Upgraded from a heavily modified S-Cross 1.6, which was putting out 200 BHP.
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It has been more than a year since I bought Verna 1.5 TGDi MT. I have driven close to 20k km.
Likes
- Engine: Good low-end, super refined, linear power delivery, and absolutely love it on full-throttle
- Transmission: 6MT is nice with slick shifts and a light clutch. You can rev close to 100 km/h in 2nd gear and also there is no issue doing 60 km/h in 6th gear
- Suspension: Not too stiff nor too soft, Hyundai has got it right
- Space, comfort, and features: Best in the segment
- Looks: I like the futuristic design
Dislikes
- Fuel economy: Drive the car aggressively, single-digit FE is guaranteed
- Stock brakes: Adequate, wish it had better bite and pedal feel
- Headlights: The low beam is ok, but the high beam is below average
- Instrument cluster: Not a fan of the digital speedometer and tachometer layout in Verna.
- The story behind the addition of Verna in my garage
I had driven 1.08 lakh km in S-Cross 1.6. It had tons of modifications and was pretty reliable too. But, change is the way of life..7.5 years with Dr. S-cross and I needed a change. I love sedans for driving pleasure and comfort. The car should be at least close to the performance of 200+ HP stage 3 S-Cross. MT vs AT was a major confusion. I finally decided to go with MT for my primary car which would be used for highway drives, just like the S-Cross.
My budget was 20 lakhs and only 3 cars were considered which is pretty obvious.
Virtus vs Slavia vs Verna.
Verna was the clear winner based on paper calculation as it was a superb VFM deal. We should compare the SX variant of Verna with the top model of Virtus and Slavia as Verna SX(O) is equipped with ADAS which is missing in the German siblings. The Verna SX variant was cheaper by more than 2.5 lakhs on-road. All the cars had similar power and torque figures. Not to forget, the service experience and spare parts availability would be obviously better for Hyundai. Honestly, I liked the clean looks of Virtus over Verna. However, I was not ready to pay 2.5 lakhs more just for the looks. I would have bought Virtus if it was substantially better than Verna in terms of driving experience. TD of all the cars sealed the decision to go with Verna.
Performance: Verna is the clear winner. Low-end torque was much better. The engine is also more refined. I liked the linear and strong power delivery.
Dynamics: I found Verna better on corners. However, the steering feel and feedback were better in VW siblings which made it more involving to drive. Verna could do better speeds on twisty roads and body roll was better controlled.
Comfort, Space, and Features: Ride quality was the best in Verna. High-speed rides were better in Germany. Space was similar in all 3 cars, but Verna did have a minor advantage. AC performance in Verna was too good compared to just average cooling in Virtus and Slavia.
I booked the Verna 1.5 SX TDGi MT. The colour choice was black. The car delivery was promised within a month. The dealer called me after a week asking if I would be interested in starry night colour and sent a few pics. It looked black in colour to my eyes. I wanted to check the starry night colour in person. The dealer arranged a visit to their stockyard. I saw a couple of Hyundai cars in Starry Night and just loved it. This shade is unique, it has dual character. It’s black under the shade and dark blue under the sun. I changed the booking to Starry Night. The dealer was Kanchana Hyundai, Mangalore. Delivery was scheduled within 2 weeks.
I got the call from the dealer after 2 weeks that the car had reached the showroom. I immediately drove to check the car.
The car looked lovely in the starry night colour. No issues were noticed in PDI. I made the payment and completed all documentation. I asked the dealer to get the car temporarily registered in Karnataka and I would register it later in Kerala. The dealer took 2 days to get the temporary registration.
Delivery day
I went to the showroom for car delivery. The delivery experience was good. Dealer staff explained and gave a demo of various features and assisted in setting up the Hyundai Bluelink.
Price break-up
- Ex-showroom price: 14,83,500
- Insurance (with all the add-ons available): 63,000
- Road tax (Kerala): 2,23,000
- Temporary registration, number plate: 2,662
- Extended warranty: 8,501
- Accessories: 6,500
- Fastag: 500
- TDS: 14,835
On-road price: Rs 18,02,498
I enjoyed the 40 km drive back to my house. It’s very addictive and fun to drive. FE was 10 km/l for the first short trip in my Verna.
I went to Kasaragod RTO with all the necessary forms given by the dealer. I submitted the same and got a link to pay the road tax. After paying the road tax, I was told to come the next day with the car for inspection. The inspection process was smooth. The inspector just checked the forms, ID card, engine and chassis number. I decided to run the car with a temporary number plate till I get the RC and install HSRP from the dealer.
Tyres and wheels upgrade
I was not a fan of OE black alloys. It doesn’t really stand out. I wanted to upsize the tyres too for better handling and braking. I decided to go with 225/45 R17 tyres. Yokohama Bluearth GT was finalised. I was confused between OZ Envy and Lenso Conquista. Car Decor, Mangalore gave me the best deal considering the superb buyback price for OE tyres and wheels.
Yes, I opted for Lenso Conquista finally. These wheels and the wider tyres really transformed the looks of Verna.
- Yokohama Bluearth GT 225/45 R17 tyres: 44,000
- Lenso Conquest wheels: 62,000
- Wheel balancing, wheel nuts, tyre valves, and spanner: 4,000
- Buyback of OE tyres and wheels: 45,000
Total: Rs 65,000
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