[Maxton07]

Hello everyone,
First of all I would like to thank all TBHPians for pouring out their knowledge and views on this forum. Its very hard to get access to a worthy yet free websites like this. Initially thought this site is based only on cars but was I proved wrong.

Intro:

The new car bug brewed up when we had a distressed experience on our Tata Manza while we were on our way to Kolkata. This happened on July’21 https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/trave...ata-manza.html (Chennai to Kolkata in a Tata Manza). Though it's not like something we need to replace the car immediately, but my dad asked me to look for new cars in the market. His statement got me excited like hell When everyone was cursing the lockdown, I was thanking it as I had all day long to browse & research about cars. My everyday routine during the lockdown transitioned from the boring- wakeup, eat, online classes, eat, sleep to wake up, eat, youtube, car websites, tbhp reviews & discussions happening on the forum, scanning the car brochures, eat, then sleep. The excitement got up to another notch when my dad announced the timeline (i.e) March’22. Then the process went on rigorously with me being glued onto my laptop every day just to pick the perfect car that suits our needs. Below are the list of cars we test drove/ window shopped in order.

Honda City ivtec-Tata Altroz(Window shopped)-Hyundai Creta-Kia Seltos-Skoda Kushaq(Window shopped)-VW Taigun-MG Astor(Window shopped)-Skoda Slavia-Tata Altroz-Hyundai Verna’23.

Car Hunt:
Will brief out the experiences I had with the cars I TD. Since we have been on the hunt after 9 long years, was amazed by the features & performance the cars are offering today.

1.Honda City:

There was a firm order from my dad to check out the City first as he had it on his wishlist “the dream car” where he missed it previously due to budget constraints. So drove straightaway to Capital Honda, Meenambakkam.

Initial Impressions:
Great looking car & looked sporty in the red shade. Though it felt considerably larger on papers w.r.t Manza, the interior felt too cramped. The reason is our Manza’s massive interior space. Though the legroom was nice, the cabin height was too low and my mom felt claustrophobic when judged with our Manza. Three people can comfortably sit on the rear seats(Manza) which wasn’t possible in the City. Then got the vehicle for TD and the engine was completely refined coming from the noisy Multijet motor. The gearbox felt slick & smooth to operate. Though the pickup was good, I sorely missed the turbo grunt from the diesel engines. Overall a well-refined powertrain I would say. I’m not accustomed to the build quality factor at that time, so didn’t bother about it. Since we went on a Sunday, the dealer didn’t allow us to have a long test drive. But from a Driver’s POV, it was quite a good experience after meddling through the noisy diesel engine.





2.Hyundai Creta:

Checked in at FPL Hyundai, Chrompet. Felt a stark difference in the way the Hyundai people handled us. They greeted & offered us coffee in the first place when we had our visit. We never got this treatment anywhere, anyday during our car hunt. Just the way they behaved, made us about getting a Hyundai car for sure. SA neatly explained the variants & the situation of the supply chain issues they were facing at that time. They offered us the test drive well before we made a request. Though we looked for the diesel, they gave us the NA petrol for TD. Felt a bit quirky while having a look at it but my mom loved it anyway. Again a typical Hyundai’s smooth engine & gearbox which we had gone through while TD Verna(2013) during our previous car hunt. Mom loved the panoramic sunroof and the rear space which it offered. Three people can sit comfortably in the back that got my mom’s attention. Got the price quote and checked out the showroom.

3.Kia Seltos

Checked in SVM Kia, Guindy, the very next day with my uncle. The showroom looked premium and the advisor was again cordial like Hyundai folks. Got a chance to TD the iMT petrol variant. Initial impressions were very similar to Hyundai but cramped interiors for sure when compared to Creta. The ride felt stiff & planted. It’ll take some time to get used to the clutchless manual but would help in my dad’s case(he abuses the clutch a lot). The car was meh to me as it’s a random sight on Chennai roads. Received the brochures & checked out.

4.VW Taigun:

Checked in Kun VW, Nandanam. The showroom was almost empty(Monday effect) but quickly got assigned to the SA. He explained the product very well and offered us the 1L TSi Manual for TD. Felt some noticeable vibes on the doors as well as on the steering. He offered an extensive drive on the city roads and directed us to an empty ground asking me to do crazy stuff with the car. Heck! then comprehended he was a VW enthusiast & asked me to drive recklessly to check the dynamics of the car. Oh boy! this car is undoubtedly a driver’s delight as it felt very solid & handled like a maniac. Having much impressed with it but again a car worth 18lacs lacked the space & the size we expected. I prefer Kushaq’s styling over Taigun. And followed by the niggles reported on this forum swayed away my interest on this vehicle.

5.Skoda Slavia:

In a sea of SUVs, there comes the announcement from Skoda, teasing the silhouette of the Slavia. Those design sketches just skyrocketed my expectations over the roof. It impacted me with a lot of sleepless nights as I began dreaming about it from the time it got unveiled. Would sit in front of the TV watching youtube videos every day as it strung my heart firmly. The initial camouflage reviews were very positive which helped me in convincing my dad to switch over to Slavia. And especially the crystal blue shade which uplifts the exterior body style to another notch. Thought of pre-booking it, but my inner self cautioned me about the hassles with which the Kushaq went through. Reached the showroom as the first customer and got the chance to unveil it, even though I didn’t pre-book it. Enquired & waited for the prices to be announced.

