[sidindica]

Zappo, can you post a pic of the complete rear seat and spare wheel? Does the rear seat have integrated or adjustable rear head restraints? 2 or 3, if adjustable?

[bala80]

When is the launch event scheduled in Chennai? Please give a first hand coverage of the lauch event and details if you happen to attend to it.

And by the way the 1.4 CRDI in i20 is not an VGT unit. Hyundai calls it some WGT (If im not mistaken) but im 100% certain it is not a variable geometry turbo.

Originally Posted by ph03n!x

Zappo, I have read the review a few times, as well as followed the discussions here. You have covered pretty much what can be covered, hats off!

About the 1.4 VGT vs. non-VGT doubt - I checked with a couple of sales advisors in the Hyundai showrooms here - even they swear that the i20 comes with a 1.4 non-VGT turbo. The logic being if it is a VGT, Hyundai would have had a badge for it What is surprising though, is that Hyundai has said only the 1.6 mill comes with VGT and not the 1.4 - it made me doubt what I had believed all long (and no, the 1.4 mill in the i20 does comes with VGT!). Hyundai, if you are reading this, please shake up the sales & marketing tree!

On a side note, I have told that I am being invited for the launch event in Chennai. Supposed to be in Taj (forgot if it is Mount Road or Coromandel).

[mayankjha1806]

Excellent review, quick question on the Audio system, dont remember reading it hence the question. Does it have USB/Aux support? Thanks

[hellstar]

Originally Posted by Sugeeta

One very noticeable external feature which I really liked in the Verna is that the boot of the new Verna is very well integrated in comparison to the Fiesta's (which is positioned at a rather steep incline).

The previous generation Verna used to wobble at higher speeds. Hope this issue has been addressed to some extent.

I would at least like a TD of the new Verna. If the handling is anywhere close to the Fiesta, this may wean many Ford fans to the Hyundai club.

The last time I TD'd a Hyundai vehicle, it was the i20. Even with all the add-on stuff, it failed to make a mark in the driving dynamics department. i20 owners may differ, but these were the observation of a person who does not look under the bonnet each day to admire the sight of the engine.

What matters is that the car should be an enjoyable, reliable, fuel efficient and comfortable drive with minimal maintenance. And yes, the way the car handles is a very important parameter.

Sugeeeta with all due respect , i dont know what qualifies your statement that the "The previous generation Verna used to wobble at higher speeds" have you been driving a well maintained verna , even the best of cars will wobble is they re not maintained properly , the issue with verna at high speeds is a nervousness which many drivers get used to after a period or time. and not any wobble , please check with any of the owners on the forum..

But tell me sugeeta how much time do you actually drive at speeds over 130 kmph for you to be so worried about the handling characteristics of the car at speeds exceeding 130 kmph ?

I belive i can say this because i own one of the first cars of the first batch of vernas CRDIs and have done more than 1 lakhs kms on it.

Were you comparing the i20 to the fiesta when evaluating the " driving dynamics "?

Originally Posted by k_ajay

Good review there Zappo. Thanks for the same.

Unfortunately for me though, the suspension setup has killed it and this car won't make it as my next. Sad to say, I was expecting to get it cause it looks a killer, a great diesel 1.6 engine, has space and the goodies.

Sadly with that handling and ride quality, the 1.6 Diesel MT is totally wasted. Pity!!

buddy to make such statements on a car based on an review done by someone other than yourself is IMHO immature. Well you can form your opinion to but had i been you i will not write off the car unless i have made my own evaluation.

Originally Posted by mayankjha1806

Excellent review, quick question on the Audio system, dont remember reading it hence the question. Does it have USB/Aux support? Thanks

yes, this is something i wanted to ask as well.

[darksoul]

Originally Posted by Bullfrog

There are so many thing that go into buying decision and high speed handling is just one of them.

+1

Hyundai's supposed target audience is the urban salaried/business running male who wants a comfortable city car capable of the occasional weekend highway run.

The car's features, comfort, mileage, after sales support and on-road price are the final key decision making points to be considered here for most people. At its price range, if it is comfortable in the city, where 80% to 90% of one's driving is going to take place, then this perception of high speed handling not being too great is NOT going to be a deal breaker.

Heck, even if you are an enthusiast, given you have a day job, how often are you going to be pushing your car past 130+ km/h in a week or a month? Why would you want to do so on a regular basis given your family wants to see you come home alive after driving on one of our Indian highways?

