I’ll cut straight to the heart of the matter here. Is it worth spending Rs 35,000 over a top-spec, ‘regular’ petrol-powered Creta for the Creta N Line? The answer is yes. End of story. Everyone can go home now.

Oh, you want me to elaborate? I’m not sure why that’s necessary in the age of social media, where memory spans are measured in goldfish, but I’ll indulge you nevertheless. It’s just… better, and nicer. Unless you want a diesel engine, in which case you’re clean out of luck, since this variant is offered only with Hyundai’s excellent 1.5-litre turbo-petrol, with 158 bhp and 25.8 kgm of torque. Yes, you can spec it with a 6-speed manual, for that authentic boy-racer touch. Yes, there’s also a 7-speed DCT, for that lazy boy-racer touch. Is that explanation enough? No?

All right, pay attention then. Hyundai has a division called N (for Namyang, and for Nürburgring ), whose task it is to take unsuspecting Hyundais and vigorously beat them with a performance stick. The results are cars like the sizzling Elantra N and i30 N, and models like the outrageous Veloster N and Ioniq 5 N. All of these cars offer enhanced cosmetic features, sportier suspension and (often) unhinged performance, at prices that make the more established performance brands weep. In a corner. In secret.

The problem is that Hyundai only sells these bangers abroad, because it believes – rightly or wrongly – that Indians with the fiduciary means to buy performance cars would prefer to fling their cash at the aforementioned teary-eyed brands. The compromise, Hyundai believes, lies in its N Line cars, which comprise the i20, Venue and now the Creta. They’ve been around long enough for everyone to be aware of what they bring to the table; a spiced-up exterior and interior, very mildly re-tuned suspension/steering and a fruitier exhaust note, all at a small premium. Nothing for boy-racers to get excited about, but certainly enough to tickle the fancy of regular buyers who want something to stand out in.

Things kick off with the Creta N Line’s exterior, which comes in six exclusive shades of paint, three of which – Shadow Grey, Titan Grey and Thunder Blue – are rather tasty. Its nose has a redesigned grille with an N Line badge (those looking at it in their rear-view mirrors need to make way for you, after all); the red-insert bumper is also new, and adds more sportiness to the equation. Move over to its side (or ‘side profile’, as some fans of double-emphasis like to say) and you’ll notice the 18-inch, N Line-only alloy wheels, with red brake callipers; you’ll also see red streaks going all the way to the rear wheel arches and then up to the rear bumper. The car’s derrière receives a larger roof spoiler, as well as a new bumper with red inserts and a faux skid plate; twin chrome-tipped exhausts round off the cosmetic upgrades. All of these inject the Creta with a definite touch of flair and aggression, and frankly make the N Line a no-brainer on the looks front alone.

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The Creta just received a pretty major update to its cabin, and the N Line bumps up that update (so to speak) with some exclusive bits and bobs; the N Line steering wheel, for example, and the new gear lever, sports seats and metal pedals. Red accents are sprinkled throughout the (predominantly black) cabin on things like the seats, dashboard, doors, steering wheel and gear lever, with the ambient lighting also in a shade of red. In other aspects, the cabin has the same features as the regular Creta – dual 10.25-inch screens, a panoramic sunroof, dual-zone climate control, ventilated front seats, wireless charging, a 360-degree camera and a Bose audio system, among others. On the safety front, the highlights are six airbags, ADAS and ESC. So far, so extra, then.

Now to all that extra performance, thanks to the (record scratch)… there’s no extra performance, but you knew that. I think Hyundai has missed a trick by not massaging the engines in its N Line cars at least a little bit; I mean, what’s an extra 10 bhp among friends and sundry acquaintances? That said, the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol isn’t a slouch, by any means. It’s not quite at VW TSI levels, but the direct-injection unit is very punchy, and offers enough strength throughout the rev range to keep you reasonably entertained. When you rev it hard, especially in Sport mode, it does sound a bit gruff, however, and the exhaust note is far too mellow for this car; the i20 and Venue N Lines have more satisfying burbles emanating from their backsides.

Those wanting to keep their left leg idle should opt for the 7-speed DCT, which is reasonably quick through the gears, and quite responsive when you switch to manual mode or use the paddle shifters; as a downside, it occasionally gets a little confused at lower speeds. The same drive modes as in the regular Creta – Eco, Normal and Sport – are on offer, and although they don’t radically alter the way the car reacts, Sport mode does give you a smidgeon more energy from the powertrain and more weight from the steering setup, which has been tweaked. The 6-speed manual is the one you want if you want to keep driver involvement at 100 per cent levels throughout – it’s certainly the one I’d get.

As with all its N Line models, Hyundai has tweaked the suspension setup to be just stiff enough to accompany the Creta’s look-faster attitude, but not enough for your family to refuse to occupy its rear seats. This means that during energetic cornering, the N Line feels a few points more confident while haring through the bends than its plainer cousin; you’d really have to push both cars pretty hard to tell the difference, though. The slightly heavier-feeling steering wheel pitches in positively during this experience, too, and the all-round disc brakes make for very sharp stopping power; the pedal can definitely use a more progressive action, though, with the car I was driving adopting a sort of brick-wall attitude to things.

At Rs 24.4 lakh (on-road, Mumbai), a fully-loaded Creta N Line depletes your wallet by an additional Rs 35,000 over the standard, top-spec petrol model. Anything that costs nearly Rs 25 lakh isn’t exactly a budget buy, but if you’re willing to play in that particular ball park, an extra 35k is literally chump change – and well worth the outlay, since you get a Creta that really stands out and handles a little better. OK, end of story – literally. Everyone can actually go home now.