In the meanwhile, told my dad about the 1.5TSi which comes with a manual gearbox, explaining the benefits of cylinder deactivation tech, blah blah just to convince him to book the 1.5TSi engine. Since I had set my dad’s expectations about the pricing of the vehicle well before the launch, it wasn’t a big deal. We almost finalized the decision and there comes my elder bro like a black cat(which is deemed to be bad luck), shattering my dreams. He decided to do his masters abroad, which obviously would damage our financials so the entire car hunt was put on hold indefinitely. Frustrated initially, but after the initial ownership reviews which had a lot of niggles being reported, removal of features, and price hikes in just 3 months of launch, made peace with myself.







And that’s the end. Things came back to normal. The college reopened with regular classes and the time moved on like pre-covid days. Thinking about those 6-8 months of me, being a happy car enthusiast felt like a nice dream thereafter. The only thing which provoked my curiosity over Slavia was its sibling, VW Virtus. It was another stunner & looker from the VW-Skoda group. Though the car hunt was on hold, I would look & skim through the reviews of new launches.

Let’s fast forward to Jan’23

6.Tata Altroz:

Now my brother went abroad & dad got his job transferred to Pune which meant the car is going to be used solely by me. There wasn’t a car in the market that satisfied me completely, neither my head nor heart. This scenario made me opt for a financially sensible choice which was the Altroz. It ticked almost every box as per our requirements but my dad wasn’t okay with the idea of downgrading from a sedan to a compact hatch. Having said that, he was reluctant initially but got him convinced later.

We checked in PPS Tata, Pallikarnai, sometime during Jan’23. The new features which were previewed at the auto expo’23 made me to have a certain buzz around the Altroz. When asked about the new features rollout timeline, those people didn't seem to be aware of any update to the Altroz. Then asked about the racer spec, to which they said it will have its launch by 2024. I thought it’s a tactic used by the dealers to push the disposable stocks. So I booked it anyway with the condition of allotting the car once Tata launch it with relevant features. They were okay about it, hence booked the Altroz diesel with Opera blue. Got a chance to test drive the car extensively for around 40kms.

TD impressions:
The diesel motor was extremely refined at idle. Couldn’t feel a thing from the motor until 2.5k to 3k rpm, except a mild hum. This showed how far Tata has come over the years with their products & offerings. The ride felt comfortable on city roads & broken patches but where it really shined was on highways. It was planted & felt glued to the road even at illicit speeds. This was the first time I’d felt the functioning of proper power steering. It weighed up quickly while building up speeds and felt kinda artificial while holding it when compared with our inconsistent Manza. The rear seats were fine but lacks the legroom our Manza offered. Was completely satisfied with the vehicle & hence the wait started.






7.Hyundai Verna:

Just a day after booking the Altroz, Hyundai previewed the side profile silhouette of the Verna & thereby starting the pre-bookings. It was like well…okay… impressed with the teaser, let's wait till the launch. Within five days, they released the design sketches. This was the turning point in our purchasing process as those sketches thrilled my dad too. And heard rumors about it being launched with 160hp TGDi engine which added fuel to the already flaming heart inside me. So thought like, why not? let's have a booking just to be on safer side if Tata decides to prolong the relevant updates to Altroz. Done with the prebooking of 1.5TGDi SX(O)MT, as some media speculated the launch by mid-march. Although people had polarizing comments on the design leaks & undisguised pics, I reserved my opinion until I see in metal.



Time passed by & loved every teaser released by them in the meanwhile. Though I had discussions inside my mind over the safety factor, once thoroughly assessing the car inside & out, made peace with it. The prices were attractive & astonished by those performance figures claimed by Hyundai. I decided that's it, this is the car we look forward to finally. Loved the Tellurian Brown shade, which was unique & sporty with those black alloys & red calipers. After the variant split up, leatherette seats & bose systems were the missing ones that bothered me while opting the SX variant. I’m not a fan of ADAS & other gizmos on the SX(O) as it would burn a big hole on our pocket if anything awful happens to the bumper of the car. Thought of letting go of the SX(O), but leatherette seats & good sounding systems are a must for a car costing above 18lacs. Hence confirmed my booking once again to my dealer with SX(O) MT & changed the colour from fiery red to tellurian brown. The wait starts again.

Initial Impressions:
https://www.team-bhp.com/news/2023-h...go-manza-owner







Special mention to VW as we would have certainly gone for the Virtus GT which was surely a head turner than Slavia, particularly in Cucumba Yellow shade & was even ready to face the niggles if they had offered the Manual gearbox for the 1.5 TSi(which was unveiled right after my dealer punched the invoice for the Verna). Since most of our(probably every car owner’s) usage comes from straight highways & slow crawling traffic, we tossed the VW twin’s ride & dynamics for the Verna. But it(Verna) definitely felt leaps ahead in dynamics when set side by side with our Manza. Since its going to be the ultimate car snapped with my dad’s funds, so thought of investing in a niggle free & reliable ones.

ADIEU MANZA:

Buying our Manza was personally my close to heart episode that happened in my life. I learnt driving this car with no lecturer aside me, as its just my sheer observation I’d do when others drove it. Though I initially eluded while buying this one(coz my uncle had already owned it), I shared some fond memories with it. Always left the vehicle at TASS irrespective of the FNGs available in our area.

