[v.bhomawat]

Originally Posted by pragunjain

I am planning to buy Verna SX variant. I can’t make a choice between NA and Turbo variant. This is going to be my first car. I have recently learned to drive (on a WagonR). As this will be my first car I want to have some fun also but considering the price difference of about 2 lakhs is it really worth it to spend that much for a turbo engine and DCT transmission?

So the blanket answer for your question is, yes it is. Significant difference in the driveability of the 2 cars and I honestly prefer the interiors on the Turbo variant.

Aa far as your premise of being an amaetuer driver is concerned, my first car was a Figo TDCI. Super peppy engine and fun to drive and I wouldn't trade that first car experience for a lesser fun to drive car.

The car we buy usually stays with us for 4-5 years, while the change in your status of being an amateur to a good-enough/skilled driver would take mere months.

If you do feel enthusiastic about cars, regardless of your amateur status, go for the Turbo. If driving a car is just a routine chore that only requires some feel good factor, got for the NA engine.

[cityslicker86]

Took Delivery of my Verna 1.5Mpi iVT SX(O) on 31st May 2023. Waited full 2 months (booked on 2nd Apr '23) for the 'Red' color. It appears that Grey, White and Starry Night (I call it Chelpark Blue. Those who went to school in the 90s will get it!)

I had shared my initial impressions from the test drive here:

https://www.team-bhp.com/news/2023-h...5l-ivt-variant

The overall purchase experience was a net positive. A glitch in the experience was that a part of the DRL wasn't working at the time of delivery. I had done my PDI before making the payment and it was fine then. Caught it in the final delivery inspection. I took the car home nevertheless as it was getting dark and dealer ship promised the get it fixed asap. They did fix it pro-actively although I had to spend an entire Saturday at the Service Centre while they figured out the problem. The service team was courteous and cooperative during the process and made sure they checked all electricals again, not just the DRL bit. They even let me check out the ambient light brightness in another Verna as I wasn't convinced with the brightness in mine. Later figured out the 'dim in the dark' option was activated. Switched it off and the light was back to its full brightness!

Since then, I have driven the car ~100 km and have the following observations

Pros:
- Stunning looks! The car draws eyes wherever I go.
- Smooth drive, refined engine. Noise insulation is quite good.
- Sufficient power and power delivery for city drives at <80 kmph (Haven't driven past that speed yet)
- Balanced suspension. Car is not too stiff and not a boat either.
- Classy and spacious interiors. Very modern; good ergonomics
- Slick ICE unit. No lag and very responsive to touch
- Bose Music system sounds great. Especially with pop/dance music
- Electric seat adjustment is very helpful. Enables minor adjustments during the drive (esp after Valet/Service guys have changed the position)
- Ambient lights look amazing, especially in the dark. Bright enough in the day as well.
- Hyundai's sales and after sales team have been very supportive and pro-active so far

Cons:
- Not very fuel efficient. So far I have managed 10 kmpl. Will wait on this.
- Seats are a bit firm. Maybe they will soften up in time.
- Suspension transfers sharp bumps into the cabin.
- Headlights could have been stronger.
- Doors don't close with a soft pull/push. Haven't faced this with other cars.
- Classic rock/blues songs (e.g. Eric Clapton, B B King) don't sound very good on the Bose system. I'm quite curious about this.
- Two spoke steering wheel is quite confusing. Have tied a red thread to mark the top.
- Steering mounted buttons are not spaced out sufficiently. Easy to press the wrong button
- Car veers to the left. Alignment could be an issue.
- TPMS shows 40/41 Psi. I'm sure this is wrong.
- Some flex in sheet metal is not confidence inspiring
- Brakes make grunting noise. Is this a CVT trait?

Net on-road price I paid was 18.75 lakhs, which included 39K for insurance, 2.0 Lakhs for registration/RTO. I did not buy any accessories or extended warranty shield of trust etc. Will buy the EW during first service.

[true_sedan]

Originally Posted by cityslicker86

Took Delivery of my Verna 1.5Mpi iVT SX(O) on 31st May 2023.
- Not very fuel efficient. So far I have managed 10 kmpl. Will wait on this.
- Car veers to the left. Alignment could be an issue.
- TPMS shows 40/41 Psi. I'm sure this is wrong.
- Brakes make grunting noise. Is this a CVT trait?

Congrats on your new car.
1) The best FE of the car comes after a few thousand kilometres. I would suggest you to do a mix of highway runs along with your day to day.
2) Yes, alignment needs to be checked. But if the steering is crooked even after alignment is done then a simple tie rod adjustment should do the trick.
3) New cars always come with 40+ psi of pressure from factory. Please set to correct recommended pressure immediately(33 psi) and set that pressure in the ICE.
4) Brakes have nothing to do with the transmission type. New disc brakes ideally should never make any noise. Get it checked during first service visit.

