Give the dog a bad name and hang it, eh?
Before starting to speak, lets inform the uninitiated that I own a Verna CRDI fitted with ABS and rear discs. I've driven 20K kms in just over a year, and done about 5 highway trips in the car. The top speed I've done is 175 kmph, and I almost regularly drive it at speeds above 100.
Does that qualify me to defend the car?
Good, lets get it on.
First of all, the Verna comes with a savage turbo, and its true that the surge when you floor it and it goes above 2K rpm is mind blowing. But then, that holds true for most turbocharged cars. I remember driving an Indigo many years ago. The thing just refused to move in traffic until I floored the pedal, and then the turbo came on and I nearly crashed into the car in front! Not that theres a power comparison, but all turbos (atleast in budget sedans) are on/off stuff.
What good is a driver if he cannot identify these traits in his car and use them to their advantage? The same surge that you think is killer, is a blessing when you're on the highway and a slow moving truck needs to be passed before the gap closes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sidindica First, I hear that the car has below average brakes, then Hyundai deletes the rear discs from SX models and equips with skinny tyres.[*]No airbags, not even as an option, while the cheaper I20 has 6 of them.[/list]Why this stepmotherly treatment in a high powered diesel sedan from Hyundai with absolute lack of safety features?
I want to ask Verna diesel owners that have they experianced any braking problem like wheels getting locked, long braking distances, uncontrollable chassis at high speeds etc? |
Please dont quote what you
hear. Agreed, the brakes are not Evo quality, but they're adequate to haul the car at speed. IF it really had inadequate brakes, do you really think the car would have made it to so many European countries (where average speeds are much higher than India) and survived without a stinker?
As for wheels getting locked, that can happen at any speed, in any car without ABS.
As for the airbags, this is something I agree with. More safety is never bad, and for the money, the car definitely deserves Airbags.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PAVAN KADAM The turbo kicks in so damn fast, that it is actually impossible to control the car during that period, but after it spools and running is fine, the brakes are not adequate. |
Exactly how many kms have you driven said Verna? If the car was indeed so "impossible to control" and "brakes are not adequate", I'm sure I (and aneesh, and pras.oct, and countless other tbhpians) would have been dead by now.
Not trying to ridicule you. But please realize that a car should not be commented upon unless driven an adequate distance.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SS-Traveller In the beginning ABS (or airbags) was not even an option. Six months after launch, Hyundai deigned to give us ABS for an extra Rs.30,000 or so, only on special order (the ABS car would take 3-4 weeks to be put together and sent from Chennai). So they never sold ABS-fitted Vernas (and even today only a small percentage of Vernas are sold with ABS). |
You forgot to mention that the extra 30K not only got ABS, but also rear discs. My car has that option pack. But Hyundai dealers told me hardly any customer takes the option!
Quote:
Originally Posted by SS-Traveller In the hands of a good driver the Verna is a great car. In the wrong hands it is all too easy to push the car beyond the limits of its tyres and brakes. |
Well said. But the statement holds true for any powerful car, doesn't it?
Quote:
Originally Posted by CrackedHead All I'll say is that he's been lucky to get away with just a smashed bumper.
Agree with you that people need to understand the limitations of their cars.
Its unfortunate that the vast majority does not upgrade due to the fact that they don't understand the difference that spending a few thousand on a tyre upgrade can make. |
Guys, to be fair I'm still running the stock 185/65 R14 tyres, and they're quite adequate at speed. But yes, wider rubber is always better for roadholding and speeds.
__________________________________________________ ______
Anyway, the point is, a car is like a bottle of whisky. It is only as dangerous as the man who reaches out for it!
So don't give the Verna a bad name. Enjoy the fact that atleast one manufacturer dared to give us a performance diesel sedan below 10 lakhs, and enjoy the power responsibly.