For Middle Eastern consumers with a budget under SAR 100,000, selecting a practical and reliable SUV is an essential decision. In this price range, the options typically focus on compact and entry-level midsize SUVs that cater to both urban driving and light off-roading needs.
This article highlights five popular SUVs on the market: Toyota Raize, Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Nissan Kicks, and Geely Coolray. Each model offers distinct features, and here we offer a detailed analysis starting with the Toyota Raize.
Toyota Raize
Exterior Design
The Toyota Raize combines a youthful, stylish aesthetic with practicality, perfectly meeting the aesthetic preferences of urban consumers. It features a large trapezoidal front grille that complements its sharp LED headlights, creating a strong visual impact while portraying Toyota's familial design language. The addition of a prominently textured fog light frame adds a rugged touch to the overall design.
Viewed from the side, the compact dimensions and dynamic waistline design enhance the vehicle's lively and modern silhouette. The dual-tone roof not only adds a level of visual depth but also elevates the overall style of the vehicle. The inclusion of a roof rack not only boosts its practicality but also adds an adventurous vibe to its character.
At the rear, the different levels are clearly defined, with taillights connected by a central trim that broadens the visual width of the vehicle and enhances its nighttime visibility. It is equipped with either 16 or 17-inch alloy wheels that seamlessly integrate with the design, ensuring lightness and emphasizing sportiness.
Dimensions:Length: 4030 mm, Width: 1710 mm, Height: 1635 mm, Wheelbase: 2525 mm.
Interior
Despite being an entry-level SUV, the Toyota Raize doesn't compromise on its interior design. It features a leather steering wheel, gear shift, and armrest, with the rest of the materials primarily made of hard plastic, but reasonable detail enhancements uplift the overall tactile experience. An 8-inch touchscreen that supports Apple CarPlay and a user-friendly control interface is popular among consumers. The rear seating space is standard, with a luggage capacity of 396L, which is quite sufficient for daily needs.
Engine
The Toyota Raize is available with two engine options:
1.0L turbocharged engine that delivers a maximum output of 97 hp and 140 Nm of torque, paired with a CVT transmission. Although not the most powerful, its lightweight design (970 kg vehicle weight) provides excellent agility and economy in urban settings.
There is also a 1.2L naturally aspirated engine, generating 87 hp and 113 Nm of torque, paired with a CVT transmission.
Safety
Safety is a significant highlight for Toyota, with the Raize equipped with a rear-view camera, rear parking sensors, airbags for the driver and front passenger, Hill-start Assist Control (HAC), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), and Tyre Pressure Warning System (TPWS), ensuring comprehensive safety and driving convenience.
Price
The Toyota Raize is priced between SAR 67,045 and SAR 73,715.
Hyundai Creta
Exterior
The Hyundai Creta boasts a bold and stylish exterior design that truly embodies the innovative spirit of the modern automotive brand. The front features a large chrome-trimmed honeycomb grille paired with distinctive split headlamp fittings, offering a strong visual identity. The integrated LED daytime running lights merge seamlessly with the contours of the front, crafting a sharp visual impact, while the matrix LED headlamps below enhance the modern and futuristic aesthetic.
The vehicle's side profile presents smooth lines with a continuous waistline accentuating a dynamic silhouette. The two-tone roof adds a fashionable touch, emphasizing the car's individuality. Chrome or body-colored exterior rear-view mirrors and door handles further enhance the overall texture. The 17-inch or 18-inch dual-tone alloy wheels not only add a sporty vigor but also optimize the proportions of the exterior.
The rear section is layered and robust, featuring C-shaped LED taillights that echo the front design. A black rear bumper combined with a silver protective plate adds a touch of rugged SUV charm, boosting durability and off-road style.
Interior
The interior of the Hyundai Creta is designed with a focus on modernity and comfort. The layout is neat and generous, suffused with a technological ambiance. The central console features a 10.25-inch touchscreen that supports smartphone connectivity (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), offering simplicity and swift responsiveness. The dashboard employs a fully digital design, providing clear and intuitive driving information, enhancing the sense of technology.
In terms of materials, the Creta's seats are made from high-quality fabric or leather, which are both soft to the touch and durable. The cabin offers ample storage space, including a center console box and door storage compartments. High-end models boast a panoramic sunroof and intelligent ambient lighting, elevating the sense of openness and luxury within the cabin.
Engine
The Creta is equipped with a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated engine, which delivers a maximum power of 115 horsepower, paired with an IVT intelligence continuously variable transmission (according to official data, a 6MT option is also available), ensuring smooth acceleration.
Specifications
The Creta comes well-equipped and practical, featuring six airbags, a vehicle stability management system (VSM), hill-start assist control (HAC), and a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), offering comprehensive safety protection. A reverse camera and rear parking sensors also assist the driver in easier parking, enhancing safety during reverse maneuvers.
Price
The Hyundai Creta is priced starting from SAR 81,995.
