Hyundai Verna Diesel Long Term Review
The Verna’s feature-loaded cabin and easy-to-drive nature has impressed us a lot
If there is one car which challenged the Honda City’s stronghold on the top, it was the Hyundai Verna, the last gen’s major advantage was its diesel engine but as soon as the Japanese rival got armed with the same, the Korean sedan couldn’t hold its lead in the segment. Things have changed with the fourth generation model (fifth globally) and after driving the top of the line diesel manual, we can testify to its popularity.
The light steering found in Hyundai cars offers ease of driving
Hyundai has been very smart with its understanding of Indian customers, while most of my colleagues always discuss about steering feel, I am more than happy with a light steering, easy to twirl, less work when parking and since I have been driving in the city, I never miss the heft of a better-calibrated EPS. Now, why is Hyundai smart here, because they understand the majority don’t really care about driving feel as much.
Ride quality and high speed stability has improved a lot
However, I am happy to note that the new Verna definitely drives much better than its predecessor, no longer does it feel hairy and feels comfortable at triple-digit speeds too. One feature which makes the Verna stand out in the segment and the one I have overused this summer, has to be the ventilated seats, I can’t praise it enough for the heat has been soaring and cars costing more than twice as much don’t have this feature!
The chiller AC and ventilated seats are a huge boon
Features such as ventilated seats, Apple CarPlay and sunroof add to the feel-good factor
Further making the driving experience better are the large windows and the sunroof, quite a boon when you get into the cabin of the Verna after a long day at work. The smart trunk feature is also quite useful and these are the features I use quite frequently. When I go to another car of the same segment, I definitely miss these. Being an audiophile, I like the sound quality and the fact that it supports Apple CarPlay which makes it effortless to connect.
The diesel engine is powerful and fuel-efficient
The 1.6-litre diesel engine is refined, offers punchy performance and is simply a hoot in straight-line acceleration. Body roll could be better contained but the gear shifts are slick, the clutch is light and the ride is excellent too. Simply put, the Hyundai Verna is an easy car to drive and because it is frugal too, it returns around 14 km/l which is great mileage for the most powerful car in its segment.
The Verna’s design has some snazzy elements
Quality of the cabin is good, insulation is great, fit-finish is excellent too. Do I have any gripe? The rear seat could offer more space, around the twisties, more feedback would be greatly appreciated and the Verna could easily be ready to fend off the upcoming next-generation Honda City. I haven’t ventured with the car much on the highway, so I plan to do that to better understand the highway mileage, overtaking faster moving vehicles and also the stability at e-way speeds. Till then, maybe a sportier version, even in terms of cosmetics, would be a good bet to keep the competition out of the bay!
This generation of the Verna was launched in 2017
What’s Cool
* Feature-loaded cabin
* Punchy diesel engine with great fuel economy
* Comfy ride and easy-to-drive dynamics
What’s Not So Cool
* Rear seat space
Hyundai and Lexus make some of the most attractive cars
Further Reading –
2018 Hyundai Verna Review
2018 Hyundai Verna Video Review
Hyundai Verna Pros & Cons [Video]