Back in 2017, Hyundai Philippines displayed the Creta at the Manila International Auto Show. Poised as the smallest crossover in Hyundai's lineup, the Indian-made Creta was planned to be sold in the Philippine market with a competitive price tag, but somehow the company decided not to push through.

Our contact that is very well apprised about the plans of Hyundai in the region, however, says the Creta will be launched in our market in the future. Our source informed us that the all-new Creta (also known as the ix25 in other countries) is being planned for introduction to the Philippine market. While we do not have specific details about the Philippine-spec Creta yet, one thing we can tell you is that the Philippine-bound Creta will be a 7-seater model.

Those that were able to attend MIAS in 2017 would remember that the Creta on display was a compact 5-seater crossover, but it seems Hyundai has somehow found a way to add a third row of seats. Of course it isn't just about adding extra seats; actually, they would have likely worked on the structure to be able to accommodate another row. At the moment, there's still a lot of unknowns about the Creta 7-seater because it hasn't been revealed, so let's talk about what we know instead.

Here's the important bit: according to our source, the Philippine-bound Creta will be built at Hyundai's new Indonesia plant. Yes, the Creta will be the fourth Indonesian-made model of Hyundai. The Creta that Hyundai Philippines initially revealed at MIAS 2017 came from India.

As for the “when”, there is no official date for its arrival in the country yet. Our source does say that production of the Creta at the Indonesia plant will begin in Q4 2021. If left-hand drive models are built along right-hand drive units as soon as production commences, the Creta could possibly arrive at Philippine dealerships sometime in 2022.

The Indonesian factory, once operational, could signal a resurgence for Hyundai in the region.