New Creta IVT / diesel AT or new Verna DCT: Which car makes more sense

My daily run is 50 km and I would do a couple of long trips in a year. Also, I will keep the vehicle for a longer duration; say over 10 years.

BHPian satish.gawai recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

A lot of confusion between Creta and Verna

I shortlisted Verna over Slavia, Virtus, and City. Took my wife to Garve Hyundai, Wakad last Saturday to show her my choice. We saw the car in & out and took a good 8-10 Km test drive both on the highway and city.

The test drive vehicle was a 1.5L turbo DCT. Below are a few of my observations.

• Verna feels solid, door thud gives confidence
• The cabin feels modern and nice. The red tubing on the 1.5 turbo is appealing.
• Fit and finish are good Hyundai standards
• All required features in this price band are given except for wireless charging and a 360-degree camera. One of my contacts in Hyundai has confirmed that a 360-degree camera will be introduced in Verna during the facelift in 2026.
• On the rear seat, the space is superb. Very nice under-thigh support.
• The car feels sturdy and planted on the road. I took it till 120KMPH and it doesn't feel like that speed inside.
• ADAS features are awesome and work flawlessly.

I asked SA to get the car again for the longer test drive. if required, I am ready to fill the petrol and he agreed without the hassle of me filling the fuel.

We left the showroom thinking of booking it in a couple of days.

Next day

On Sunday, I took my father & brother to show them what I am booking. After checking the Verna, they feel a little uncomfortable because of the low seating.

Then they sit inside the new Creta and feel more comfortable and airy compared to Verna. Plus the panoramic sunroof and high seating make them feel even more pleasure.

Dad immediately asked me to consider this one. Now the problem is Creta is ~3 Lacs above Verna.

Prices quoted

• Verna 1.5 turbo DCT (SXO) - 2108000 OTR
• Creta 1.5 MPi IVT(SXO) - 2276000 OTR
• Creta 1.5 turbo DCT (SXO) - 2424000 OTR
• Creta 1.5 CRDi AT(SXO) - 2474000 OTR

As per SA, there will be a further discount on Verna but not a single rupee discount on Creta.

I have a budget of 20 Lac + 2-3 Lac and I am still on the edge of Verna. I finally convinced the family for Verna and for the sake of a better deal was looking at some other showrooms.

Meanwhile, I came across this thread on Team-BHP for Hyundai DCT vs CVT. As per this thread and many other YouTube videos, I realized that DCT is not for the Indian conditions and many BHPians have suggested the IVT (CVT).

Now the dilemma before me is, if I go for Verna IVT, I will miss many of the good features which are there in DCT (why Hyundai why) which I do not want to compromise on. On the other hand, if I opt for Creta IVT (1.5 MPi IVT SX(O)), it will cost me 22.76 Lacs. Moreover, Creta IVT comes with all the top-end features same as DCT.

Need suggestions on a few points from the owners and the DCT experts.

I like sedans but I am OK with SUVs also. Verna looks very sexy to me from certain angles. The front is okay-ish though.

What is your opinion on the DCT? Although it is very clear from the DCT vs CVT thread, do you guys find an improvement in Verna's DCT, especially in bumper-to-bumper traffic? Owners, please comment.

If I go for the IVT (Verna or Creta), it is mated with the NA engines. How much I am going to miss on the fun-to-drive part and performance with a full load?

What is your take on Creta IVT overall? It comes with all the features but has not been tested by GNCAP yet. When I checked with SA, he said the body shell is updated and very soon it will be tested for BNCAP. He also showed the bonnet weights of old and new Creta for confidence.

Does it make sense to go for New Creta (IVT or diesel AT) over New Verna (DCT)? Almost 4.5 Lac extra for diesel AT. I know it is not an apple-to-apple comparison but want to know your views.

My daily run is 50 km and a couple of long trips a year. Also, I will keep the car for a longer duration; say above 10 years.

Here's what BHPian Ruchir031 had to say about the matter:

As far as I am aware the top model Verna SX(O) IVT misses out on rear discs, electronic parking and auto-hold rest everything is the same among both IVT and DCT so if this is something you can't compromise on the IVT is ruled out instantly.