These are common new car owner niggles. I had 1, 2 and 3 in my Virtus GT.

Cheers!

[AMG Power]

Finally the answer to the question - which is the better car. And the faster one. Assumptions galore have been speculating that the Germans were faster. Obviously wrong.

Having driven both, it’s clear that the Verna was faster. The Verna beats the Germans on features too. The downside of the Verna is the excessive body roll. I also didn’t like the rear, especially the rear three quarter which I found quite ugly.

On the other hand, as I mentioned earlier the 1.5 TSI EVO is not a grounds up development of an engine but an adaptation of the erstwhile 1.4 TSI. The 1.4 was in itself not a great engine. And the tag EVO was to indicate that its an evolution of the earlier engine. But clearly a hook on the legendary EVO tag to fool customers.

The handling and dynamics of the Germans are better than the Verna but thats about it. 5 years ago Hyundai would never have won a similar competition with Volkswagen and Skoda. Now they win World Rally Championships.

As they say, rallying improves the breed.

Pic Source: ACI

[nda992]

Originally Posted by cityslicker86

Took Delivery of my Verna 1.5Mpi iVT SX(O) on 31st May 2023. Waited full 2 months (booked on 2nd Apr '23) for the 'Red' color. It appears that Grey, White and Starry Night (I call it Chelpark Blue. Those who went to school in the 90s will get it!)

Pros:
- Hyundai's sales and after sales team have been very supportive and pro-active so far

Congratulations. Hyundai, by far, has captured the heart & soul of the Indian passenger car market. The professionalism displayed by the service centres is certainly second to none. However, since I too drive the same model, albeit a 2014 vintage, I will share my suggestion regarding the low GC. I am a careful driver & take extra care while negotiating speed breakers with 5 passengers on board. The GC is just not adaptable to the Indian roads & that is one area which can cause grief. So, do take care while negotiating our mini-mountains & wishing you many safe miles ahead!

[sunikkat]

Originally Posted by AMG Power

The handling and dynamics of the Germans are better than the Verna but thats about it.

Beg to differ sir, build quality is better in VAG and also VAG twins have proven on safety. Now Hyundai has to prove, mainly considering the past records. So it’s not only handling and dynamics.

On another note, I doubt Autocar has timed both Slavia and Virtus. There is no way both have same timings throughout.

[Dr.Naren]

Originally Posted by sunikkat

On another note, I doubt Autocar has timed both Slavia and Virtus. There is no way both have same timings throughout.

Autocar has clarified that Slavia acceleration timings were used for Virtus. It is mentioned in the pic too.

[fhdowntheline]

Originally Posted by AMG Power

Finally the answer to the question - which is the better car. And the faster one. Assumptions galore have been speculating that the Germans were faster. Obviously wrong.

Having driven both, it’s clear that the Verna was faster. The Verna beats the Germans on features too. The downside of the Verna is the excessive body roll. I also didn’t like the rear, especially the rear three quarter which I found quite ugly.

On the other hand, as I mentioned earlier the 1.5 TSI EVO is not a grounds up development of an engine but an adaptation of the erstwhile 1.4 TSI. The 1.4 was in itself not a great engine. And the tag EVO was to indicate that its an evolution of the earlier engine. But clearly a hook on the legendary EVO tag to fool customers.

The handling and dynamics of the Germans are better than the Verna but thats about it. 5 years ago Hyundai would never have won a similar competition with Volkswagen and Skoda. Now they win World Rally Championships.

As they say, rallying improves the breed.


Pic Source: ACI

I'd call it even at this point- The Verna is slightly faster from standstill, but the VW twins are marginally faster where it really matters, acceleration on-the-go i.e. 20-80 and 40-100. Those timings in my view are practical indicators of performance. That apart, the Verna has better stopping, which is a plus. but the VW Twins are officially tested and meet the highest score in GNCAP..

[ashivas89]

Originally Posted by cityslicker86

- Brakes make grunting noise. Is this a CVT trait?

On the subject of brake groan noise, please give this thread and my comments on the subject a read:


https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techn...ml#post5441715 (Why do brakes groan when on a slope?)


Main take away: Relax It is normal, nothing much can be done about it, it doesn't affect safety or performance in any way. Luxury cars costing 2 Cr.+ can also exhibit this.

Meanwhile, congratulations on your purchase. Here's to wishing you thousands of happy miles with it!

