Hyundai Creta: New Global Compact SUV Confirmed For Late 2015

Hyundai has at last revealed that it will soon introduce a new global compact SUV, dubbed ‘Creta’.

The Creta’s launch schedule will kick off in India later this year, suggesting production will also take place there, alongside Australia’s ageing i20 hatch and the even smaller i10 hatch.

The Korean carmaker has yet to offer any word on the compact SUV’s platform and styling, although it is likely that China’s new ix25 will form the basis.

Hyundai describes the Creta as its “first sub-compact SUV”, leaving little doubt that the carmaker will rename the ix25 - just as the larger ix35’s coming replacement has again been re-christened Tucson, a name still worn in many markets.

The ix25 has so far been held back from launch in western markets, due primarily to concerns over crash safety.

But, with proportions that fit the bill and styling features that would comfortably slot into Hyundai’s global family, a version of the ix25 focused on the requirements of the European market could be just the ticket.

As for its name, Hyundai says the Creta is named in part for Crete, the largest of the Greek islands. 

"Situated in the Mediterranean Sea, Crete was the focal point for Greece’s global prowess in trade and culture, in its heyday connecting Europe, Asia and Africa," the company said in a statement. 

"The Creta name is simple and easy to remember, deliberately evoking welcome similarities with the term 'creative'."