To talk about DCT vs IVT, while I was purchasing my Verna my first preference was DCT cause of the fun and extra horses it offers but that didn't last long, I have friends who have DCTs of both the new Verna and pre-facelift Creta that has caused them nothing but issues, I could have considered them unlucky cause it can happen when you sell something in thousands but the forum itself has many such instances so it wasn't worth the risk. I am someone who keeps my car for a long time and has no time to visit the service centres ever so frequently so I knocked off the DCT. I'd rather have peace of mind than some fun with extra horses.

IVT was the only option I had been left with (had there been a diesel I would have opted for it eyes closed) and I went ahead with it and honestly the IVT is not a slouch. it's a well-refined engine, and has plenty of power on tap. Yes, it lacks the punch but it is sufficient for those overtakes and taking it in sports mode with paddle shifters won't leave you disappointed.

I have taken the car to hills and highways with 140+ speeds with a full load and it never felt out of breath at any point.

Creta vs Verna is entirely up to you, I am not a fan of compact SUVs so my heart will always choose Sedans.

Considering your daily run maybe you should consider the Creta diesel, it's a superb engine and since you already plan to keep the car for over 10 years it will be better to invest a few extra lakhs for peace of mind.

If it's the IVT you want to stick to, I'd go with Verna any day. It's a much better value-for-money product, has a plush interior, and is futuristic looking and the comfort of a sedan will any day be better than that of a compact SUV.

Here's what BHPian MyLife_MyCar had to say about the matter:

A correction here - Verna offers wireless charging right from the SX variant. What SX(O) doesn't offer is a wireless AA/Carplay, if that's what you wanted to point out.

Maybe two years ago that was the case. Though I am not an expert here, I feel Hyundai transmissions have come a long way, especially with the new engine. It's almost a year since 2023 Verna launched and I haven't heard a single issue related to Verna's DCT.

Of course, IVT is an equally competent engine, but it misses out on some features and the "fun" part.

Yes, one needs to be careful here and avoid driving on half-brakes (i.e., brake pedal partially depressed). Develop a habit of waiting for a gap to be created in front of you so that the car can crawl with brakes fully released (even if it lasts 1-2 seconds). Do not mind if some bikers or autos fill up that gap. Your machine is worth more than saving a few seconds in such traffic.

Always use auto-hold. I tend to believe that auto-hold disengages the clutch even if the car is in D mode. Otherwise, there is always an option to shift to N. Your left hand anyway won't be doing much in an automatic car.

Aged folks will mostly prefer a higher seating position. You have to decide here - how frequently will you travel with your parents? If it's going to be quite often, then Verna may not be a good choice. Also, check with your wife if she is really comfortable with lower seating for long drives (this is coming from a personal experience).

If you already have a car with a higher seating position, then Verna would be a no-brainer.

At the end decision is yours - a classic head vs heart situation.

Here's what BHPian fhdowntheline had to say about the matter:

Well, I am an ex-owner of Creta diesel 1.5 AT and presently driving the Verna 1.5 DCT. Here is my perspective.

• My mother actually started having issues stepping into the Creta with the high ground clearance, so think about that from the future standpoint.
• The 1.5 DCT beats the diesel 1.5 AT in terms of performance, no two ways about it. 160 vs 115 PS is a real thing, as is the quickshifting DCT vs 6 AT. In Sport mode, the Verna goes near ballistic, especially past 50 kph.
• As you said the car does feel quite stable at the speed limits presently allowed on our roads. Cornering is also quite predictable. Braking is also on point with all disc brakes.
• The car feels spacious enough for 4 adults and a pre-teen child. This is the same as Creta, although the availability of vertical space in the SUV lends a more airy feeling.
• Boot space is substantially better in the Verna. Creta's boot space is inefficient because a lot of space is available in the underfloor- spare tyre section.
• Both cars to me, feel equally well built but Verna has managed to score a 5-star rating which is an advantage. It actually has marginally better side protection than the Virtus.

Overall, if you keep certain precautions like the shift to N and/ or auto hold to disengage the clutch, you should be fine. The car is primarily meant for long-distance usage, that's where it would really earn its worth. I have owned CVT-based cars before like the City, and I can say for sure that it is not a patch on the DCT, performance-wise. It is a happy compromise for greater perceived reliability, but a compromise at the end of the day for just a couple of odd lacs.

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