VW Taigun GT Plus Sport Vs Hyundai Creta N Line Vs Kia Seltos X-Line: The Ultimate Driver's SUV?

We don't need to tell you how mid-size SUVs are all the rage today, and car makers today are keen on offering sportier versions of them as well. The fact that the VW Taigun GT Plus Sport, the Hyundai Creta N Line, and the Kia Seltos X-Line exist are proof of that.

While these are not 'go-faster' versions of their regular siblings, their focus is towards the enthusiastic driver; the one who looks for driver thrills above everything else. So, between the Hyundai Creta N Line, the Volkswagen Taigun GT Plus Sport, and the Kia Seltos X-Line, which one will emerge victorious? We shall find out!

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Design and Dimensions

Let's start with the Taigun GT Plus Sport, which more or less retains the same core design since it was launched in 2021. The Taigun GT Plus Sport replaces most of the chrome bits from the standard car with blacked-out elements, along with 17-inch Cassino Black alloy rims. Additionally, there's also black badging red brake callipers, and red GT badging elsewhere on the body. Credit where it's due, the Taigun still looks great even three years after its launch.

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The Hyundai Creta N Line, on the other hand, gets a completely different grille, and the DRLs are similar to what we've recently seen on the new Alcazar. Much like the i20 N Line and the Venue N Line, the Creta N Line too receives red inserts on the lower parts of its body.

It also gets N Line-specific 18-inch alloy rims, red brake callipers, and while things haven't changed too much at the rear, you do get a twin-tip exhaust at the rear, along with an N Line-specific rear spoiler, and a diffuser with red inserts.

Moving onto the Kia Seltos X-Line. This car gets two paint schemes on offer; Aurora Black and an 'Xclusive Matte Graphite.' The Seltos X-Line gets a slightly different pattern for the grille, along with a tweaked DRL treatment. It also gets darker treatment on the grille and lower down on the bumper.

The X-Line also gets specific 18-inch diamond-cut alloy rims, gloss black finish for the ORVMs, rear spoiler, and the front and rear bumpers. Kia has also given it X-Line specific diffuser treatment, twin-tip exhausts, and unlike the the other two cars in this comparison, the X-Line features some amount of chrome on the window surrounds.

In terms of dimensions, while the Creta N Line and the Seltos X-Line are longer, taller and wider, the Taigun GT Plus Sport claws back with a longer wheelbase. The Taigun also gets a smaller boot at 385 litres, while the Creta N Line and the Seltos X-Line get a larger boot at 433 litres. This particular criteria may not matter that much to driving enthusiasts. That said, all three cars offer ample boot space should the need arise.

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Interiors and Features

Since these are sportier versions of their regular siblings, all three cars here receive dark treatment on the inside with minimal or no chrome present, and red inserts for contrast. Beginning with the VW Taigun GT Plus Sport, which gets all-black treatment, along with red inserts, and GT-specific badging and stitching on the seats. The only amount of chrome present seems to be on the door latch, and silver treatment on the steering wheel.

Everything else has been retained, including the familiar centre console with touch controls for the A/C and fan speed, the 10.25-inch infotainment display and the 8-inch digital cluster. There is also a wireless charging pad on offer, which may not support certain Android phones.

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The Hyundai Creta N Line's interiors are quite tastefully done, and while they are based on the regular Creta's, the black-and-red treatment make it look significantly different, which is quite nice. Since we had the manual transmission variant with us, the N Line-specific gear lever stood out easily. You also get a 10.25-inch blended screen setup for the infotainment and the digital cluster.

The centre console features actual buttons instead of the Taigun's touch surfaces for the A/C controls, which makes sense because the touch surfaces get smudged with fingerprints rather easily, and you have to end up taking your eyes off the road to ensure the right levels, which is obviously not very safe or ideal.

The Creta N Line's digital cluster features twin dials, which change their themes depending on which drive mode you're in, with Sport mode obviously appearing the most interesting. However, since we were driving the 6-speed manual, it does not feature drive modes, but you can change the theme of the dials by using the car settings in the infotainment touch screen. The N Line's red ambient lighting is also just a touch more obvious than the Taigun's, and adds to overall cabin feel, especially at night.

Moving onto the Kia Seltos then. In its X-Line guise, its interiors get Sage Green upholstery with blacked-out materials, and red inserts on the seats and the steering wheel. The Sage Green and black combination does look and feel a bit more premium than the other two cars here. However, the blue ambient lighting may feel slightly out of place to some people. Thankfully, similar to the Creta N Line, its centre console also offers actual buttons instead of touch surfaces like the Taigun gets.

While the Creta N Line and the Seltos X-Line are quite neck-and-neck in terms of the equipment on offer (with a few exceptions of course), it is over the Taigun that the X-Line has a bigger hand. Similar to the Creta N Line, the Seltos X-Line also comes with a 10.25-inch blended screen setup, and there is no wireless connectivity here. However, it gets a head-up display, which is not present in the Taigun GT Plus Sport or the Creta N Line. It also comes with a proper tyre-pressure monitoring system, which shows you tyre pressure on all four ends. The Taigun only shows you a low tyre pressure warning.