[FAIAAA]

In any comparison/ relative assessment , there is always a spectrum of -
- subjective vs objective assessment
- actual experience vs excel comparison of paper specs
- invested vs making an observation

Elements like safety rating / GNCAP scores are objective. No debate ( though this forum has asked a lot of questions re motivation, methodology and scope - why some cars are tested while others are not - and so on).
Others like power, torque are slightly less - we have seen many times how specs on paper somehow don't translate on the road.
While others like ride and handling are quite subjective and even a matter of personal choice.
Interiors and features can only be experienced over time and come out of ownership reviews. As do niggles. Personally I cannot sweat with a sub par AC in our hot and humid and conditions and / or live with niggles that cannot be addressed through an inconsistent ASS.

I would always urge folks to test drive all the options extensively ( multiple times, sometimes back to back)before making a choice.

In my case, I did the above and went with the Verna 1.5 DCT. And after 4k kms including a 2600 km cross country trip, I am a happy and satisfied owner.

No car/ entity is perfect, question is, is it good enough for you and are you satisfied with your purchase?

[sunikkat]

https://youtu.be/wytxeQdTZmI

Another good drag race. Great to see lot of focus on sedans these days.

[m8002?]

Test drove the 1.5 Turbo DCT and the car is quite impressive. As usual, Hyundai manages to get everything just about right in this offering too.

The seating ergonomics and space is good. The engine/transmission combo is a delight to drive - smooth with great pickup. You just integrate with the car and feel you are part of it.

The SA claimed a GC of 170mm and it looked sufficient. The best part is that ingress and egress was easy coming from a Creta. When I tried the Slavia, both my son and I almost banged out heads when getting in though the car has a higher stance.

The interiors are also pleasant. However, I still think the exterior is a bit overdone but I am sure the chrome lovers will like this fancy LED lighting as well. It doesnt have the 360 camera which would have added more value.

In short, if I am in the market for a sedan with good performance, this would be in the top of my list. Only the safety aspect is a question mark.

[z_3en]

Originally Posted by cityslicker86

Took Delivery of my Verna 1.5Mpi iVT SX(O) on 31st May 2023.

Congratulations on the new ride. That red colour enhances it even more! Might be a great feeling to add the name of this beauty to your profile

[cityslicker86]

Originally Posted by ashivas89

On the subject of brake groan noise, please give this thread and my comments on the subject a read:
...

Main take away: Relax It is normal.
...
Meanwhile, congratulations on your purchase. Here's to wishing you thousands of happy miles with it!

Thank you very much! The post is quite informative and puts me at ease.

[cityslicker86]

We have a 5th Gen City at home and I just drove it after having driven the Verna (not on the same day though). Few observations:

• While visually Verna's interior may look better, the overall quality of plastics, gloss and tactile feel of the buttons is better in City. It just feels slightly more premium
  
• The seats in the City have a softer cushioning that works well in the city. Verna seats are harder. They are ventilated though, City's are not.
  
• The AC in the City is friendlier to use. Its easy to direct the air from the vents as they are upfront. In the Verna, the vents are below the ICE and and they are narrower. Its not as easy/simple to direct the airflow.
  
• City's seating is a bit higher up. Verna is relatively low slung. (Yes, I have raised the seat height in both cars)
  
• Verna's music system and ICE is much better. City's audio system is ordinary and the screen is un-viewable in sunlight. No such problem in the Verna. The music sounds much better as well.
  
• City's doors felt lighter than those of Verna's
  
• Verna and City are equally smooth and the cars move forward with a gentle push on the accelerator. However, at low speeds, City's engine is noisier and not as smooth as Verna's.
  
• City appears to have a better suspension system. Verna has a softer set-up.
  
• City's steering wheel is better weighted than Verna's but only marginally so.
  
• Verna's after sales experience is certainly better than that of Honda's (Comparison based on Honda in Hyderabad vs Hyundai in Mumbai)

Though not present in my City, the latest variants have ADAS which Verna does as well. However, Verna has Blind Spot Monitoring system and Forward Collision Avoidance system (as well as front parking sensors. I found these to be a boon in heavy traffic. Only yesterday, while driving in heavy traffic, I bumped into an Auto Rickshaw in my City because he swerved in front on the left hand side and I didn't notice because I was busy avoiding a vehicle in my right that was trying to squeeze past. The end result was a chipped and scratched front bumper! I can imagine how this would not have happened in the Verna. I keep the front sensors turned on and don't mind the warnings. Considering the number of reckless drivers/riders on road, its a good feature to have.

Overall, looking at the paint quality, interiors' materials, seats and the general feel while driving, the City feels like a more premium product that is better put together, whereas Verna has more bells and whistles, level 2 ADAS system and probably has better after sales support.