It journeyed down south till north-east(Kolkata). Putting this on sale, was as hard as a heartbreak since it was maintained with utmost care and pampered like a baby. If it had been bothering us periodically with consistent issues & dents in our pockets, I would have atleast made up my mind & moved on. It never disappoints and if you spend a little more on its maintenance, it runs without breaking a sweat. “You may lose something good, but you may gain something even better”. I'm a firm believer in these quotes, and I hope Verna serves us on par or even better than our Manza. Will try to post our ten-year ownership experience soon.

Night drive, the day before parting ways












Got adopted by another owner, spotted after 2 weeks


My thoughts on the design of Verna:

Nowadays people look to buy something which is distinct & unique that stands out from other products. Virtus & Slavia’s design is a proper three box sedan made with an unique German touch, whereas Verna’s design is surely a head turner where people look towards it atleast to pass trash/valuable comments. They had done something which created talks & buzz around the product which was a complimentary marketing for them at the end. So in that space, Hyundai had nailed it I’d say. The rear end to quarter back is my favorite profile on its exterior design. The interior does look nice & fresh with ambient lights turned ON. Don’t know about premature ageing of this design, if yes, then there is no way Hyundai would be selling 15k units of Creta today.

Why I chose Verna?

• The design that stands out from the competition( May take it in a good/bad way as design is subjective)
• 1.5TGDi Engine, which was a major upgrade from Multijet.
• Slick powertrain & refinement.
• Peace of mind for atleast 7 years(EW)
• Significant jump on feature & safety kit.

My perception on Hyundai as a brand:

Starting from my early days, I’ve always perceived Hyundai as a premium brand when compared with others in the market. The cause for this perception might be the distinct design, exclusive features on offer, the way the showroom folks treat people, etc., Their cars are mostly tuned towards comfort-oriented space, though they have explosive powertrains on pipeline. While overseeing the abroad markets, I definitely feel that they have cheapened out the products for India despite us being their 3rd largest market. I had some prior experience with their ASS while helping my buddy’s Verna. They were cordial & warm, and they actually write down the issues on the job sheet reported by the customers where other ASS(looking at you TATA) would simply avoid it or just nod their heads just for our sake. Though they are segment disruptors & front runners in the features arm, safety is definitely a thing which they aren’t looking forward to and overshadowing it by offering unique features to lure the customers. Compared with other Hyundai cars, I felt Verna is certainly a step up in build quality & safety and I hope it proves it mettle by scoring well in Gncap or at other crash testing agencies.

Booking & showroom experience:

Booked online on 20th Feb, exactly after 7 days of announcement. It was a pretty good experience with their website & chose the 1.5TGDi SX(O) FIERY RED+BLACK DT with a booking amount of 25K at FPL Hyundai Chrompet, Chennai. Immediately received an email confirming my booking & SA details. Was supposed to get a call on the day of booking from the dealer side to update my order on their system, but nope. After enquiring about the display vehicle post launch, they came to know of my online booking. My SA was very responsive & attentive but had a very little awareness over their own products & offerings as he asked me whether I’m taking a diesel or petrol variant while confirming my order details. It seemed Iike I was the 1st customer to prebook the car on their showroom, so I was on top of their queue list. He proactively communicated & created a whatsapp group comprising people from each department(loan, accessories, etc). Two days later, saw a video featuring the tellurian brown with the exact variant we were looking for. So changed the color from RED to BROWN but SA warned changing the color would make me stand at the back of the queue & the waiting period would be of 1.5 months, to which I obliged later. Received a call during the weekend regarding the availability of Titan Grey which can be taken for delivery within a week or two utmost. Was initially hesitant, but after discussing with my family, sent a thumbs up emoji to SA after 2 days. Then he went unresponsive and later came to know that it was locked by another customer. Now the patience game starts, which was frustrating & can’t able to move on, as I couldn’t think about waiting 2 months after losing my opportunity over the Titan grey. SA on 2nd April, texted me that the new car update will intimated by 7th April as that’s when they expect to receive allocation from Hyundai. The 7th Apr became 8th Apr, and SA informed me the allocation & mine might get allotted within 2-3 days.

On 11th April,

SA: Sir, your car got allotted. Keep the payment ready.
ME: Oh nice, share the VIN number if possible.
SA: Sir, VIN number will be shared once the invoice has been billed.
ME: But I need to do PDI before invoicing right?
SA: No need to worry sir, we will do the PDI from our side. We assure that you will receive 200% perfect car.
ME: No, I won’t transfer the money before inspecting the car by myself. (I became suspicious by now)
SA: Sorry sir, this is the procedure we are following for the time being & if u want any clarifications, you may ask other dealers & let me know.
ME: Okay fine.

Next day, connected to the Customer Relation Manager, FPL via Hyundai help centre.

ME: My SA is not allowing me to do PDI, saying this is not under the guidelines.
CRM: Yes sir, this is the procedure we follow & don’t worry, we will deliver your car w/o any uncertainties.
ME: What would you do before picking up grocery from a store? You would look for the expiry date, mfd date before billing right? And are you asking me to buy a commodity which costs around two million bucks without looking over these parameters?
CRM: (After a long pause) Okay sir, I totally understand your concern & definitely get back to you after discussing with my team.

After 5 minutes,

SA: Sir, what happened? I heard you have concerns with me. Did you contact Hyundai customer care?
ME: Yes, you said to enquire about the PDI process outside. That’s why I spoke directly to CRM.
SA: Sir, no worries, our manager granted your request. You can very well see your car before making the payment.
ME: Okay, then share the VIN number & when can I expect the car to reach the yard?
SA: Sir, VIN number will be shared during the PDI & the car will arrive by Monday at the stockyard. Post PDI, vehicle will be delivered within a week of full payment.

