[PearlJam]

Background 1
For the last few months, I wanted to upgrade from my DZire ZDI to something more premium. Don't get me wrong - the 1.3 MJD is one of the finest small capacity diesels that I have driven. It's decently refined, flexible and extremely frugal nature makes it one of the top performers in it's segment. On the DZire, it was perfectly tuned with the right gear ratios. But it was lacking many of the features provided by newer cars. So...

The top requirements were:

• Diesel engine - for the torque!
• Good NVH levels, absolutely no truck-like engine noise
• Hassle free Sales and Service
• Plush interiors with a good set of features

The cars that were in my budget were:

1. Hyundai Verna
2. Honda City
3. Skoda Rapid
4. Volkswagen Vento
5. Maruti Ciaz

Disclaimer: Please excuse me if I'm a little critical of any cars in this topic. It's only for comparison purposes, and my personal opinion with no intention to offend

Honda City and Volkswagen Vento were rejected due to noisy and unpleasant sounding engines. Skoda Rapid was rejected due to horror stories about service. I heard that it has improved a lot now, thanks but no thanks! That left me with Maruti Ciaz and Hyundai Verna.

Background 2
Around November 2014, I took a test drive of the Maruti Ciaz ZDI. The verdict was: Yes, it's quite underpowered for this segment, but not as bad as I thought it would be. But when you pay the wrong side of 10Lakhs, a 90BHP output is simply unacceptable. Refinement was much better than in the Swift/DZire/Vento/etc, though - and the engine sound was likeable at higher RPMs.

To compare another car when the memory was fresh, I immediately went to the Hyundai showroom and test drove the Hyundai Verna 2014 (I was aware that a lot of issues from the previous generation were fixed/improved in 2014). I was simply blown away by the refinement and the torque. The engine sounded sweet and raspy at higher RPMs. Also, with 4 people on board, we did not scrape any high road bumps too. The steering was a little too light though. While it was good in the city, I could imagine how it would be on the highway.

I was also aware that a facelift was on the cards. The sales executive confirmed that it will be launched in the middle of February 2015, so I thought it was prudent to wait. He was bang on target about the dates.

Test drive of the Verna facelift
By the 2nd week of February 2015, reviews of the Verna facelift started appearing on various websites, much before the official launch. From these, I came to the conclusion that the steering and handling package was no longer a deal breaker. Called the showroom the day after the facelift was launched on February 18. They already had the new facelift on display, so went there to take a look. No surprises there. I liked the looks of the facelift much more than the previous generation - it looked more 'mature' (for lack of a better word). Of course, this is quite subjective. A lot of people in various reviews mentioned that they liked the looks of the old one better.

Did multiple test drives over the next couple of days. Even at high 2-digit speeds, it did not feel nervous at all. Since I'm not somebody who rips every corner at 150Kmph, and all I needed was a good 3-digit speed cruiser, I felt that this was the car for me.

I also test drove the Vento just to cover all my bases. Though I heard that they had improved the NVH, it was still noisier than my threshold. With the windows open, it sounded like a truck, but with the windows closed, insulation was decent. The interiors were bland, though good in quality. In addition, it had a horribly annoyingly high rear middle seat hump. I also felt that the suspension was a little too stiff for city driving. Didn't get a chance to try out on the highway, but I take others' word that it is one of the best in class there.

After some deliberations, decided to go for the Hyundai Verna

Since safety features (read 6 airbags) were one of the top priorities, I decided to go for the top end 1.6 SX CRDI. After all, what's a few thousands more if safety is non-negotiable?

Booking experience
In one word - excellent. The showroom was clean, and did not seem chaotic compared to two Maruti showrooms I can think of. The formalities were completed without any fuss, within 15 minutes. Delivery date was mentioned as 10 days.

Price
Absolutely no discounts were being offered across Hyundai showrooms. Saved around 20k by taking the bumper-to-bumper insurance myself, and that too simply by walking into the New India Assurance office, where they straightaway gave me a 40% discount on their base price. The showroom was charging 48K for bumper-to-bumper insurance, whereas I ended up paying 28K for the same. I'm sure I could have shaved off a few more thousands had I bargained across agents.

Delivery
The car was ready within 10 days of booking. Did the standard stockyard inspection, and the rest of the works as per team-bhp's excellent checklist. Also made hefty savings of almost 40% on insurance by taking it on my own, thanks again to team-bhp.

