Thread Starter
#1
Hi All, This is my first post in TAI.
History:
I have been driving iGen i20 CRDI since July 2012 and has run 38000 kms till date. Back then in July 2012. I had been dreaming of buying Verna, but due to budget constraint, I had to skip the plan then. i20 had been very good & reliable car for me with no troubles in the last 2 years. Will be posting a long term ownership review soon. Now, Since my finances allow me to go for a bigger car, I planned to move to Verna (+ look for other options available now) .
My requirements:
1.) It has to be a diesel - Avg. running 15-20k kms per year
2.) Should be a 1.6 ltr engine
2.) The engine should be super refined.
3.) Should be stylish
4.) Interiors should be appealing and should feel like a C+ sedan
5.) Basic safety of airbags & ABS
Cars considered:
Since, I wanted a bigger engine, Fiat linea & Ford fiesta were already out of my list. Honda City I-Dtec, I really liked the looks and styling but the engine is a big let down. The next available options were Skoda Rapid, VW Vento & Hyundai Verna.
I will be comparing a lot with my current ride (i20), as I am moving to a sedan only to get more comfortable ride than i20.
Skoda Rapid:
Booked for a test drive in Gurudev motors website and got a call within an hour and they confirmed test drive for the next day morning. So, next morning, Car came to my premises.
Pros:
1.) Exterior design and stance looks great and really gives a upmarket feel
2.) Build quality, as everybody says, Its German and its built like a tank
3.) Engine driveability. Almost zero turbo lag, In 3rd gear, the vehicle pulls from as slow as 20kmph, Very useful in city driving
4.) Steering feel, after coming from light steering of i20, This felt a little bit heavier but not too much of a trouble.
Cons:
1.) Interiors - Outside, it really feels like a 11 lac car, but step inside and the dash design is boring. for once, I felt I am sitting into a Polo (Have driven my cousins car). but the quality of the plastics used is good and feels durable
2.) Legroom for driver - After coming from i20, I really felt the spacing of the pedals very narrow. Lack of dead pedal added to the problems. I have the habit of placing my left leg over the dead pedal in i20. moreover, with floaters on, there is no space to lift the leg and place in the gap between the center console and the clutch pedal. 10 minutes into driving and my left leg was paining like hell. Not at all comfortable to drive.
3.) Engine driveability is great, but the engine clatter is very much evident and at high rpms 3000+ its not that good to hear. RPM is higher in low speeds than my i20. eg. 100 kmps, RAPID - 2250 rpms, I20 - 1950 rpms. I know its not a much of a difference in the numbers, but it does make a difference in the engine note and stress levels.
Conclusion: - After test drive, I straight away went and drove my i20. Honestly, It felt lot more comfortable and a upgrade to Rapid was not feeling quite a upgrade. ( Its my personal opinion, no offense meant to Rapid owners)
VW Vento:
Did not go for a test drive, my main concern of driving discomfort should be there in Vento as well, as I had all the Rapid problems while driving my cousin's polo
Hyundai Verna:
Went to V3 Hyundai and a test drive car was made available in 10 minutes.
Pros:
1.) Extremely silent diesel engine, Crank the engine and it settles to a nice thrum and audible only if one concentrates. NVH is great. feels petrol like, NVH better than my i20. Turbo lag is evident upto 1500 rpm and then it starts building up and around 1900 rpm its just boom.. (No push in the back effect though)
2.) Light steering and soft suspension - It has been a controversial topic for Verna since its launch, but Yes it is a pro for me. I love the light steering and the soft suspension which eats up all the mild undulations and pebbles on the road easily. May be used to my i20's setup
3.) Styling is great, looks sporty and a big car. Even though the dimensions are same as that of Rapid/Vento, I feel Verna looks bigger due its fluidic styling
4.) Interior dash board design looks awesome.
5.) Loads of space for my legs in the pedal area, If not better same as my i20
6.) The gizmos - (Everyone knows it )
7.) Lower rpms at higher speeds - Verna does 100 kmph with rpm needle hovering around 1850-1900. better than i20
Cons:
1.) The rear visibility is poor, the rear window is too narrow, IRVM camera makes up for it though
2.) Rear seating - Lack of under thigh support and high window lines
3.) Rear Leg room is not much for a sedan, but better than i20
3.) AC felt a bit less powerful than Rapid
4.) The driver side armrest, even after sliding all the way back, kept intruding while shifting to 2nd & 4th gears
Conclusion: As you can see, I already had verna in my mind couple of years back and rapid/vento not making me feel pleasant. and Verna ticked most of my requirement and I did the same, drove my i20 back, and I could really feel the difference, and I really felt Verna as a worthy upgrade over i20
Dealership & buying experience:
I had decided to go for the 1.6 SX version, as it had all the necessary things , moreover there was only 20k difference between EX & SX version.
