Hyundai Fluidic Verna Road Test Review

[Akash]

The Verna is a premium C-Segment sedan from Hyundai Motors, which made its official debut in India in 2006. Ever since then, it has been sold alongside the Accent. However, Globally New Verna is actually a replacement to the Accent but the company decided to sell it as two different models in some countries, including India where the Accent is still earning a reasonable amount of profit for them. The earlier generation Verna was often termed as the Hyundai rocket for its magnificent power, especially from the capable CRDi engine. Although this car was hugely applauded for its performance, but it was neither a great handler nor a hunk of the town. Lack of safety features further added to misery. It has been only a year since the Verna was face lifted and re-badged as Verna 'Transform', and now recently on 11th May, 2011, Hyundai released the all new generation of it's rocket sedan popularly called 'Fluidic Verna'. So have the dynamics, drive ability and handling improved? We tested the New Fluidic Hyundai Verna to learn those real time facts. Check out!

[Akash]

One close look at the new Fluidic Verna is enough to make you fall in love with it. The Verna ever since its launch was never a head turner. The face lifted version also failed to bring in the much required exterior appeal. However, the New Verna is leaps ahead from the outgoing generation. To start with, the face is absolutely new and has no cues taken from the earlier Verna models. It is subjugated by the bold crease lines that wraps the grill, which is split into two halves. The one of them sports a company logo and a broad chrome garnish. The lower air dam appears fine with parallel vertical beams that have been provided a dark black finish. Down the sides of the bumper are the L shaped fog lamps which are absolutely stylish. Their clear lens further adds striking appeal to the front. Move a bit upwards and there is the headlamp which sweeps back to the sides giving an up market stance to the car. Although the lamps too look good, but they do appear somewhat similar to that of existing Hyundai i10. The hood sports the two parallel running character lines.

Come to the sides and all the lines which have their origination at the front will be found continuing to the body. The lines can be found all over the sides. Each of it, starting from the front and continuing the tail, add a unique bold character to the car which makes the Verna one of the best looking sedas in its class. The pull type door handles too gel well with the flowing lines which further enhance to the uniformity. The swept back tail lamps and head looks great. To improve the exterior appeal further are the 15” alloy wheels which are possibly designed in the best possible way. The eight spoke alloys have been finished in silver color and are strikingly attractive. They are housed under the flared out wheel arches which complement the overall side profile. The outside rear view mirrors have sharp design and houses the turn repeater which amplifies the style quotient further.



On the rear, the design is very different from what it appears in the sides or front. While the side profile gives the car a lavish look. The rear looks bulky and at the same time, a lot different from any car of the segment. The high set boot blends well the sloping glass area which although looks great, but hinders the rear vision. The boot lid has a chrome garnish which further adds to the look of the rear profile. The rear bumper has been redesigned to accommodate the reflectors onto them. Additionally, except for the 1.4L variant, all others have the reverse parking sensors on the bumpers. The SX variant which we drove has body colored reverse parking sensors along with a reverse camera hidden just below the chrome garnish. As a matter of fact, it is too hard to spot the camera, thanks to its neat placement; it does its job very well without spoiling the appearance. Additionally, the chrome garnished exhaust tip is also fantastic to look at. Overall, the car does not leaves us in disappointment at least on the designing area.

[Akash]

The New Hyundai Verna welcomes its occupants with wide opening doors. The doors open at an angle close to 90 degrees, and as soon as we opened the driver's side door, it was an astonishing sight. Unlike the boring designs which all of us have been seeing on the Hyundai cars, we were perplexed by the futuristic design that lies unexplored. This prompted us to get in to discover more insides of the Verna. This, time the interiors have been provided a more sporty beige 'n black treatment and the clever use of chrome on the door handles as usual, looks classy. The door hand rests have dark wooden finish, unlike other, the glossy finish of these inserts looks excellent. The driver door gets many controls such as four power window buttons, door and window lock controls and mirror controls that also includes Electrical adjustment and folding controls. Speaking about the quality of plastic used for these controls, it looks promising and built to last. The steering is equipped with music and tele controls, but is a straight lift from the Hyundai i20. Behind the steering is the instrument cluster, which is well-designed and is easy to read. However what actually makes the cluster attractive and informative is the digital display that shows all the information like DTE (Distance to Empty), Fuel Efficiency indicator, in addition to fuel gauge, temperature gauge, trip and odometer.