The delivery process was excellent and smooth, with a memorable hand over process.

Initial feedback summary:

Positives

1. Refinement, refinement and then some more refinement! - Even in a quiet area, the engine on the inside sounds like a ticking clock, a purring kitten, or a knife through butter, once warmed up. Take your pick . After the first service, it's even better.
2. Suspension is no longer an issue - more on this later
3. Great acceleration - though you don't feel it due to a quiet engine. There are times where I was at around 3000 RPM without even realizing it. There's no sudden surge at 2000 RPM a.la the 1.3 MJD in the Swift. Here, the acceleration starts around 1500 RPM and progress thereafter is effortless and brisk
4. Superb city ride quality - the potholes are dismissed without any fuss or thuds
5. Plush interiors, classy dashboard lights
6. Excellent front seat comfort - fits snugly around you
7. Rear head room and leg room are good - this was not really covered in any of the reviews. Being reasonably tall at 5'10", I still had a couple of inches of head room at the rear. Even with the front seat pushed back to the extent of what I use for driving, the rear leg room is good
8. Brakes are not spongy - though the test drive car felt a little more spongier. I guess it's just a matter of getting used to it. Braking power was good
9. Pretty good sound/audio quality, given that it's an OEM
10. Bluetooth phone connectivity works well, pairs without problems every time
    
11. Decently good stock headlamps - I don't think most of the people will need an upgrade
12. Excellent steering in the city - effortless to use
13. Improved GC/suspension - not hit humps yet with full load, touch wood.

Negatives

1. Steering is inconsistent at 3 digit speeds - Though I did not find this a deal breaker at all. Can be gotten used to.
2. Switching off the engine immediately unlocks the doors. I would have expected it to go to the ACC mode, without unlocking the doors
3. Most of the interiors are beige - will be a dirt magnet
4. No rear a/c vents - this is a big disadvantage and is sorely missed. Many times, the front is pleasant but the rear is warm. The A/c itself is excellent though in terms of cooling.
5. Gearing a little too tall for city use - At 1000 RPM on the 1st gear, you will hit close to 10 Kmph (compared to 8kmph for the 1.3 MJD). The engine simply pulls away, so unless you half clutch, you cannot drive in crawling traffic.
6. Rear under thigh support could have been better - this will be an issue only for taller people
7. No maps/navigation touch screen support - not a big deal personally for me. I plan to upgrade to one of the factory fit aftermarkets later.
8. Poor choice of colours - where are the classy browns, blues, burgundies and other colours that even the A segment cars have?

Showroom service manager talk
I just wanted to find out the rationale behind some of the issues faced with the earlier Verna, so I was talking to the service manager. His answers made me laugh. They would have passed off easily on an unsuspecting customer, but being a regular team-bhp reader, it didn't work on me.

Me: Why was the earlier suspension so soft
Him: Sir, Verna is a luxury car, so people need high levels of comfort, so we made it soft
Me: So such people don't drive on highways?
Him: <no answer>
Me: Why do you still not give rear a/c vents?
Him: Sir, Verna has an aerodynamic design, where the cold air just flows all around, so we don't need rear a/c vents. We did not receive any feedback that this is required.
Me: Huh? Then why do you give it in Grand i10 and XCent new launches? (and thinking to myself - I expected a smarter answer from you!)
Him: <no answer>
Me: Why still no touch screen navigation?
Him: Sir, no Hyundai car has it!
Me: So? Others are giving it. Is it a waste?
Him: <no answer>

Wheel alignment
After driving for a few days, I felt that the car was going too straight unnaturally - i.e even on sharper left/right gradients, it was not pulling to the left/right. A wheel alignment analysis showed wrong values for the toe! This was surprising, since I expected new cars to be aligned perfectly. Fixed this, and everything was perfect after that. Question: Do manufacturers give a negative toe to new cars to achieve the "straightline" effect? Anyway, I would advise new car buyers to immediately do a wheel alignment after delivery. Probably this should be added to the delivery checklist.

[PearlJam]

The first thing that strikes you when they hand over the keys, is its sheer quality. It really looks built to last:

The keys do have a downside though - the buttons are quite soft, so there's a chance of the buttons getting pressed accidentally when in your pockets, hence unlocking your car unintentionally!



