The Hyundai Verna has had a long and successful stint in India over multiple generations and facelifts. Launched first in 2006, the mid-sized sedan has managed to keep the buyer interest intact in the sedan segment despite a slew of SUVs capturing a lions share of the market. Now the Korean car maker has launched the new 6th generation model of the car in India, one that comes with many technological advancements and new features. The Introductory prices of the car range from Rs. 10.89 lakh to Rs. 17.37 lakh, ex-showroom.
Design
In terms of looks the new Verna has got a total makeover. It gets a sporty hood along with LED headlamps & horizon LED positioning lamps & DRLs which have never before been seen in the segment. Then there’s the black chrome parametric grille and along with that you get chiselled surfaces at many places on the exterior. The car gets 16-inch diamond cut alloy wheels, Z-shaped character lines, window belt line satin chrome and satin chrome door handles. On the rear, the highlight are the parametric connected LED tail lamps which too have been seen in the segment for the first time. The car also offers best-in-segment wheelbase of 2,670 mm as well as segment best width of 1,765 mm both numbers being significantly up from the previous model.
Interiors
Inside the cabin the car is loaded with features. You get dual tone beige and black interiors, 64 colour ambient light, leather upholstery, soft touch inserts on crash pad and door trims, ambient light linked with drive modes and leather wrapped 2 spoke steering & gear knob. Along with this, the car also offers segment-first features like front ventilated & heated seats and a power driver Seat. But that’s not all, the new Verna is also laden with a voice enabled electric sunroof, wireless charger, smart trunk, rear manual curtain, paddle shifters and cruise control.
The 10.25-inch touchscreen and digital cluster with colour TFT MID are a part of a single unit where the latter provides a lot of relevant driving information. You also get over 65 connected car features with Hyundai Bluelink on the sedan, the subscription for which is free for first 3 years. The car also gets new Hinglish voice commands like “AC on Kar do” and “ Sunroof Kholo”. You also get a switchable type infotainment & climate controller along with a boot space of 528 litres which is more than any other rival in the segment.
Engine
The new Hyundai Verna comes with 2 Petrol engine options that both RDE (Real Driving Emission) compliant and E20 fuel ready. First is a 1.5 litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that is paired with 6-Speed manual transmission and IVT (Intelligent Variable Transmission). Then there’s new 1.5 l Turbo petrol with a 6-Speed manual transmission and 7-Speed DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission). Hyundai says the latter offers best-in-segment power & torque as well as the fuel efficiency. You can expect a mileage of 18-20 kmpl on various variants of the sedan. The new-gen does not offer the option of a diesel engine.
Safety
The new Verna gets as many as 65 safety features. Prominent amongst these are airbags, 3-point Seatbelts and seat belt reminder for all seats, electric parking brakes, Tyre pressure monitoring system and ISOFIX child seats mounts. The car also gets 17 Hyundai SmartSense or Level 2 ADAS features which include Forward Collision Warerrning, Blind-Spot Collision Warning, Lane Keeping Assist and Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go amongst others.
The author is a senior editor at carandbike.com.