Now moving the eyes towards the central console, we were cheerfully greeted by the uber cool displays of the music system and the Auto Climate Control. The central console too has been garnished with the smooth glossy wooden finish similarly as seen on the doors. The Music system gets a fair sized display which shows the track / radio station details. This OEM Music system is designated to play CD / MP3 in addition to AM-FM channels. Plus, one can also plug in an i-Pod, or a USB drive to play the tracks. The connectivity posts have been neatly placed deep below the AC controls which make sure that the device can rest in the slot without any naked wires hanging around. The Auto AC is standard across the 1.6L diesel and petrol variants. Just below the Music system are the AC controls which display the temperature information on a small blue backlit screen. The AC vents have been finished very well and air flow adjuster with chrome bit on it shows the level of perfection by Hyundai to make sure nothing but style always creeps in.



The dashboard, as mentioned before, has been given dual color combo, beige and dark brown. The dark portion has a textured design which feels nice to touch. Unlike the old generation Verna, the quality of plastic left us surprised with its soft feel even with non leather upholstery on SX variant (which was our test car). Hyundai has made sure that the water and coke bottle of passengers is kept cool without having to keep them on seats. The glove box is cooled, thanks to the provision small vent for the air con. When it comes to the comfort levels, the new Verna is way ahead of the old gen as well as the existing cars in its class. The driver seat had a manual height adjuster which has a good range. This makes searching the correct driving position an ease. Additionally, generous cushioning and under thigh support delivers ample comfort to accommodate. To avoid fatigue during long drives, a hand rest too has been equipped for the driver. It can be opened up to store small items.

With this new Fluidic Verna, Hyundai has tried to target the Chauffeur driven people as well as the enthusiasts. While the driver seats offer excellent position, the rear seats offer high comfort levels as well. The rear bench has ample legroom, however they lack the perfect under thigh support which is best enjoyed at the front. Additionally, the head room is decent. Only the tall passengers must take care of their head while stretching back fully to ensure they don’t hurt their head while the car is running on bad patches. The center rest at the rear too has been given a storage compartment so that no item keeps lying on the seats.

[Akash]

New Verna is available with four different engine options. The 1.4L and 1.6L Petrol, and 1.4L and 1.6L Diesel. All the engine units are well powered. The 1.4L Petrol heart pumps out a max. Power of 107 PS @ 6300 RPM, while the 1.6L Petrol delivers peak power of 123 PS @ 4200 RPM. On the other hand, the 1.4L Diesel mill churns out a peak power of 90 PS @ 4000 RPM and the 1.6L heart gives out 128.8 PS @ 4000 RPM. Our test car was 1.6L Diesel (CRDi) powered. Upon turning on the ignition, a very slight engine noise was audible in the cabin which soon vanished into the air as the rpm settled down back. This engine has been tuned to deliver good fuel efficiency which it does without compromising with the power. With minimal turbo lag which can be felt only after great concentration; the drive is sure a fun filled one. While the 1.4L / 1.6L Petrol and 1.4L diesel have a 5 Speed transmission, the 1.6L Diesel version has a 6 speed transmission. The gear shifts are slick and accurate. Finely assigned gear ratios are a big boost to the performance. Furthermore, the short gear stick feels good to hold and operates smoothly.

[Akash]

Similar to the earlier generation Hyundai Verna, the new mode is an equally excellent performer, but it comes with refinement which was absent in the former. The 1.6L Diesel Verna pumps out a peak torque of 26.5kgm/1900rpm. At power comes in at 2000rpm; however what makes the new Verna performance different from the older one is the refinement level. The turbo kick is not at all felt by the inmates. Once par this RPM, the new Verna merrily catches 3 digit speeds. The perfect gear ratios further ease out the driving experience. The steering is precise and well weighed at all speeds. Thanks to the 195/55 R16s, what ever the road conditions be the drive is not affected.

The braking has hugely improved due to the provision of all wheel disc brakes which ensure confident braking and less stopping distance. The old generation Verna was often ridiculed for the lack of proper safety equipment on-board; although the new one is surely a surprise package. All the versions except the 1.4L Petrol and Diesel get ABS (with EBD), impact sensing auto door locks, and Driver airbag. The premium SX variant which we tested had an additional passenger airbag and Speed sensing auto door locks. The top end SX (O) has additional side as well as the curtain airbags. For the convenience of reversing; which is a bit tedious by the conventional “Viewing through rear windshield”; all the variants (except 1.4L Petrol and Diesel) have been provided with the reverse parking sensors which sound alarm when the car is too close to an obstacle. The SX variant which we tested had an additional reverse camera. As soon as the reverse gear is engaged, the IRVM lit up to show the details of the view behind the car. Often during the night drives, the driver is blinded by the reflection from the IRVM. Most of the cars are provided with the Anti glare mode which ensures that any such situation is averted, but for that the driver has to switch the mirror to the mentioned mode. However Hyundai has equipped the premium models with an Auto dimming IRVM which it calls “Electro Chromic Mirror”. As soon as a high intensity beams incidents on this mirror, it automatically dims thereby avoiding any glare on eyes of the driver.