Exteriors
The paint job is excellent, but why are the choices of colour so poor? There are hardly 5 colours to choose from, and none of them look youthful or exciting.

Request sensor. Does not look built to last:


Stunning alloy wheels. The tyres are Bridgestone B250, and 195/55 R16. The tyres are not too silent though, neither are they bad. The recommended tyre pressure is 33PSI for all tyres, though I believe that 32PSI should be more optimum:


Stunning Projector headlamps. Decent brightness, most of the owners should not find a need to upgrade:



Crdi badging only on the driver's side in the 4S. Mirrors with indicator:


Very consistent panel gaps. See the above pictures too. Bumper integration gap is perfect too, though it doesn't look like that in this picture:


Unchanged rear. The rear lamps are meant to give an LED look, but fails to do that, according to me:





Boot is sufficiently huge. Wheel wells do not intrude much:


Boot lid is not naked, gets a nice cover:


Observe the rain sensor next to the internal central mirror:

[PearlJam]

Interiors

Step inside and you will be greeted by the familiar cabin that oozes quality, fit, and finish. The interiors do look a little dated since very little has changed in the last couple of years, but it can still hold out on it's own even today. The front seats are super-comfortable with great seating position and ergonomics, and you fit snugly into it, though the same cannot be said of the rear seats.

The dashboard view. The dashboard is made of soft touch material that feels great to touch:


Visibility from the front is good all around:



Premium looking steering wheel. I feel it's a bit slippery though, and needs to be gripped harder than desired. The volume, track, mute, volume, and call buttons are easy to access. Bluetooth phone connectivity works well, pairs without problems every time:


Naked screws below the steering!:


A touchscreen unit with Maps and Navigation support is sorely missed. There do seem to be a few aftermarket units that fit in perfectly (AVN, Caska, etc). Need to try them out later after more research. The settings/setup is not very intuitive. Power/volume knob is on the right - very unintuitive, since it's usually on the left. Took some time for getting used to. Sound quality is pretty good, and sounds are sharp, inspite of being an OEM unit:


The USB, Aux, and 12V charging unit:


The microphone is placed over the driver's head:


The climate control unit. Works like a charm. The air conditioner is very effective, though the lack of rear A/c vents leads to very uneven cooling:


Sunglasses holder, and front lights. Observe the rain sensors:



The left side wiper stalk, with auto function. The auto functionality is a little too optimistic, i.e it swipes a little too late:


The right side stalk with auto headlamps. Again, it turns on too early, even when it's bright enough. An in between auto-functionality for parking lights would have been really good:


The lever for steering wheel rake and reach:


Headlight leveler and dashboard lights' brightness control:


The superb, slick and short-throw 6-speed Manual transmission:


The driver side window controls and mirror controls, again of great quality:


Start/stop button. I think it should have been placed on the right side of the steering wheel, since historically, the key system is also placed there. The audio system's power button is hardly 6 inches away. Twice, in a state of absentmindedness, I nearly pressed the start/stop button intending to switch on/off the audio. Could be a disastrous:


The MID throws out Average mileage, instantaneous mileage, average speed, engine running duration, default, Trip A, Trip B, and distance to empty respectively:


The front armrest storage cubby:


The well spaced ABC pedals. The dead pedal is really useful. Notice how the dealer supplied free mats are already worn out. The SA said this is because of "heavy shoes"


The fuel and boot lid levers:


Good quality leather seats. Will be a dirt magnet:


The curtain airbags and height adjustable seat belts on both sides:


The rear legroom is pretty good. Being reasonably tall at 5'10", and with the front seats adjusted for my height, there is still good leg room at the rear. Even the head room is much improved over the previous version, probably due to seating tweaks. In fact, headroom is better than the Ciaz. Under thigh support is poor for tall people, though. If you're short, the under thigh support is great, but since the windows are high, the outside view is relatively hampered :



Hardly noticeable middle floor rear hump:


Rear A/c vents are really really missed:

[PearlJam]

Engine and driving

The butter smooth 1.6 CRDI unit. The bonnet lid has insulation material:


Observe the naked negative terminal of the battery. The SA says that the negative terminal is not covered. Looks like a cheap cost cutting measure:


Start the engine by pressing the clutch and pressing the Start/Stop button once, and the engine fires to life. When cold, there is clatter that seeps into the cabin. But that's just temporary. In 5 minutes, this changes to a hardly audible buzz inside. On the outside, there is a pleasant thrum. The VW Vento and the Honda City are nowhere in contention in the refinement department. The clutch is light, and is a boon for city driving.