I had planned to trade in my i20 with the dealership itself as there was some exchange discount offer going on for the month of June. Also, I enquired and got quoation from other used car dealers and individauls and everyone was quoting a price between 4.5 to 5.2 lakhs. Finally got a deal of 5.1 with v3 hyundai dealership itself. On 23rd June, they came over and inspected the vehicle and confirmed the deal. 24th was not a auspicious day, So on 25th morning, did the booking with 5k. Waiting time was 1 week. On 26th, went to Bank and submitted all the necessary documentation and completed the loan formalities, On 27th loan got approved and RTGS was done (Pretty fast ).
I asked the SA, to take me over to the yard so that, I can select my car. He said, they dont have stock in yard, and a order has been placed to hyundai and vehicle should be there by 30th June or 1st July. I said fine.
On 30th June, I got a call from SA, that the vehicle has arrived at the yard and I can go and do the inspection. I got the VIN number from him for my reference and the year & month came to be 2014 April. On 1st July, me & my mumma went to their yard situated at perungudi. I went inside and asked the in charge there to point to my vehicle, there were only 2 or 3 Vernas there, yard was filled with xcents & grand i10s
The in charge was very polite and he just showed me my car and handed over the keys and went off. (Unlike others who keep distracting you). Me & mom, did thorough inspection to our satisfaction. Post that, went to the dealership to make the balance payment and gave a go ahead for registration.
Total on-road cost:
Cost including addon insurance & ext. warranty - 11,33,607
Cash discount - 20,000
Exchange bonus - 25,000
corporate discount - 3,000
Dealer discount - 5,000
What I paid - 10,80,607
Total discount - 53,000
This offer was only for the month of June, dont know if its still available.
Dealer Accessories:
Under body anti-rust coating
Teflon coating
Door guards
Car cover
Scuff plates
Mud flaps
Floor mats
Boot mats
perfume.
I will be taking the delivery tomorrow. Will post the experience and pics
Below are few snaps taken during the PDI
History:
I have been driving iGen i20 CRDI since July 2012 and has run 38000 kms till date. Back then in July 2012. I had been dreaming of buying Verna, but due to budget constraint, I had to skip the plan then. i20 had been very good & reliable car for me with no troubles in the last 2 years. Will be posting a long term ownership review soon. Now, Since my finances allow me to go for a bigger car, I planned to move to Verna (+ look for other options available now) .
My requirements:
1.) It has to be a diesel - Avg. running 15-20k kms per year
2.) Should be a 1.6 ltr engine
2.) The engine should be super refined.
3.) Should be stylish
4.) Interiors should be appealing and should feel like a C+ sedan
5.) Basic safety of airbags & ABS
Cars considered:
Since, I wanted a bigger engine, Fiat linea & Ford fiesta were already out of my list. Honda City I-Dtec, I really liked the looks and styling but the engine is a big let down. The next available options were Skoda Rapid, VW Vento & Hyundai Verna.
I will be comparing a lot with my current ride (i20), as I am moving to a sedan only to get more comfortable ride than i20.
Skoda Rapid:
Booked for a test drive in Gurudev motors website and got a call within an hour and they confirmed test drive for the next day morning. So, next morning, Car came to my premises.
Pros:
1.) Exterior design and stance looks great and really gives a upmarket feel
2.) Build quality, as everybody says, Its German and its built like a tank
3.) Engine driveability. Almost zero turbo lag, In 3rd gear, the vehicle pulls from as slow as 20kmph, Very useful in city driving
4.) Steering feel, after coming from light steering of i20, This felt a little bit heavier but not too much of a trouble.
Cons:
1.) Interiors - Outside, it really feels like a 11 lac car, but step inside and the dash design is boring. for once, I felt I am sitting into a Polo (Have driven my cousins car). but the quality of the plastics used is good and feels durable
2.) Legroom for driver - After coming from i20, I really felt the spacing of the pedals very narrow. Lack of dead pedal added to the problems. I have the habit of placing my left leg over the dead pedal in i20. moreover, with floaters on, there is no space to lift the leg and place in the gap between the center console and the clutch pedal. 10 minutes into driving and my left leg was paining like hell. Not at all comfortable to drive.