Those italic words twisted my PDI plans as my family strongly suggested to take the car on Sunday(23rd Apr) which was an auspicious day. Called the SA to check whether he can arrange the delivery by 23rd post settling the final payment. He conveyed that’s not possible as transferring the money post PDI(i.e: on 17th Apr, Monday) would reflect on their account the next day(Tuesday). After confirming the transaction from their side, they would invoice the vehicle on Wednesday, followed by applying insurance, fastag and form20 on Thursday. Since they already have cars lined up for registration, mine will get registered by Monday. The SA seemed genuine & haven’t heard much about the PDI issues for Hyundai cars on TBhp forum, so I let it go & done with the payment by 15th Apr(i.e) Saturday. Anyways, told him that I would see the car before sending off to registration so that if I find any hiccups on the vehicle, they could rectify it before registration. Done with the PDI, looked fresh from the factory with just 9km on odometer.









D-day:

Those five days post transferring the money was the snail-paced period of my life. I would look over the clock every hour, impatiently waiting for it to move fast. My SA called me the day before to confirm the delivery time as they had a handful of ceremonies scheduled on that day. Reached the showroom by 11.15am, quickly signed all the documents, gave some goodies to SA & went over the delivery bay. Saw the vehicle behind the showroom tying the ribbons, waiting to crush those lemons & getting ready to meet its new family to be savored. Its been a long time since I respirated the new car smell but the show got spoiled when I read a post regarding the risk of cancer while inhaling it. Instant hatred brewed upon it so that I opened the windows immediately to vent out the scent as much as possible.







I guess Hyundai dealers are instructed to adhere by the rules laid by Hyundai. They were very accommodating and humble to every request I kept. During a feedback call regarding the showroom experience, they were asking a list of 20 questions to rate each service they provided. Everytime I visit the showroom, my SA would wish me and never forget to provide me a water bottle or coffee. Never had this kind of treatment in any of the showroom I made a visit. They look for the customer's satisfaction first so that even if I rate them 8/10, they would apologize, then ask for any scope of improvements to be done in future.

Invoice breakup:

Base price : 11,02,689 ( Actual price of the car)
CGST(14%) : 1,54,376
SGST(14%) : 1,54,376
Cess (17%) : 1,87,457
TCS(1%) : 15,989
RTO Charges : 2,42,335
Insurance(B2B) : 81,377
Accessories : 9999
Fastag : 400
E.W(7years) : 38463
Onroad price : 19,87,461
OD Discount(-) : (-)24,000
Final Onroad : 19,63,461

Accessories:
Was surprised to see every accessories with the Hyundai moniker as I thought those would be sourced from outside.

Tyre Inflator : 3258
Tyre puncture kit : 344
Vaccum cleaner : 1999
Microfiber cloth(body & glass) : 211
Premium neck rest : 919
Tyre valve caps : 137
Floormats : 3499

[Maxton07]

OBSERVATIONS After a month of ownership:

Likes:

• Explosive powertrain
• Slick gearbox
• Good NVH package
• India-friendly ADAS system
• Well-balanced suspension
• Attractive Pricing

Dislikes:

• Mediocre headlights(Acceptable <80kph)
• Audio systems(Not upto the mark, as per BOSE standards)
• Long clutch travel
• Non-reclinable rear seats
• Wired AA & AC
• No fog lamps

1.Design:
Enough has been said about its polarizing design. To my eyes, it is striking at dawn & kinda sci-fi(alien) at dusk that shows off its sheer size with this shade. It was distinct from regular colors and looked quite sporty with red calipers & blackened alloys. The car, ofcourse, grabbed many eyeballs on the road(Credit to long connecting tail lights & led bar). Like all, I received people asking me whether it’s a Kia car, misjudging with the long led bar at the front. I was initially disappointed with the disparity of design sketches and the undisguised pics, but got impressed when I saw it in flesh. Interiors were designed with an intention of being sporty yet futuristic & it was a huge upgrade coming from the bland yet neat interiors of our Manza. I could very well see how the car industry has progressed through the years with new inventions & providing appropriate offering & choices to the customers. Every time I park a car, I always look back to admire its beauty(Manza as well) & this one will be very hard to resist. BTW, having owned it for a month now, the front profile looks fine but it definitely doesn’t flatter like the aggressive rear profile.

2.ADAS:
I don’t know whether you will believe me or not, the calibration done by Hyundai is almost perfect for Indian conditions. The lane keep assist is a boon on long unoccupied highways, as it flawlessly identifies the lane markings and turns accordingly to the conditions. It exceeded my expectations as it not only detects small curves but for some deep trajectories too. It does alert to keep your hands on, otherwise it would keep on beeping endlessly & cancel assisting the lane after 30 seconds. Rear cross traffic function saved me once and panicked me twice for no reason. That’s why I mentioned it was calibrated near to perfect for our conditions. Forward collision was obviously turned off immediately after experiencing in city roads. Can’t reserve my opinion on this feature but it brakes according to the conditions I would say. For eg, if an autowala overtakes & comes ahead your lane, it won’t brake abruptly, rather it applies mildly corresponding to the situation. About Driver attention warning, I don’t know whether there is exactly a system or camera monitoring my actions, but it alerts any moment the car is moving on cruise mode for every 10 mins. It was quite annoying tbh. Blind spot monitoring works fine & beeps if a vehicle was detected when I turn on the indicators. High Beam Assist works perfect without any issues. The radar recognizes & displays the speed sign warning on the cluster but not really useful on Tamilnadu roads as you could barely find any speed cameras. I've only used the most discussed features of ADAS, so I can't really score others. I’m wondering how Hyundai could provide ADAS level 2 for such a sweet price on SX(0) where it also includes the ventilated seats, bose systems, leatherette seats when Tata blindly charges a whopping 1 lac just for the variant with ADAS.

