Hyundai Creta Electric long-term review, 9,000km report

There’s quite a lot happening in the lead image of this story. It captures both India’s steadily improving charging infrastructure and the evolution of the Creta itself – from the first-generation SUV that helped define this segment to the modern electric version that hints at where the future is headed.

But there’s another reason this image felt appropriate. Recently, Hyundai called our long-term Creta Electric back for a software update that promised faster DC charging speeds. Naturally, the first thing I did after getting the car back was put that claim to the test.

After running the battery down to below 20 percent SoC, I headed to a 150kW DC fast charger located in Mumbai’s Bandra-Kurla Complex. What followed genuinely surprised me. The Creta Electric was now peaking at 72kW while charging, and more importantly, it consistently maintained average charging speeds of 67kW – a massive improvement over before.

For context, prior to the update, the car would peak at roughly 46kW, while averaging about 41kW on 60kW or higher DC chargers. What that means is, quite simply, quicker charging times in the real world. Its 51.4kWh battery can now charge from 20-80 percent in just 28 minutes; earlier, the same would take over 50 minutes.

Beyond charging speeds, I also repeated our performance and real-world range tests with the updated software. The results remained largely unchanged, which in this case is a good thing, because the Creta Electric was already impressively efficient and adequately quick to begin with.

That said, there are a few irritants. The proximity sensors can occasionally behave erratically in traffic, sometimes beeping for no apparent reason. Boot space, though rated at a solid 433 litres (the same as the ICE model), doesn’t feel especially generous in real-world use for airport runs, and newer rivals simply offer more. And then there’s the continued absence of wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay – something that feels particularly outdated in an EV that otherwise gets so much right.

Truth be told, I’ve been a fan of the Creta Electric ever since I first drove it back in January 2025. In my original Creta Electric review, I had said that it “seems to have what it takes to dominate the EV space,” and after living with it for longer, I still stand by my opinion.

What surprises me, however, is how modest its sales have been. The Creta Electric averages barely 500-550 units a month at a time when rivals are comfortably doing far bigger numbers. I suspect it is because this EV doesn’t immediately wow buyers. The battery is smaller than what some rivals offer, pricing tends to get compared to equivalent ICE Creta versions, and it lacks the futuristic visual flair many buyers now associate with EVs.

But the more you live with the Creta Electric, the more its strengths begin to shine. The car feels simple, sensible and exceptionally smooth in everyday use. It’s a car that I’d confidently recommend.

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