[Chitta Pradhan]

Hi !

Congratulations & welcome to the Verna Fluidic CRDI club. It's a very good car & worth every penny we have paid. Engine is a jewel & features are really useful. I have done more than 10k on mine. Believe me, steering is not an issue & you will get used to it soon. I do a very confident & comfortable cruising at 140 kmph without fuss on highways, which takes a toll on FE though. The refinement is like petrol & the performance is way better than petrol counterparts. After getting used to this car, driving any equivalent petrol is curry without salt.

Got to know during my 2nd service few days back that latest Vernas have stiffer suspension. Any information?

Drive safe.

Thanks

[deepjaju]

Originally Posted by Chitta Pradhan

Hi !

Congratulations & welcome to the Verna Fluidic CRDI club. It's a very good car & worth every penny we have paid. Engine is a jewel & features are really useful. I have done more than 10k on mine. Believe me, steering is not an issue & you will get used to it soon. I do a very confident & comfortable cruising at 140 kmph without fuss on highways, which takes a toll on FE though. The refinement is like petrol & the performance is way better than petrol counterparts. After getting used to this car, driving any equivalent petrol is curry without salt.

Got to know during my 2nd service few days back that latest Vernas have stiffer suspension. Any information?

Drive safe.

Thanks

Hey congratulations to you too. 10k km is very impressive. I do agree that the car easily climbs to 140kmph speed and some more. The best part of this car is the noise isolation in the cabin. Doesn't feel like a diesel car at all.
My first service will be done in the coming week.
I got no information about the stiff suspension of the new car. I bought mine in Feb 2012. Does this car qualify for stiffer suspension. Cause I feel the suspension is quite nicely setup.

[Chitta Pradhan]

Originally Posted by deepjaju

I got no information about the stiff suspension of the new car. I bought mine in Feb 2012. Does this car qualify for stiffer suspension. Cause I feel the suspension is quite nicely setup.

Mine is Sept' 2011 model. During 2nd service, my service advisor informed me about the suspension improvement on current models, did not specify exactly from which month, nor had I made any enquiry. In my model, the rear does feel to have more vertical movement than what is required on a undulated road due to softer suspension set up @ more than 80-90 kmph. Also produces a thud sound on broken roads. Good news is thud sound has gone after 2nd service & now rear suspension feels more sorted out. The service station had done some tightening of bolts, which has made a difference.

Enjoy the car.

Thanks

[deepjaju]

Originally Posted by Chitta Pradhan

Mine is Sept' 2011 model. During 2nd service, my service advisor informed me about the suspension improvement on current models, did not specify exactly from which month, nor had I made any enquiry. In my model, the rear does feel to have more vertical movement than what is required on a undulated road due to softer suspension set up @ more than 80-90 kmph. Also produces a thud sound on broken roads. Good news is thud sound has gone after 2nd service & now rear suspension feels more sorted out. The service station had done some tightening of bolts, which has made a difference.

Enjoy the car.

Thanks

Thanks for the info. I don't feel any vertical movement at those speeds but the car's suspension does produce the thud sound when it hits pot-holes. Should I ask the SA to tighten the suspension to avoid this noise ?

[Chitta Pradhan]

Originally Posted by deepjaju

Thanks for the info. I don't feel any vertical movement at those speeds but the car's suspension does produce the thud sound when it hits pot-holes. Should I ask the SA to tighten the suspension to avoid this noise ?

Surely you should take up thud matter during your first service. They are doing this tightening job PAN India & they are very well aware of the thud problem of fludic verna. Hope your problem will be solved in the 1st service itself. Few Team BHPians have got the problem solved by the same method & have reported in the forum.

Cheers

[jesrani]

Originally Posted by Chitta Pradhan

Hi !

Congratulations & welcome to the Verna Fluidic CRDI club. It's a very good car & worth every penny we have paid. Engine is a jewel & features are really useful. I have done more than 10k on mine. Believe me, steering is not an issue & you will get used to it soon. I do a very confident & comfortable cruising at 140 kmph without fuss on highways, which takes a toll on FE though. The refinement is like petrol & the performance is way better than petrol counterparts. After getting used to this car, driving any equivalent petrol is curry without salt.

Got to know during my 2nd service few days back that latest Vernas have stiffer suspension. Any information?

Drive safe.