Kia Seltos
Exterior Design
The Kia Seltos features a bold and unique design with its signature “Tiger Nose” grille and split-type LED headlights, making it stand out among its peers. The vehicle possesses clean and sleek lines, with a floating roof and through-type taillights design at the rear, combined with 17-inch alloy wheels, exuding a youthful and dynamic vibe.
The dimensions of the vehicle are 4315mm in length, 1800mm in width, and 1645mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2610mm.
Interior
The interior of the Seltos is meticulously crafted with materials and layout, featuring soft leather finishes, a 10.25-inch multimedia touchscreen, and a 12.3-inch full LCD dashboard that enhance its technological appeal. Higher models are equipped with a Bose sound system, which delivers exceptional audio quality. Additionally, the trunk capacity reaches 433 liters, demonstrating strong loading capabilities.
Engine
The Kia Seltos is equipped with a 1.6-liter naturally aspirated engine, producing 121 horsepower and 151 Nm of torque, paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission.
Features
In terms of safety features, it includes Kia’s latest DRIVE WiSE advanced driving assistance system (ADAS), featuring Blind Spot Collision Avoidance Assist (BCA), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), and Intelligent Cruise Control (SCC), as well as Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning and Braking system (RCCA).
Price
The Seltos is priced between SAR 80,961 and 106,094.
Nissan Kicks
Exterior
The Nissan Kicks features a dynamic V-Motion design language. Its front fascia is vibrant, enhanced by a two-tone roof and a sculpted waistline that adds a sense of dimension. The taillight clusters are sharply designed, complemented by the floating roof, which gives the vehicle a compact and stylish appearance.
The car's dimensions are 4,295 mm in length, 1,760 mm in width, and 1,590 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,620 mm.
Interior
The dashboard of the Kicks is clean and intuitive, equipped with a 7-inch touchscreen (available in all but the base models) that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This allows for easy connection to smartphones, facilitating navigation, media playback, and communication functions. The climate control area uses physical buttons and knobs for ease of operation.
Engine
The powertrain features a 1.6-liter naturally aspirated engine that delivers 118 horsepower and 154 Nm of torque, paired with an Xtronic CVT transmission.
Features
The Nissan Kicks is equipped with several advanced safety features, including front and rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera system, and six airbags, providing comprehensive safety for both driver and passengers. Intelligent driving aids such as automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and blind-spot monitoring systems further enhance driving safety. Vehicle stability control and tire pressure monitoring systems ensure stability under various driving conditions, while the electronic brake force distribution system improves braking performance, ensuring a safer and more reliable drive.
Price
The price of the Nissan Kicks ranges from SAR 72,500 to 99,000.
Geely Coolray
Exterior
The design of the Geely Coolray is dynamic and modern, featuring a black "Energy Awakening" grille and sharp LED headlights that convey a strong sense of sportiness. The sleek and powerful lines of the body, paired with 18-inch alloy wheels and straightforward yet contemporary side profile, accentuate its chic allure. The rear is characterized by a continuous light strip. The dimensions of the Geely Coolray are 4380mm in length, 1800mm in width, and 1609mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2600mm.
Interior
The interior of the Geely Coolray is minimalist and refined, emphasizing a sense of technology and comfort. The central console is equipped with a large touchscreen, featuring a 10.25-inch digital dashboard and a 12.3-inch high-definition touchscreen seamlessly connected, creating an integrated technological atmosphere. It supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for simplicity and intuitive use. The dashboard display is clear and provides ample driving information. The seats are made from high-quality materials, with the front seats offering excellent support, and spacious rear seating suitable for families.
Engine
The Geely Coolray is powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, delivering a maximum power of 172 horsepower and a peak torque of 290 Nm, paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Features
The vehicle comes standard with six airbags, including front-side and curtain airbags, and is equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) to continuously monitor tire pressure. A 540-degree panoramic camera system, combined with an automatic parking assist system, provides comprehensive visual assistance during parking. It also features a range of advanced intelligent driving assistance systems to ensure safety and convenience, including a Level 2 autonomous driving assistance system with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Blind Spot Detection (BSD), and Automatic High Beam Control (IHBC).
Additionally, the vehicle is equipped with an Automatic Emergency Braking system (AEB) with pedestrian detection which, in critical situations, can effectively avoid collisions and ensure safety both inside and outside the car.
Price
The Geely Coolray is priced between SAR 75,555 and SAR 93,035。
Summary
With a budget of SAR 100,000, these five SUV models range from economical and practical to richly featured.
Toyota Raize is suited for those who prioritize reliability and fuel efficiency, Hyundai Creta boasts spacious interiors and modern features, Kia Seltos highlights technological attributes and sound performance, Nissan Kicks offers agility, and the Geely Coolray stands out for its exceptional value-for-money in its class.
Choosing the right model based on personal needs ensures every part of the budget is well-spent.