3.) Engine driveability is great, but the engine clatter is very much evident and at high rpms 3000+ its not that good to hear. RPM is higher in low speeds than my i20. eg. 100 kmps, RAPID - 2250 rpms, I20 - 1950 rpms. I know its not a much of a difference in the numbers, but it does make a difference in the engine note and stress levels.
Conclusion: - After test drive, I straight away went and drove my i20. Honestly, It felt lot more comfortable and a upgrade to Rapid was not feeling quite a upgrade. ( Its my personal opinion, no offense meant to Rapid owners)
VW Vento:
Did not go for a test drive, my main concern of driving discomfort should be there in Vento as well, as I had all the Rapid problems while driving my cousin's polo
Hyundai Verna:
Went to V3 Hyundai and a test drive car was made available in 10 minutes.
Pros:
1.) Extremely silent diesel engine, Crank the engine and it settles to a nice thrum and audible only if one concentrates. NVH is great. feels petrol like, NVH better than my i20. Turbo lag is evident upto 1500 rpm and then it starts building up and around 1900 rpm its just boom.. (No push in the back effect though)
2.) Light steering and soft suspension - It has been a controversial topic for Verna since its launch, but Yes it is a pro for me. I love the light steering and the soft suspension which eats up all the mild undulations and pebbles on the road easily. May be used to my i20's setup
3.) Styling is great, looks sporty and a big car. Even though the dimensions are same as that of Rapid/Vento, I feel Verna looks bigger due its fluidic styling
4.) Interior dash board design looks awesome.
5.) Loads of space for my legs in the pedal area, If not better same as my i20
6.) The gizmos - (Everyone knows it )
7.) Lower rpms at higher speeds - Verna does 100 kmph with rpm needle hovering around 1850-1900. better than i20
Cons:
1.) The rear visibility is poor, the rear window is too narrow, IRVM camera makes up for it though
2.) Rear seating - Lack of under thigh support and high window lines
3.) Rear Leg room is not much for a sedan, but better than i20
3.) AC felt a bit less powerful than Rapid
4.) The driver side armrest, even after sliding all the way back, kept intruding while shifting to 2nd & 4th gears
Conclusion: As you can see, I already had verna in my mind couple of years back and rapid/vento not making me feel pleasant. and Verna ticked most of my requirement and I did the same, drove my i20 back, and I could really feel the difference, and I really felt Verna as a worthy upgrade over i20
Dealership & buying experience:
I had decided to go for the 1.6 SX version, as it had all the necessary things , moreover there was only 20k difference between EX & SX version.
I had planned to trade in my i20 with the dealership itself as there was some exchange discount offer going on for the month of June. Also, I enquired and got quoation from other used car dealers and individauls and everyone was quoting a price between 4.5 to 5.2 lakhs. Finally got a deal of 5.1 with v3 hyundai dealership itself. On 23rd June, they came over and inspected the vehicle and confirmed the deal. 24th was not a auspicious day, So on 25th morning, did the booking with 5k. Waiting time was 1 week. On 26th, went to Bank and submitted all the necessary documentation and completed the loan formalities, On 27th loan got approved and RTGS was done (Pretty fast ).
I asked the SA, to take me over to the yard so that, I can select my car. He said, they dont have stock in yard, and a order has been placed to hyundai and vehicle should be there by 30th June or 1st July. I said fine.
On 30th June, I got a call from SA, that the vehicle has arrived at the yard and I can go and do the inspection. I got the VIN number from him for my reference and the year & month came to be 2014 April. On 1st July, me & my mumma went to their yard situated at perungudi. I went inside and asked the in charge there to point to my vehicle, there were only 2 or 3 Vernas there, yard was filled with xcents & grand i10s
The in charge was very polite and he just showed me my car and handed over the keys and went off. (Unlike others who keep distracting you). Me & mom, did thorough inspection to our satisfaction. Post that, went to the dealership to make the balance payment and gave a go ahead for registration.
Total on-road cost:
Cost including addon insurance & ext. warranty - 11,33,607
Cash discount - 20,000
Exchange bonus - 25,000
corporate discount - 3,000
Dealer discount - 5,000
What I paid - 10,80,607
Total discount - 53,000
This offer was only for the month of June, dont know if its still available.
Dealer Accessories:
Under body anti-rust coating
Teflon coating
Door guards
Car cover
Scuff plates
Mud flaps
Floor mats
Boot mats
perfume.
I will be taking the delivery tomorrow. Will post the experience and pics
Below are few snaps taken during the PDI
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