The Seltos X-Line and the Creta N Line also come with Level 2 ADAS features, a 360-degree camera, a voice-assisted electric panoramic sunroof, an 8-speaker Bose sound system, one-touch power window functions, window blinds, and an electric parking brake among other things. However, the Taigun GT Plus Sport fights back with a 5-star safety rating as per the updated GNCAP safety norms. While it gets a smaller single-pane sunroof, both its front seats receive power-adjustability for height and reclining. All three cars come with front ventilated seats, but the Koreans only offer the driver seat with power adjustment.

In terms of connectivity, the Taigun one-ups the other two cars in this segment with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. In my experience, I found it easier to sync up my phone in the Taigun compared to the other two cars, which offer only wired connectivity. The Creta N Line does not accept a OnePlus cable, and you will be forced to look for alternatives.

Rear Seat Comfort

The rear seat is something that may not matter to enthusiasts, but a majority of the buyers will be family people, who need to keep everyone happy. For two people in the second row, the Volkswagen Taigun does a good job. The seats bolster you very well, there's enough legroom and headroom even for taller people, under-thigh support is also pretty decent. However, the rear A/C vents could be a bit more powerful, and seating a third person will be a tight fit. While the lack of a panoramic sunroof personally does not affect me, buyers may probably feel that the Taigun's cabin is less airy due to this factor.

The regular Hyundai Creta has always had a comfortable rear bench, and it's the same story here in the N Line. Three people will be a lot more comfortable in this bench, and you also get headrest pillows as well. Despite the black-and-red treatment, the Creta N Line feels spacious and airy due to the panoramic sunroof. There is no problem with regards to legroom and headroom as well.

With its Sage Green interiors, the Kia Seltos X-Line looks and feels a lot more premium than the other two cars here. Chauffeur driven buyers will definitely like the setup here, with the presence of soft-touch materials, the mix of light and dark treatment on the interiors and the presence of the panoramic sunroof making things more ambient and airy. The Seltos X-Line also feels wider and more comfortable than the other two cars.

Powertrains

The Hyundai Creta N Line and the VW Taigun GT Plus Sport are petrol-only products in this comparison, while the Kia Seltos X-Line gives you the option of a diesel. However, while the Taigun GT Plus Sport and the Creta N Line give you the option of both manual and automatic transmissions, the Seltos X-Line can be had with automatic gearboxes only.

Ride and Handling

This is where the VW Taigun GT Plus Sport truly shines. Yes, it does get 17-inch wheels, drum brakes at the rear, and it is smaller than the other cars in this comparison. However, it is also one the most fun cars to drive in its segment. The chassis holds a tight line very well, the steering weighs up nicely, and the DSG transmission offers slick shifts. There are paddle shifters available here, and they automatically switch the car into manual mode.

Its compact dimensions make it easier to drive it in the city, but its stiff ride quality can make the driver feel some amount of fatigue. However, out on the highway, the Taigun's character changes. Like we mentioned before, the steering weighs up nicely, and if you were to make a quick overtake or change lanes, the Taigun feels surefooted and planted in that regard as well. If you do get a big enough space, the Taigun's chassis encourages you to push it hard, and that handbrake lever begs to be pulled; this is something the other two cars here simply cannot do.

I had a lot of expectations from the Hyundai Creta N Line, especially since the car we had on test was a 6-speed manual. While it is undoubtedly a great car, the tuning of the engine leaves us wishing for a few things. There is hardly any amount of torque lower down the revs, which makes city driving a real chore. This results in continuously shuffling between the first and second gear. For some reason, the exhaust note on the Creta N Line also does not match up to the other N Line cars in Hyundai India's lineup.

The ride quality is a little firm, and you do tend to get thrown around a bit on bad roads. There is also a noticeable amount of body roll when trying to attack corners. The steering weight, although decent, could do with a bit more feel and feedback. Thankfully, the Creta N Line does not understeer very easily, and you are aware of where the car is going. On highways, the Creta N Line also stays quite planted at higher speeds, and there isn't much to say about in that regard.

Strangely enough, while it does get a blind-spot monitor and a 360-degree camera, the Creta N Line felt like the most intimidating car to drive when in bumper-to-bumper traffic. I cannot pinpoint an exact reason as to why, but somehow it just did. Overall, while the Creta N Line does offer a decent balance, we wish there had been just a little more pizzazz to it.

This brings us to the Kia Seltos X-Line. Again, definitely not a bad car, and in fact it feels like a properly premium car when you're sitting in it. However, things are a little different when you take the wheel. The Seltos has marginally larger dimensions than the other two cars here, and despite having a stiffer ride quality, the chassis just doesn't seem inspiring enough to cut through tight corners easily.

The steering feedback is not as sharp as the other two cars here and there is a more noticeable amount of body roll. Also, despite being one of the more powerful cars in its segment, the dual-clutch transmission isn't the quickest when it comes to enthusiastic driving, as its shift speeds simply feel too delayed.