3.Space Management:
Cabin space was a tight fit right in, as we're used to more roomy Manza, the segment benchmark for sedans. The legroom at the rear was on par with the Manza, but the seat base and shoulder room for three people are compact, and I suspect the cabin’s height to be the reason for its compactness. Three women at the back appreciated the space and complimented the flat floor, but three well-built men would be unwieldy on long journeys. Front doors comes with 2 bottle holders, which will be very convenient for long trips. I thought there would be no cup holders in place of the wireless charger, so was surprised to find one on the console. The boot was humongous and can definitely feel it’s space coming from our previous ride. It’s flat & narrow without any crooked design which was seen on our Manza. The sunroof accentuates the dark interior with bright light from the outside. It’s used just for that airy feel, other than that it's not my cup of tea or a feature I had on my wishlist.

4.Interiors:
Like I said earlier, interiors felt premium & upmarket with a layer of soft touchpad on the dash and door trims. They could have provided the softpad on the sliding armrest as my hands land perfectly on the door grab handle & the armrest that compliments while driving. The slightly crooked dash towards the driver was a great thought incorporated by the Hyundai designers, though my dad found it weird. The plastics used at the rear vents and armrests are of poor quality. It moves easily when adjusted or impelled with force. The glovebox is too small to be of any use, other than to store manual and a first aid kit. Cooling glovebox was an unnecessary feature given its space. The A-pillar doesn’t intrude the blind corners, and I hope the structure isn’t compromised while engineering it. Ambient lighting does its job to the fullest and complements the cabin in low light conditions. I love the ambient lighting that extends all the way to the door, which was a nice touch by Hyundai. My family expected the ambient lights to illuminate the rear doors as well, but I prefer it being on the dashboard.

5.Seats:
The seats are comfy and have ideal cushioning to complement long journeys. I’m yet to find my ideal driving posture as I felt the neck to be discomforting after a while of driving. My knee brushes the steering wheel whenever I leave the seats. But god! I’m really liking this low slung position which gives it a sporty feel when shifting gears. Heck! even the Altroz felt like a SUV after driving this, its that low slung. My mom complained the backseat lacking the Manza's under-thigh support as she would always sit with cross-legged during long drives.

6.Features:
Speaking of features, it was a big leap from Manza. In my previous experience with Manza, when we decided to go with an intermediate variant, I felt the car became obsolete after 3-4 years. I always recommend people to buy the top-of-the-line variant if someone intends to own the car for long term without batting an eyelid.

There are many convenience features that require a long page to list. But these are few which grabbed my eyes:

• Front parking sensors- Very convenient while parking on tight spots & narrow roads. And this vehicle has the longest bonnet AFAIK in the segment and the sensors assists you for sure.
  
• Switchable interface for AC & audio controls- Thoughtful feature which I expect to be adopted on all upcoming cars to avoid the touch-only interface.
  
• Cruise mode- Finally, it’s a godsend feature to free up my numbing legs on highways.
  
• Remote engine start- My most favorite, a very cool feature to have, to warm up the engine & cool the cabin during cold/regular days.
  
• Direct TPMS- Very convenient feature to have before starting a roadtrip & suspecting the puncture.
  
• Live rear camera feed: It is effectively used when the sunshade occupies the rear windshield.

Feature that was useless:
Wireless charger- Heats my iphone after 10% of charging, so I would switch off the wireless pad to use it as an utility space. But can’t blame it entirely, as it works flawlessly with Samsung phones.

7.Audio systems, the so called BOSE:
I'm no audiophile expert, but after using it for a while, it sounds neutral and good. The equalizer settings still needs clarification & no sound modes to play with, but they definitely haven't lived up to my expectations that I had kept with the brand "Bose". Hyundai cleverly marketed it as an 8-speaker system, but it's more of a 6-speaker system, with the two rear speakers routed by a subwoofer. My mother queried she heard the sound primarily from the front speakers instead of rear. Then I observed that the rear boot speakers weren’t sounding a bit except a slight bass when the settings are channeled entirely to the rear speakers. Audio is flat over Bluetooth and sounds great with Apple Carplay. The clarity was crisp but our Manza’s factory fitted eight-speaker blaupunkt sounded way better as a whole, as it keeps the audio surrounded over the cabin unlike the bose, which was nice only to the front passengers.

8.Air Conditioner:
I deemed the AC earlier not as chiller as our Manza, but it is not. Manza had the sunfilm installed which made me apprehensive of the Verna’s AC unit. It's as powerful as our Manza, and the default setting I use on the highway is 25deg with the fan speed 1. But the rear AC vents doesn't let out the air as strong as the front AC vents. To uplift the cabin temperature, I sometimes shut off the AC vents on a regular basis.