[Akash]

With good performance, the fuel efficiency of Verna continues to be mouth watering. While the 1.6L Petrol heart delivered a fuel efficiency figure of 17.01 Kmpl, the 1.6L CRDI heart ran about 22.32 Kmpl during the ARAI tests. In the nutshell, the new Verna is an excellent package. The most of the major flaws for which the previous version was ridiculed have been weed out but it's important to note that with so many premium features, you are expected to shell out a premium price tag too. Although, if you have the budget, the New Verna is overall definitely a value for money car since those features ultimately compensate the price that you pay for it.

[Akash]

We Like in Hyundai Verna:

• Design and Styling

• Performance

• Fuel Efficiency

• Comfortable ride

• Hassle Free After Sales

We Dislike in Hyundai Verna:

• Steep Pricing

• Soft Suspension

• High Speed Handling

The Automotive India Star Ratings

• Design and Quality: (9/10)

• Comfort Levels: (8.5/10)

• Performance: (9/10)

• Ride Quality: (8.5/10)

• Handling: (8.5/10)

• Fuel Efficiency: (9/10)

• Safety: (9.5/10)

• After Sales & Service: (9/10)

• Value for Money: (8.5/10)

[Akash]

Price (Ex. Showroom, New Delhi):

1.6 CRDi SX (MT): Rs.9,34,499

Engine:

• Type: CRDi Diesel
• Displacement: 1582cc
• Max.Power: 128PS BHP @ 4000 RPM
• Max.Torque: 26.5 kgm / 1900 RPM

Transmission:

• 6 Speed Manual

Suspension:

• Front: McPherson Struts with Coil Springs
• Rear: Couple Torsion Beam Axle
• Shock Absorbers: Gas Type

Brakes:

• Front: Ventilated Discs
• Rear: Discs

Dimensions:

• Wheelbase: 2570mm
• Length: 4370mm
• Width: 1700mm
• Height: 1475mm
• Fuel Tank Capacity: 43 Liters
• Kerb Weight: 1080 kgs

Colors:

• Sleek Silver
• Carbon Grey
• Stone Beige
• Phantom Black
• Crystal White
• Purple Fantasia

[Akash]

Fluidic Lines




Elongated tails appears like an integrated spoiler


CRDi Badge


Body colored Parking Sensors


Parking camera below the chrome garnish, nice touch


L shaped fog lamps look elegant


Embedded Reflectors


Character Lines on the hood add a bold look to the face


Steering wheel gets all the gadgets and gizmos


Instrument Cluster with all necessary details


Auto AC with Cluster Ionizer for clean air


2DIN Music system has good sound quality


Front arm rest can be opened up to store items



Rear armrest too designed on same lines, excellent utilization of space


Rear bench is comfortable


Spectacle case, twin roof lamps


Driver door controls include Mirror folding/adjustment, Windows, and door Lock controls


Dead pedal proves helpful during long drives


Integrated turn repeaters standard across the range


This is how the IRVM displays the rear view when car is being reversed

[Akash]

Aux-in, USB Ports are located deep below the AC controls


Cooled Glove box to keep the drinks cool


Wide opening doors



Wide tires offer excellent grip


Foldable key (Keyless Entry) standard across the range


Rear view is blinded by the third head rest in the premium variants




Road Test Credits:

• Road test and Photography: Akash
• Edit and Format: 350Z

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[350Z]

New Hyundai Verna Road Tested.

Drive Safe,
350Z

[∂נℓυν]

excellent review, i really like the sporty lines on sides, i'm a huge fan of verna :P

[Akash]

Originally Posted by ∂נℓυν

excellent review, i really like the sporty lines on sides, i'm a huge fan of verna :P

Thanks buddy, add me to the fan list of the curves of the Fluidic Verna.

[350Z]

The first time I saw this car in person was in Dehradun, recently. That was exactly the same looking car as our test car. And boy, it was so much stunning and gorgeous. I would rate it more than New Ford Fiesta in terms of design.

Drive Safe,
350Z