Secondly, can you name another car with a better engine range, better features at the same price range, with the same high quality after sales support? All the other 'competitors' have different issues, either with the cars or with the dealers: Volkswagen does not have as many toys, horrible dealer attitude. Honda has cheap looking plastics, doesn't make a diesel. Fiats have niggling issues and questionable after sales support.

To me, none of these are "deal breakers" for everyone - it's up to each buyer to decide which trade-off he/she is comfortable with.

To me, the new Hyundai Verna seems to get most things right, so to a practical buyer, makes a lot of sense.

[Xehaust]

Originally Posted by mayankjha1806

Excellent review, quick question on the Audio system, dont remember reading it hence the question. Does it have USB/Aux support? Thanks

Originally Posted by hellstar

yes, this is something i wanted to ask as well.

Yes, it has Aux, USB & iPod connectivity as well as a CD player.

[sith_lord]

@darksoul, Soft suspension and the infinite feature list do help city driving but the fact that 1.6 CRDI has a noticeable turbo lag (as indicated by Zappo's review) makes it hard for me to categorize Verna as a comfortable city car.

To me, Verna 1.6 CRDI is most suited for highway cruising than city rides - the additional gear should help set a benchmark on highway fuel efficiency.

[hitansh]

Thanks for great review Zappo.

New Verna ticks all the boxes for me. I just returned from US so the launch is quite timely. Hope to get a test drive by May 2nd week.

As regards handling - I am unlikely go into a curve at 120-130 speeds in India. Not because what I and my car can or cannot do but because of risk of the oncoming traffic. I wouldn't want to take chances with that!

[333]

Originally Posted by sith_lord

@darksoul, Soft suspension and the infinite feature list do help city driving but the fact that 1.6 CRDI has a noticeable turbo lag (as indicated by Zappo's review) makes it hard for me to categorize Verna as a comfortable city car.

To me, Verna 1.6 CRDI is most suited for highway cruising than city rides - the additional gear should help set a benchmark on highway fuel efficiency.

If the owners of the previous gen diesel Verna are happy pottering around town, Then the new Verna diesel customers, which has lesser turbo lag than the previous Verna would be happier still. Not to mention, they would like to flaunt their new stunning possession, while being seated in one of the better cabins in the segment, with good quality interiors too

[igp_79]

Yesterday, I did a road trip and much of the road consisted of four laned super smooth roads with moderate to light traffic. Even in those conditions, i could not take the vehicle above 130, except for very brief bursts. For the foreseeable future, I can see our roads, even six laners only get more crowded. Are the vehicle dynamics above 130 all that important?

I own a Verna crdi and am from Ooty. When I take a acute turn on our ghat roads, I feel the steering to be lighter compared to the Palio and the old Honda city, and as a result, the feedback is slightly poor, but not alarming in the least.

During rapid shallow curves there is more roll in the Verna as against the others, but the back stepping out of line, no, at least not at normal speeds are even at brisk speeds. To get the vehicle to misbehave, your cornering speeds and styles should be bordering on rally car driver levels. Now , how many of us are going to do that to our cars?

I believe good dynamics are immensely fun. But not nearly that important to spoil the fun factor in the spirited indian drive, be it the highway or the hills. Maybe the fun factor will be down by a notch, but not enough to wipe the grin of your face.

That said, i am a fan of hyundai simply because a korean car maker, relatively new to the industry, has reached the levels of the bigwigs when it comes to engine tech, fit and finish and recently, styling. But Hyundai lacks ride and handling expertise, since none of their cars can match up to Fiat Ford Honda or VW.

PS: I have booked the Verna SX (for the family) and the VentoTrendline TDi (result of waiting in vein for the 2011 Swift for nearly Six Months)

[phoenix_rising]

Originally Posted by sidindica

Zappo, can you post a pic of the complete rear seat and spare wheel? Does the rear seat have integrated or adjustable rear head restraints? 2 or 3, if adjustable?