9.Build quality:
This car's bonnet was the heaviest of the lot. The solid long base of the bonnet could play a role in that. The door has comparable hefts w.r.t VAG twins. It is the thickness of the door that demonstrates how safety has progressed over time & thus might have led to a compact shoulder room for three in the back. The doors on our Manza were very narrow, which could've been a reason for the spacious back seats. The plastics over the rear bumper was very poor. It fumbles with a slight little push via your limbs. I hate our Manza swerving when a truck or bus passes by but that wasn’t the case with Verna. It doesn’t budge easily & remains planted on the move. I really can’t score the build quality/ crash ratings like GNCAP but it seemed on par with its competition.

10.Ground Clearance:
It's not like we're new to the sedan segment, so we're well aware of the ground clearance we got to manage during the ownership. The car had its first underbelly strike during a local run where I carelessly went over a bump without realizing its size. Assessed the underbelly during the first service and no bruise as such reported from ASS. Since the suspension is a bit stiffer, it avoids kissing the bump as much as it could, where our Manza would definitely licks in that situation.

11.Bluelink functionalities:
Only the owner can register bluelink with his/her vehicle as it verifies you through an OTP(displayed on the ICE) before authorizing it, as opposed to some manufacturers where its been executed from the dealer side which may prone to mishaps. The UI is simple & works well only when you & your vehicle is surrounded by a good network. Each function is valid for 10 minutes, eg: if your vehicle is unlocked using this app, it will be in unlock mode for 10 minutes and then reverts to the original state of being locked. The duration of the Remote Start function can be configured until 10 minutes, and climate settings may be modified according to your preferences. You'll be able to enable/disable the wireless charger, ambient lighting etc., as you could play with 80% of the functions that can be played on an ICE via this app. It records the stats for each trip(Top speed, avg speed, idle time, harsh braking, etc.,) & really convenient to operate. So a thumbs up to this app.





Lets dive into the powertrain section

1.Engine & Gearbox:
This engine is explosive yet linear when it comes to power delivery. It has three drive modes-ECO, NORMAL, and SPORT. Like all turbo engines, it has some lag<1900rpm before the turbo spools up. Eco has more than enough grunt to handle city traffic and highways. The engine has better pickup than the Multijet in ECO mode from standstill. Having climbed up 3 hills in three consecutive days, the ECO mode itself has enough power to buzz around mountains. Yet to unlock the horses napping inside, as I decided to let it out post 5k km. In SPORT mode, only the throttle response is altered, giving the car more motivation to zip around the streets. Drive mode turns NORMAL after every restart. I hear some feeble whine noise from the engine while moving at slow speeds. The similar phenomenon was observed in the TD vehicle. Is that common with TGDi engines? Owners out here, can u confirm the same? The drivability is average at best in city roads as it fails to pass the speed breaker test. It stalls in 2nd gear while passing over a bump as it requires more than 14kph to sustain in its gear ratio. I hate driving it on crawling traffic as frequent shifting affects the clutch disc wear. The transmission is silky smooth with well-defined gates, but can feel it being choppy at times, lets say while shifting R gear. It may take some time to get used with it.

The engine spins 2k at the following speeds:
1st Gear- 18kph @ 2k rpm
2nd Gear- 32kph @ 2k rpm
3rd gear- 50kph @ 2k rpm
4th gear- 70kph @ 2k rpm
5th gear- 84kph @ 2k rpm
6th gear- 95kph/100kph/120kph @ 2k/2.1k/2.5k rpm

2.Steering:
I’ll hang out my opinion on the steering wheel- Although the design doesn't puzzle me while driving, it’s indeed seemed to be a desperate and unsuccessful attempt by Hyundai just in order to compete with the trend. Steering is light at low speeds & builds up adequate heft at higher speeds. The lane keep assist makes it even heavier to maneuver while swapping lanes. Switching ON indicators will turn OFF the LKA function momentarily & takes over followed by detecting the lane markings. Could feel it going out of control while running over rumble strips. I lately noticed my steering is slightly aligned towards right. Can see it going straight only when I tilt towards right. Have to check soon with the ASS.

3.Clutch:
The disappointing thing in the almost perfect car was its clutch. Ofcourse its soft & smooth to operate but the achilles heel was its:
* Diesel-like long pedal travel. This is not something I expected from a Hyundai car. Initially it didn’t bother me but once witnessing it on city traffic, I hate it. It reminds me of my days with Manza.
* I prefer an early bite from the clutch but it expects the pedal to be fully liberated to make a move. I'll get used to it over the course of time, but that upsets and causes the engine to stall abruptly. Stalling the vehicle on the move is the most predicament thing MT owners would face. And I’m facing it now.

4.Ride:
The suspension is tuned for comfort as I see it absorbing the bumps admirably on bad roads. It works silently, but loses its composure while crossing the highway rumble strips. Do all cars face the same? Or is it something I'm making a big deal about? The ride felt very stable on highways(lets say 120kph) coming from the softly tuned Manza but it’s nowhere near to what Germans offer. Overall a good balance of suspension has been achieved for this segment.

5.Handling:
It handles really well as I felt minimal body roll over sharp corners but couldn’t correlate it with the VAG twins. Could feel the additional weight from our Manza, as it tries its best to dampen the body movements over undulations.
Experienced the functioning of ESP for the first time at Chennai-Salem highways. Folks who travel by this road know the plastic like median used to separate the lane for two ways. Got a chance to overtake almost 10-15 vehicles at a stretch then tried to quicky join my lane @100kph, yet the ESP stabilized the vehicle and saved us. Also the 205/55/R16 helps excellent on corners and doesn’t give up easily. Eagerly waiting(as a spectator) for the N-Line to handle & compliment this beautiful engine.

