also, to take on the likes of Hyundai Creta & even the Tata Sierra, Renault will likely launch the Duster with a Mercedes engine! Yes, the 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine that produces 160bhp is expected to do the duty for the new Duster. It is the same unit that was previously offered on the India-spec Duster and also powers a few entry-level Mercedes cars!

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Flagship Tata SUV!

Tata Motors has already launched the Sierra to attract potential Creta buyers. However, the Indian auto giant will not stop here! Talking of which, the brand is set to launch its flagship SUV at an affordable price, targeting select variants of the Creta! Confused which SUV we are talking about? Well, it is the flagship Harrier which will soon be offered with an all-new petrol engine! But how will that create trouble for the Creta?

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For starters, the petrol variants of the Harrier are expected to be priced a lakh or two cheaper than its diesel counterpart. So, the Harrier petrol is expected to be priced anywhere between Rs 15 lakh & Rs 28 lakh (on-road, Mumbai). Now, the higher variants of the Harrier will not create any threat to the Creta. What Harrier petrol can do is attract some buyers looking for the top or mid variants of the Creta. Currently, the Harrier has an Adventure X variant in its lineup, which, at the equivalent-priced Creta variants, offers a better value-for-money proposition. With the petrol engine, the Adventure X variants will then provide a much better VFM proposition!

Talking of the petrol engine, it is the same unit that recently debuted on the Sierra. And the engine has already impressed us with its refinement and power delivery. That said, for the heavyweight Harrier, Tata will unlock the engine’s full potential. So, for the Harrier, the 1.5-litre TGDi will produce 168bhp & 280Nm of torque, expected to come paired with a 6MT & 6AT gearbox options.

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Underrated German! – Upcoming SUVs Under Rs 20 Lakh

Just like other automakers, one of the established German brands once attempted to rival the Hyundai Creta! However, it is yet to see the success that it expected. Yes, we are talking about Skoda! The company wanted to make a promise to the Indian market and, in the process, launched an SUV specifically designed for Indian buyers. It is the Skoda Kushaq – made in India & made for India. Skoda bet big on the Kushaq, but it was overshadowed by the Creta’s popularity. A couple of factors, like lack of space & features, failed to attract buyers. However, the fact that the Kushaq is one of the best-driving machines cannot be changed. What adds to the SUV’s overall dynamics are the two engines – 1.0-litre TSI & 1.5-litre TSI.

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So, keeping the pros of the Kushaq intact, Skoda has already started working on what can be done better. The result? Well, in January 2026, Skoda is expected to launch the Kushaq facelift in India! But will Skoda make the Kushaq a completely polished product? Well, not really. For starters, it will be a mere facelift & not a generational upgrade. Which means that the Kushaq will continue to be a size smaller than the Creta. However, other fundamentals like premium appeal & advanced features will be taken into consideration. The SUV is expected to get an updated design for the exterior & the interior. Also, the feature list will see some updates with the inclusion of – Level 2 ADAS, panoramic sunroof, rear massage seats, and more.

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Overall, Skoda will give the Kushaq its much-needed facelift next year. The engines & the platform will remain unchanged & continue to impress enthusiasts in the country. But to make it equally suitable as a family car, Skoda will make the Kushaq premium & feature-loaded than before.

2 Japanese EV SUVs!

Until now, we had a list of Creta rivals equipped with petrol or diesel powertrains. Now, let’s take a quick look at the upcoming Japanese SUVs that will rival the Hyundai Creta EV! In January 2026, Maruti & Toyota are expected to launch their respective Creta EV rivals. Both these SUVs made their first public appearance at this year’s Bharat Mobility Expo. We are talking about the Maruti e Vitara & the Toyota Urban Cruiser EV – another result of Toyota-Maruti partnership. However, none of these were in the news for a whole year! And as 2025 came to an end, Maruti finally revealed the e Vitara and everything that the SUV will offer. The sad part is that the prices will be announced in January 2026. On the other hand, Toyota has yet to share details of the Urban Cruiser EV, but reports suggest it will launch in the first month of 2026.

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But even if Toyota has yet to share details of the Urban Cruiser EV, we do have hints of what it will offer. Thanks to Maruti, which revealed all the details of the e Vitara, we can confirm that the Toyota iteration will be exactly the same. What shook everyone was the crash test result of the e Vitara. Based on the Heartect-e platform, the SUV scored a full 5-star safety rating at the Bharat NCAP crash test facility. Apart from the impressive crash test rating, the e Vitara comes loaded with features like – dual screen setup for infotainment and instrumentation, powered & ventilated front seats, 360-degree camera, 7-airbags, Level 2 ADAS, reclining rear seats and more in its package. Also, it will be one of the most spacious SUVs in the segment with a wheelbase of 2,700mm.

Also, just like any other EV cars in India, the e Vitara will be offered with two battery pack options – 49kWh & 61kWh. The smaller battery gets an electric motor producing 144bhp & 193Nm, while the larger battery gets a powerful motor that produces 174bhp & 193Nm. That said, the larger battery is expected to give a real-life range of upto 500km!

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What about the Toyota Urban Cruiser EV? Well, apart from the exterior design, each & every aspect of the SUV will be the same as the e Vitara. The interior design, the feature list & the battery specifications will all be the same.