The EPS based steering is light and is great for city driving. However, increase the speeds, and the steering weighs up, inconsistently. It is not very bad, as mentioned in the team-bhp review. But it will take some getting used to. Once you're comfortable, this is no longer a deal breaker according to me. Again, the likes of Vento would be leagues ahead - though I haven't driven the Vento at those speeds, I have no doubt about the reviews I've read.

The gearing is a little tall for city driving. In crawling traffic, you have to use the half clutch, otherwise the engine will just pull away to it's almost 10Kmph/1000 RPM. Be prepared for a lot of "half-clutching" in the city. I hope the clutch system is robust enough to withstand this. I'm already afraid about the life of the clutch system.

The engine does have turbo lag that takes getting used to. However, once you cross 1500RPM, the progress starts to build up, and after 1900RPM, the progress is brisk. The engine pulls effortlessly, though I haven't yet crossed 3000RPM (other than on the test drive car) due to the break-in period. The engine sounds extremely pleasant at higher RPMs, and has none of the crudeness associated with the Swift/Dzire 1.3 MJD. It's free revving, and there's no "hesitation" or "resistance" to higher RPMs. The mid range is punchy, and overtaking is a breeze. With 126BHP, and an ACI rated 10.8 seconds for a 0-100, there is no dearth of power. The 6-speed Manual transmission is a slick, sure slotting and short throw unit, and is a joy to use.

The suspension is on the softer side, and the city potholes are soaked in without any fuss. Ride in the city is plush. Regarding ground clearance, I've not scraped the bottom till now, but I've been careful. Need to drive more to get a better picture of this. On the highway, the suspension at mid 3-digit speeds is no longer an issue, though undoubtedly it is not the segment best. In summary, the ride/handling package is decent and not a deal breaker according to me. But if hardcore handling is your top priority, you need to look for other options.

The braking is not spongy, as mentioned in some reviews. Braking power is good, again as mentioned in the team-bhp review.

The ECO mode encourages early shifting, as early as 1400RPM. Though it is good for beginners, I would take it's suggestions with a pinch of salt. You will end up sometimes lugging the engine when fully loaded or on inclines. Trust your own judgement once you're comfortable:


Regarding fuel efficiency, the highway mileage is pretty good. Based on your driving style, you can easily get 23-24 Kmpl. But I am disappointed with the city mileage. I used to get around 13-14 Kmpl on my DZire ZDI, whereas the Verna gives me around 11.8-12 Kmpl. I hope it improves over a period of time.

[PearlJam]

A few parting shots

The rear lamps. Thought they've tried to give the LED effect, they've failed, in my opinion:


The classy looking night illumination. The photos don't do justice to the actual looks:

[PearlJam]

First free service

The first service is at 1200-1500 Kms on the ODO, or 2 months. This is supposed to be a zero-cost, but I asked for a paid oil change anyway. The SA was good enough to show me the oil colour after the change, to indicate that it has been changed.

Total bill: Rs.2247/- (oil and oil filter)

The refinement has further improved after the oil change.

[Aditya]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Initial Ownership Section. Thanks for sharing!

[PearlJam]

A quick summary of the after market touchscreen navigation head units available, collated from a few other threads. More information and reviews on these appreciated.

Images directly from the respective websites:

1. Caska

Website: http://www.caskaindia.com/
Model: http://www.caskaindia.com/caska-suit...ion.htm#detail



2. MapMyIndia

Website: http://www.mapmyindia.com/
Model: http://www.mapmyindia.com/in-dash-av...-hyundai-verna




3. Mega Audio

Website: http://www.megaaudio.in/
Model: http://www.megaaudio.in/Hyundaiseries.html

[Vik0728]

Originally Posted by PearlJam

After some deliberations, decided to go for the Hyundai Verna

Hey PearlJam, congrats on your latest acquisition and I guess this is probably the first Verna 4S Ownership on TBHP !!