6.Brakes & Tyres:
Brakes are good but it lacks the strong bite I expected. The brake pedals, on few occasions doesn't actuate to its limit. The Goodyears provide adequate grip & works silently for the most part. Did 70kph at some zig zag rural roads and cross barriers, yet it didn’t succumb to the conditions. That’s all I can say in the meanwhile.

7.NVH:
Coming from diesel, its obviously super duper silent on idle as well as on the move. Could feel the refined motor & insulation pads working on the move. Upon deep inspection, I did found some extremely mild vibes on the gearbox & clutch pedals but nevertheless its excellent for this segment.

8.Mileage:
The odo stands at 4431km when I’m typing this thread. Been using XP95 as the primary fuel to promote good combustion inside the engine, so can’t really comment on the difference of refinement I’m getting between the regular & 95 petrol.(Edit: pushed to a situation to fill the regular petrol, so got it filled with BPCL and I found the mild vibes vanishing post filling the regular petrol from BPCL. Now I’m suspecting the quality of XP95 from the IOCL bunk(Near airport) I usually fill) Did an 800km round trip from Chennai to Pillayarpatti, the day after taking delivery and completed it with a full tank, accompanied with 5 litres remaining. With a light foot(< 100kph) on highways, I’m getting around 20kmpl & city drive gives around 12kmpl max. Apparently, after enjoying the days with frugal diesel engines, it makes a considerate dent in our pockets. With Fuelio, there's a correction of around 1kpl on the IC, not a dealbreaker. I usually fill till auto cutoff, so below are the mileage stats as shown by FUELIO. I'd like to ask the people who use the IOCL Xtrarewards membership if it's really useful? How many points are offered for X amount?







1st service experience:
Booked the service appointment over a phone call. Reached at nine o'clock and was the first one to visit, but there were already plenty of cars lined up their yard. Quickly assigned by an advisor who confirmed whether I had an appointment, followed by clicking photos of the vehicle to record the car’s state before leaving at their premises. Asked them to check on the rear speakers and the chassis & silencer coat. SA remarked the rear speakers were used for channeling the subwoofers after affirming the same with other cars. First service was just an inspection of suspension joints, oil, filter, etc., so the final bill came @ 3499 for chassis & silencer coating and got the vehicle back within 3 hours. I received a feedback call to rate my service experience which I have not encountered with TATA anywhere during my 10 year period. The way they behaved was extremely professional, polite & customer centric which shows the standards set by Hyundai as a brand.

Niggles:

• Steering wheel aligned off center
• Engine juddering at low speeds
• Power steering noise at idle(When observed in quiet surroundings)
• Slight squeaky noise from clutch pedal
• Steering being tight at some situations

Things which steered me towards Verna over VAG twins:

• I got the performance I wanted and the comfort my family needed. (So hit two mangoes with one stone)
• Attractive price & safety kit
• Nationwide ASS & reliability
• VFM

Nice touch by Hyundai:

• Good sounding dual tone horn
• Rear seatbelt reminder
• Switchable interface
• Level2 ADAS

[Maxton07]

PHOTODUMPS

Exterior:

Striking Front Profile


Fastback-like side profile


Aggressive rear profile


3/4 profile






At a mall parking(sry for the clarity)




I know you'll see the dent ruining the lovely photo.(Since we had the garland tied infront of the bumper, we switched off the front parking sensors as it kept on beeping. So while taking a right turn on a congested road, hit the protruding bumper on a light pole, Sad. I could have repaired it, but my family asked to leave that as it is for the sake of Drishti)




At Thirupampuram


Pillayarpatti






Evergreen ECR


Valparai










At a random petrol fill






Met the 1st gen while driving the 6th gen Verna


Driveway


Filling the void left by our beloved Manza


Parking lamps on action




Offroading trail in our streets

[Maxton07]

(Continuation)

It looks the best in dual tone form, but nonetheless its sporty. Requires 5 good minutes to clean each alloy


Loving the Satin finish on the chunky door handles. Nice to hold, tbh


Low beam


Low beam with Cornering lamps


Low beam, High beam & Cornering lamps


Low beam vs High beam(Could manage the highways with litup poles)


Loving the wide view provided by the ORVM. Hated this on our Manza. But sadly you cant fold the mirrors above 15kph


No complaints as such for the Goodyears. Its works quietly with adequate grip


Pathetic wipers


ADAS cam & module


Have to be careful when the car is fully loaded. Otherwise it avoids kissing the bumps


Large panel gap where I saw small bugs entering the boot area


All glasses are made by SAINT GOBAIN. Doesn't heat the cabin as I thought it would be


Insulation beneath the fuel tank


Front parking sensors


Despite being a 4 cylinder refined motor, Hyundai gave the bonnet insulation


Neat packaging over the engine bay


Airdam, playing the aerodynamics game


Long and sturdy engine guard


Thick front doors, doesn't look cheap & light


Rear doors


Large disc brakes yet it isn't sufficient for handling the 160horses


Rear suspension, it does enlighten some spirited driving


The mahoosive 528L of boot space

[Maxton07]

Interior:

Driver's POV


Parking sensors, Live cam monitoring, & Drive modes


Steering Wheel, the controls are user-friendly and gives good tactile feel


Top Buttons-Cruise control, MID controls
Bottom Buttons- LKA, To reset trip meter


Top buttons- Media modes, voice command
Bottom Buttons- Favorites, Accepting/Declining the calls