Thanks

Since you own the Verna, can you please help me out.
I recently test drove the Nissan Sunny XV Diesel, Skoda Rapid Ambition and Hyundai 1.6 CDRi VGT.

Sunny observations
1) The Nissan Sunny is packed with features and I liked it.
2) Back legroom is awesome.
3) However, the power seems less and
4) I did not like the braking at all.
OTR Mumbai comes to 10.89Lacs for the XV version

Rapid observations
1) The Skoda Rapid is good. My dad liked this because the build quality seems solid.
2) No steering controls though.
3) Rear middle floor hump very pronounced. Did not like.
4) It has good brakes and good power.
5) The seating was comfortable but I would have liked some space besides the clutch to rest my foot.
6) However the steering and handling as well as gears were good. No complaints.
OTR Mumbai 10.4Lacs for the Ambition and 11.45Lacs for Elegance. I find the prices are very high considering that features are much less and the Ambition does not even have a music system!!! However the warranty can be 2+2yrs and 80K kms, thats good.

Verna Observations
Lastly took TD of Verna 1.6 CRdi Ex (with reverse camera). I really liked it. 1) Excellent look
2) Good power.
3) Brakes were not as good as Rapid I felt but much better than Sunny.
4) There is a dead pedal. Like that.
5) Noise inside the cabin is very less.
6) Rear space I felt was less than Rapid.
But the car is expensive too. OTR Mumbai 11.20Lacs. This one is w/o alloys and has single airbag. The next higher one costs 12Lacs. Warranty is only 2+1Yrs and 60K kms. Isnt' it less compared to competition? Hyundai not sure of their engines??

In the past I have also test driven the Vento but I found it uncomfortable for my height. I had to take the seat all the way back and down to get a proper seating position.

The DZire is also good but maybe the back space not as comfortable.

I have also driven a relative's Manza and was comfortable with the ride, handling, power but felt space to be a bit less up front when I compared to my SX4.

My dad would prefer Rapid and I would the Verna.

Car would normally be driven by me and 50% on highway. I have read a lot about body roll and not so great ride of Verna on the highway, is this true? I generally drive at speeds of 100-120Kmph.

Please give your advices. Since I also drive on highways regularly at speeds upto 140kmph and have to overtake from left side too, swerve at times, is the body roll really bad? Never have had this problem in SX4. I did feel the steering was very light in the TD.

[Chitta Pradhan]

Originally Posted by jesrani

Since you own the Verna, can you please help me out.
I recently test drove the Nissan Sunny XV Diesel, Skoda Rapid Ambition and Hyundai 1.6 CDRi VGT.

Car would normally be driven by me and 50% on highway. I have read a lot about body roll and not so great ride of Verna on the highway, is this true? I generally drive at speeds of 100-120Kmph.

Please give your advices. Since I also drive on highways regularly at speeds upto 140kmph and have to overtake from left side too, swerve at times, is the body roll really bad? Never have had this problem in SX4. I did feel the steering was very light in the TD.

Hi!

I have done 13k on my Verna Fludic now which I had purchased in Sept-2011 when Rapid/Sunny were not launched. One of my close friends has purchased Sunny Diesel & another Rapid Diesel after my purchase. Both are happy with their cars. Both friends are sedate drivers & do around 100 kmph on highways. FE of Sunny is the best. I have not driven Sunny/Rapid yet.

I had test driven Vento, SX4, New Fiesta & Optra Magnum before zeroing down on Verna. Did not like Vento for uncomfortable front seat & poor refinement inside the cabin. Vento can be compared with Rapid. If you are satisfied with Rapid's inside cabin noise level & front seat comfort, you can go for it for better dynamics. But you have to live with higher maintenance cost & thin dealer support of Skoda. Not to say that Verna has very poor dynamics. Only problem for me is soft rear suspension, which produces rear wollyness on undulated roads at a speed in excess of 90-100 kmph where Rapid should be more composed. Else it is more VFM than Rapid, easy to maitain, petrol like feeling inside cabin, 6th gear advantage, less turbo lag, more features etc etc. On good highways, you can easily maintain a speed of 130-140 kmph with Vera all throughout the day with out any problem. Handling & steering are no issue for me.

My suggestion is to have a TD of Verna on rough roads at >100 kmph, you being in the rear seat. If it is ok, I feel Verna is the car to go for.