Rear Seat pic for verna. the headrests (3 and adjustable) will be in cars equipped with RR parking sensor w/ camera & ECM display. hope it suffiecs

[Kimified]

Originally Posted by sreejinair

Hello people, I am back

Have been following the thread since the beginning and have read almost all the quotes. First of all thanks for the great review. I've a question for everyone here who are talking about bad handling of the new verna. Most of the reviews have said that it doesnt handle good after 130 kmph. Here is the questions, how many times do you drive at 130+ kmph speed? how many times have you slowed down your car on a ghat be it a BMW or a WagonR so that you can effortlessly make the turn? How many people do you see taking turns at high speeds like 130 kmph?

Here is a something which might interest some people, can you guys please mention the car you drive right now and which car do you think (in your budget) handles better? The reason to do this is, we might actually get real people talking practical stuff. Another question if you had around 10 lacs which car will you buy at this moment?

Hyundai Verna is a good car, it looks good, it handles good at reasonable speed, it has a very good engine and Hyundai is providing so many goodies which other cars in this or even in the bigger segment are not.

Another question to people who have seen most of the reviews (video/text). They say that the handling of the diesel 1.6 is better than that of petrol 1.6, any ideas why? is the suspension coil different/hard than the petrol version? is the diesel engines weight which makes any difference? does the torque has something to do with it?

Coudn't agree more. Like people have pointed out, Rubbishing this car just based on high speed handling even without taking a TD is just immature IMHO. I have not seen many people do 130 at corners and its just ain't safe doing those speeds through corners on most Indian roads.Heck, if you do a constant 130 in a straight line (forget corners), not many people will overtake you even with higher segment / Better handling car than the verna

OT : I drive the i20 Crdi (Not known for handling) and have done speeds well in excess of 130 on the beautiful Bangalore - Chennai road, have to agree, Its not confidence inspiring with the super light steering, but like i said, not many will take there cars to the limits and can never be a deal breaker for many.

Originally Posted by sith_lord

@darksoul, Soft suspension and the infinite feature list do help city driving but the fact that 1.6 CRDI has a noticeable turbo lag (as indicated by Zappo's review) makes it hard for me to categorize Verna as a comfortable city car.

To me, Verna 1.6 CRDI is most suited for highway cruising than city rides - the additional gear should help set a benchmark on highway fuel efficiency.

The sixth gear does help for highway cruising. Makes the engine silent and super smooth. The 6th gear on the i20 doesn't do wonders for city driving. The lag is still very much there. Don't know if its the same on the 1.6 Verna.

[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by igp_79

I own a Verna crdi and am from Ooty. When I take a acute turn on our ghat roads, I feel the steering to be lighter compared to the Palio and the old Honda city, and as a result, the feedback is slightly poor, but not alarming in the least.

Thank you igp_79. The first hand info from a current generation Verna owner matters a lot, at least to me. Anyone who has been to Ooty, would be awestruck by the ever winding roads of the Neelgiri hills. If the Verna maintains her posture there, then I am sure it can on 99% of Indian roads.

Originally Posted by igp_79

During rapid shallow curves there is more roll in the Verna as against the others, but the back stepping out of line, no, at least not at normal speeds are even at brisk speeds. To get the vehicle to misbehave, your cornering speeds and styles should be bordering on rally car driver levels. Now , how many of us are going to do that to our cars?

Quite a relief to know that. I was somewhat let down by this phrase "the back stepping out of line". I am sure none of us would drive our car in a rally mode, when accompanied by our family members

Originally Posted by igp_79

PS: I have booked the Verna SX (for the family) and the VentoTrendline TDi (result of waiting in vein for the 2011 Swift for nearly Six Months)

That goes to show your confidence in the new Verna, congratulations.

[akhilesh]

Going by the logic presented in some of the posts above, if we arent going to do 130 kmph regularly, do we really need a 126 bhp diesel under the hood?

[Xehaust]

Well akhilesh, in our road conditions its not always about what speeds you can get to with more power. Its about how you get there

Along with the 126 bhp engine (wherein bhp as a measure of power is highly overrated), the 6 speed transmission is equally important. Along with the higher power output & torque, it should be fun to drive below 130 as well. Further, due to the 6 speed transmission, your engine is relatively less strained (around 2000 rpm at 100kph) which also leads to better fuel economy.

Agreed, youd still easily suffice with a 1.2 ltr sub 100 bhp engine in the day, given our traffic. But would it be as much fun in the night, or out on the highway? In most cases, our car has to be good at everything and enjoyable in any situation.
Hence, ask yourself this question - If your getting more power without sacrificing fuel economy, wheres the problem