Not so useful, Wireless Charging. But fast charging type-c port is provided. Android auto/Apple carplay can be used only with the USB port


Wide in size but the steering intrudes the air coming from the right vent and center-R vent


Decent air throw, but not as powerful as the front ones. Two fast charging type-c ports


Proves to be worthy on hilly roads


Sliding armrest, convenient during long drives


LED Map lights


Sloping roof and the headrest limits the rear view


Nice to see mirrors for driver's sunshade. But no lights provided


Sporty aluminium ABC pedals


Rear seat POV








Min vs Max legroom




Comfy and ideal cushioning seats


Illuminated power windows


The BOSE


Subwoofer


4 bottle holders in the front(two in each door)


2 bottle holders in the rear(one in each door)


2 Cup holders


Ambient lights, bright enough to be noticeable during daytime


Well designed Doorpads

[Maxton07]

(Continuation)

MULTI INFORMATION DISPLAY:(MID)

Startup IC


Ajar Warnings


MID Modes(Drive Info, Compass/Navigation, TPMS, ADAS)


Driver Info


Drive modes


Navigation prompts displayed only when synced with the inbuilt offline maps


Damn, it even shows the tollgates approaching


Traction&ESP OFF


Lane Keep Assist on action


100kph spins @ 2.1k rpm


Regional language on the MID


TPMS


IN CAR ENTERTAINMENT:(ICE)
Slick to operate but not very intuitive as Hyundai thrown a lot of gizmos in it. However, if you find hard to search a setting, a simple search button has been provided to reach the destination. Disappointed with the Hyundai for not providing the mileage stats on the ICE like every other car in the market.

Startup Screen


Media settings


ADAS Settings




Screen Layout Settings


Display Settings


This is how the display looks when it's turned OFF


Audio Settings, no sound modes to play with




AC Settings can be controlled via ICE


64 Light Ambient colours


Bluelink


Voice Commands


Rear Camera Settings


Switchable Interface


Radio Screen


Quiet Mode optimizes the audio to front speakers alone at minimal sound


Offline Maps, yet to update

[Maxton07]

Displays live cricket score with the offline maps ON


Voice Memo


Switchable Volume & Tune functions


Rear Camera


Apple Carplay


Android Auto

ACCESSORIES:

Floor Mats- Perfect fit, doesn't move here and there. Easily washable


Vacuum Cleaner- Okayish, but not upto the mark


Tyre Inflator- Yet to use


Micro-fiber cloth(Body & Glass)


Puncture Kit

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[yuvmudapa]

Beautiful colour and wonderful in-depth review. Any plans for ppf or ceramic coating?

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by Maxton07

Driveway
Attachment 2456782

Congratulations and all the best Maxton07!

Love the way the car looks, I feel she looks better in person than in pictures. Have a seen a white one on the road which looked super. Very detailed review with pictures

Curious to know why you park your cars with the drivers side door almost flush with the wall (parking space) instead of the other way around. This way it appears as if the driver would have to get off from the passenger side.

Wish you a joyous and long ownership.

Cheers

[amitgupta]

The car looks great Maxton07. My experience with Hyundai/Kia dealerships has been the same, much more professional than Tata, M&M & even Skoda.

Originally Posted by Cyborg

Curious to know why you park your cars with the drivers side door almost flush with the wall (parking space) instead of the other way around. This way it appears as if the driver would have to get off from the passenger side.

I've seen a lot of people do it this way because they have a hard time judging the distance on the other side. So if they have to park with one side flush against the wall (in cramped parking spaces), its easier for them to keep their side flush & then use passenger side for egress/ingress & avoid the risk of scraping passenger side with the wall. When I was new to parking in cramped spaces, I used to do this as well. Then I decided egress/ingress from passenger side was a bigger hassle & I learnt to park with the other side flush against the walls.

Maxton07 might have a different reason. I'd be interested to know his reason too.

[Maxton07]

Originally Posted by yuvmudapa

Beautiful colour and wonderful in-depth review. Any plans for ppf or ceramic coating?

Thanks @yuvmudapa
Having plans to apply partial PPF over the bumpers and doors. Yet to receive quotes from detailing outlets.

Originally Posted by Cyborg

Congratulations and all the best Maxton07!
Curious to know why you park your cars with the drivers side door almost flush with the wall (parking space) instead of the other way around. This way it appears as if the driver would have to get off from the passenger side.

Wish you a joyous and long ownership.

Cheers

Haha
Actually, we have bikes parked behind our driveway. So we need some space for the two wheelers to get out of the garage. Parking the other way around will hinder the path for two wheelers. And being at the age of 21, I'm flexible moving either way and no one will ever try getting the car out, other than me. Quite selfish, but yeah, I'm very possessive about our cars.

Thanks for your wishes

[YashOjha15]

Originally Posted by Maxton07

PHOTODUMPS

Striking Front Profile
Attachment 2456753

This picture of Verna is fabulous. The colour is really unique. Congratulations on your new ride.
Happy Motoring ahead!

[Phantom 510]

Congratulations for your new car!!! I must say you have made a great choice. The fuel economy numbers you have shared are quite remarkable for a 160 bhp petrol car. It will keep quiet many who says turbo petrol aren't frugal (pun intended).

[cityslicker86]

Wonderfully detailed and an amazing review. You have taken a lot of effort on posting this review and it shows. Lovely car. Wishing you many years of happy ownership of this car.