The tale of the Hyundai Creta is nothing short of dramatic—a decade — long blockbuster in India’s bustling SUV market. Sure,the Renault Duster wrote the opening chapters for the 4 — 4.5-metre SUV brigade, but it’s the Creta that claimed the crown and rewrote the rules.
Over a million Cretas have found homes across the country,and the momentum hasn’t slowed one bit: 2025 alone has seen sales topping 1.17 lakh units by July,making it not just the best-selling SUV, but also one of India’s overall top sellers month after month.
Every month, more than 15,000 new Cretas roll onto Indian roads, ensuring Hyundai’s flagship consistently sits among the nation’s top five selling cars and dominates nearly one — third of its segment.
Creta’s blend of bold style, balanced performance and irresistible value has made it the car competitors love to chase, but never quite catch.
But there’s a new challenger in town: Maruti Suzuki’s Victoris. After years of hopeful “Creta Killers” missing their mark, Maruti Suzuki thinks it has finally cracked the code. The Victoris isn’t just about raw power —it’s designed for today’s
tech-savvy, comfort-loving Indian, for whom features matter much more than horsepower.
And it’s no entry-level compromise either; the ZXi+ trim packs a Dolby Atmos sound system, advanced driver assistance (ADAS), a stunning edge-to-edge digital display and even an optional sunroof. Interestingly, Maruti is bucking trends by also offering fully loaded trims without a sunroof, betting that India’s soaring “sunroof craze” may be ready to set.
A fun twist: the Victoris comes in an astonishing 21 trim levels. But horsepower rarely gets a mention. Why? Because Maruti knows the K15C engine’s 103PS isn’t turning heads — especially next to the Creta’s 115PS non-turbo engine, or the punchier options from Volkswagen and Skoda. While the Victoris delivers smooth rides and sharp handling, it isn’t the drag strip king.
The hope is that future variants get a power bump, perhaps borrowing the Boosterjet engine from the Fronx.Yet,Victoris has a few aces up its sleeve. All — wheel drive — almost unheard of at this price point — makes a surprise appearance. Only the Grand Vitara offers similar capability, and Maruti Suzuki’s tried-and-tested All Grip system lets the Victoris tackle tough terrain with confidence. The big headline, though, is Maruti’s new in-house hybrid tech.
Assembled in Gujarat,the strong hybrid Victoris boasts an impressive 28 km/l fuel efficiency, serving up the best of both worlds for those not ready to go fully electric. Up to a quarter of Victoris buyers are expected to opt for this hybrid, despite its two-lakh rupee premium over the regular automatic — an easy choice for daily commuters racking up more than 40 km a day.
So,does the Victoris have what it takes to dethrone the Creta? Here’s the lowdown: lMaruti Suzuki’s Arena network is massive — no other carmaker can match
its reach.l Hyundai is, for the first time, offering discounts on the Creta, a sign that competition is heating up.l The Victoris beats the Creta on pure feature set: ADAS, Dolby Atmos and even wireless CarPlay (which Hyundai’s new “Knight” variant is just waking up to).l Safety? The Victoris shines, with top five — star crashscores under both BNCAP and GNCAP.But while the Creta remains the king, the Victoris is a worthy contender — fresh, bold and exceptionally well-equipped. Whether it finally becomes the “Creta Killer” India’s been whispering about, only time will tell.For now, Indian car buyers are in for their most exciting choice yet.