Cheers

[neiltopaz]

Hello,

Reducing body roll on the Verna CRDi 1.6 is easier - you have the option of changing your (OE) steel wheel rims. I came upon this 'solution' by chance. I purchased 15" Plati alloys for my car which were 7" in width, i.e. 1" more than the standard OE steel wheel width. I have used the OE tyres on these rims. The additional 1" on either side of the car gives great road grip, reduces body roll substantially and also makes the car look like a beast.

The tyres don't stick out of the body - just the walls bulge out a little, so it does not look ugly.

If I can attach a photograph of my car, you will see what I mean.

Our second Verna, also a 1.6 CRDi has Advanti alloys with 6.5" width and the body roll is a little more.

In fact now, the cars have been nicknamed at home as 'The Beauty & The Beast'.

Neil.

[pro711]

Originally Posted by neiltopaz

I purchased 15" Plati alloys for my car which were 7" in width, i.e. 1" more than the standard OE steel wheel width. I have used the OE tyres on these rims. The additional 1" on either side of the car gives great road grip, reduces body roll substantially and also makes the car look like a beast.

What effect do the wider tyres have on FE? I just took the delivery of Verna SX yesterday have not driven it past 80 kmph and very sedate, so not witnessed any body roll as yet, would not mind considering these a bit later if I see a problem.

[sawnilrules]

@ deepjaju: Congratulations on the car mate. Yours' is the only car that I truly envy on Indian roads, one of my best friend owns one, albeit in the petrol avatar. & every time I meet, him, he discovers some new feature in the car, and asks, me, whether my car has that particular feature or not. Arrrh!!! I feel so "J" of him. and every-time that happens, I get a feeling of how dumb I would be of spending 13 Lac on a car, and not have a features that he has in his car. But then... moment, I open my sunroof during those evening long drives, engage the sports mode for Paddle Shifts and rev that rpm counter, that feeling goes away in the thin air.... And I fall completely in love with my car again. Many Many Congratulations in picking up undoubtedly the king of features in C Segment Cars, I am sure you will enjoy munching miles on her....

[Seran Manian]

Deepjaju, congrates on your new buy...

Your way of explaing the Boot Space made laugh for a while. BTW what is the actual Boot Space in Litres? I dont think I have seen the spec in the web site..

Body roll.. Steering feels disconnected.. Thud sound when going over bumps.. I read these words very frequently from Verna Users. Though I am not very clear about the implications, that keeps me worried and I keep away from the plan to go for it.

When I had a look at it in the show room I felt that the thud noise could be due to the proruding front bumper (By about a feet plus from the front wheel) first touching the road bumps before the wheel moves over them and that results in the noise. (Pure guess work. Users dont scold me )

[neiltopaz]

We just added a host of chrome fittings to our Hyundai Vernas. Most of them are manufactured by Auto Clover, S. Korea, an OE supplier to Hyundai, Korea. Some are made in China. The finish is excellent. Here is the list:

1) Radiator grille garnish (the lower grille was painted with Mica black to accentuate the grille garnish) - on the first car
2) Lower grille garnish insert (on the second car)
3) Window garnish
4) Side skirt garnish
5) Trunk loading sill scuff plate
6) Door handle moulding
7) Interior moulding kit (garnish for a/c vents & door handle surrounds)

And we have personalized our Vernas with:
1) Hyundai logos on the fuel tank filler caps
2) Hyundai logos on the dash
3) Hyundai logos on the engine cover with chrome garnish

The cars do look very special!

[neiltopaz]

Originally Posted by pro711

What effect do the wider tyres have on FE? I just took the delivery of Verna SX yesterday have not driven it past 80 kmph and very sedate, so not witnessed any body roll as yet, would not mind considering these a bit later if I see a problem.

I have not changed the OE tyres. But carried them forward to the Plati alloy wheels which I have indicated. For an SX, it is a waste because your version comes with OE alloys. The Plati alloys are wider than the OE alloys by a full inch each, hence the OE tyres get spread out giving your car a marginally wider stance. Fuel efficiency went up after I changed to alloys - my consumption average meter shows anything between 19.50 and 20kpl, from the 18.50kpl earlier. I use my car a lot on highways and very little in start-stop traffic. When I go on long highway trips, the efficiency climbs up to 22kpl. Of course I do limit my speed to 100kph.