Personally, I am from the other side of the opinion and felt that the facelift looks a lot more Diplomatic (if I may). I prefer the more sporty and aggressive pre-facelift Verna.

Nevertheless, wish you many more happy & safe mile munching.

Negatives

Switching off the engine immediately unlocks the doors. I would have expected it to go to the ACC mode, without unlocking the doors

Frankly, these are the kind of thoughtful features that German technology addresses. This was the same issue with my previous car, Getz Prime.
In my current GT TDi, the door locks at 17-18 km/hr and remains locked even if the car comes to halt and the engine is switched off. The moment you remove the key from the ignition, the doors unlock!!

[PearlJam]

Originally Posted by Vik0728

In my current GT TDi, the door locks at 17-18 km/hr and remains locked even if the car comes to halt and the engine is switched off. The moment you remove the key from the ignition, the doors unlock!!

Yes, my older DZire had the same feature too.

In the Verna, the doors autolock at around 15Kmph. I think the presence of the keyless system complicates things, because when you turn off the engine, it comes to the "off" (not ACC) state, resulting in the doors getting unlocked. I think we need a different lifecycle for keyless systems, to take care of these concerns.

[S2!!!]

Firstly, let me congratulate you for your purchase and thank you for the detailed review.

Originally Posted by PearlJam

The EPS based steering is light and is great for city driving. However, increase the speeds, and the steering weighs up, inconsistently. It is not very bad, as mentioned in the team-bhp review.

I have quoted the text from the Team-BHP official review. Nowhere is it mentioned that the steering is very bad. All I have mentioned is that it lacks feel:

Hyundai claims to have tweaked the power steering. To be honest, I'd say the diesel's steering does feel artificially heavy at times. It's not disconnected like a video game's unit, but don't expect any feel or feedback from this EPS either. Let's just call it 'neutral' for better understanding. I liked the fact that I didn't need to intentionally hold the steering wheel firmly at high speeds. In case you were wondering, no, the steering doesn't feel scary or nervous.

I generally run by user / owner reviews to see whether their experiences / observations are similar to mine. Going through your review, I can safely say that I wasn't wrong in the 4S Verna review either

[PearlJam]

Originally Posted by S2!!!

I have quoted the text from the Team-BHP official review. Nowhere is it mentioned that the steering is very bad. All I have mentioned is that it lacks feel

Hi @S2!!!, sorry for not being precise! I agree with your review, and what I actually meant to write was: "It is not very bad - as can be confirmed from the team-bhp review."

[drive2eternity]

Congrats Pearljam.

I can safely assume that you are 100% satisfied with your purchase. Could you let me know which Dealership did you buy the car from? I have booked at Advaith, ORR, Bangalore.

Also, once I get my car and drive it a few hundred kms, I will add to this thread, with a Petrol Verna story.

PS- My Caska images for you are pending, shall post them soon.

Cheers!

[vsrivatsa]

Congratulations on the new Verna 4S!

Originally Posted by PearlJam

Me: Why was the earlier suspension so soft
Him: Sir, Verna is a luxury car, so people need high levels of comfort, so we made it soft
Me: So such people don't drive on highways?
Him: <no answer>
Me: Why do you still not give rear a/c vents?
Him: Sir, Verna has an aerodynamic design, where the cold air just flows all around, so we don't need rear a/c vents. We did not receive any feedback that this is required.
Me: Huh? Then why do you give it in Grand i10 and XCent new launches? (and thinking to myself - I expected a smarter answer from you!)
Him: <no answer>
Me: Why still no touch screen navigation?
Him: Sir, no Hyundai car has it!
Me: So? Others are giving it. Is it a waste?
Him: <no answer>

Nice conversation with the silence from the other side

[swiftnfurious]

Congrats on the new car PearlJam. Well written review. Wish you miles of smiles & safe motoring. My brother has an i20 & am a huge fan of Hyundai quality & engine refinement.

Originally Posted by Vik0728

...The moment you remove the key from the ignition, the doors unlock!!

Originally Posted by PearlJam

Yes, my older DZire had the same feature too...

Have you guys checked the possibility of a different configuration? Maruti's OEM Nippon remotes could be pre-programmed to unlock differently; while at switch off or while taking key off the barrel. I preferred the unlock at switch off as the passengers would always try to open the door as soon as the car is switched off.