I have mentioned it a lot already, but IMHO, this is still the best-looking C-segment sedan to this day. The Virtus is a close second.
BHPian V0id2003 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:
90000 KMs & 6.5 Years up with my Verna
Hi TeamBHPians, this is my first ownership thread/review on TeamBHP and I wanted to start with the car that is really close to my heart, my beloved Verna 1.6 CRDi AT.
Background
It was the start of 2018. We had replaced my mother’s i10 1.2 AT with a Duster in Petrol CVT avatar, so we had two Dusters in our garage, the other one being my dad’s 110 PS Manual. A month later, my dad was experiencing leg issues due to the Duster’s heavy clutch and we decided to get rid of the manual Duster and get an automatic. We scouted many options – Honda City CVT, Tata Hexa, Toyota Yaris, Jeep Compass and so on.
We then visited a Hyundai showroom to check out the sales chart-topper Creta. However, as soon as we entered, we saw this beauty, the next-gen Verna. I immediately fell in love with its coupe-like looks; it had all the right proportions and looked really desirable.
One test drive of the Diesel AT and I absolutely loved the acceleration. It had segment-topping numbers – 128 BHP, 260 Nm, 9.15s 0-100. Couple this with the looks, it had stolen my heart. No car felt as exciting as this Verna. My parents were also convinced, as we used to have the 1st-gen Verna Diesel Manual back in 2009. It was also a rocket with its 110 BHP VGT Diesel. With full faith in Hyundai, we went for a second Verna yet again (God, we love repeating cars: Duster->Duster & now Verna->Verna ). I was only 15 when we bought the Verna.
Creating Memories
The first time I drove was on closed private roads with my dad to learn driving and get a feel for it. A lot of memories and a lot of firsts for me in this car. My driving skills were refined with its steering wheel in my hands and my foot on the pulse of the 1.6 CRDi.
Time went on; I grew up and started college in Karnataka. Kids of my generation love to party around, drink and smoke. However, I was never into this culture and felt left out most of the time as I never indulged in such stuff. I was always into cars since my childhood and motorsports. I became an Alonso fanboy in my 4th grade and I still am one. Time away from home for me was like:
1) Missing my parents
2) Missing home-cooked meals
3) Missing driving this – my 1.6D Verna.
I used to dream at night of its steering wheel in my hand and the torque rush of the CRDi.
There is some excitement, a tingling feeling of sorts, only when I get to drive this car after a long time. I don’t feel this sort of rush with any other car. There is this instant smile on my face when I go for a drive in this car. I do enjoy driving other cars like our facelifted Harrier (20k KMs & 1-year ownership review coming soon) as well, but that same emotional connect isn’t there like with the Verna. It feels special to drive & a quick drive is good enough for me to clear out negetive thoughts or contemplate deep life stuff
Photos
A few photos I took this December as I am back home from Bangalore, enjoying it as much as I can before I leave again in January. I will again miss it for months till I can get back into the driver’s seat.
The pretty DRL of the Verna
The car I always turn around and look back at after parking
The gorgeous coupe-like rear
Pretty tail lights as well
Practical Ownership Review
Moving onto practical stuff, leaving my emotional bias for the Verna aside:
Pros
1) The engine – The 1.6 CRDi is as exciting to drive as it was back in the day. It can still keep up with modern turbo petrols that have taken over the segment. It used to be one of the only few cars able to do a sub-10s 0-100 (9.15s). The 1.5 TSI & the 1.5 TGDi have overtaken it, but I still feel it is a hoot to drive.
2) The looks – I have mentioned it a lot already, but IMHO, this is still the best-looking C-segment sedan to this day. The Virtus is a close second; however, I am not a fan of its raised GC.
3) The efficiency – I can manage 12-14 kmpl in the city and 23-24 kmpl on the highway (though it hasn’t seen highway usage since we got the Harrier). These are good numbers for a fast automatic sedan.
4) The sound system – The Arkamys sound system still sounds really good and is comparable to modern music systems. I feel it sounds better than my facelifted Harrier. The bass is tight and the vocals are clear.
5) The build/quality – The interior is a decent place to be in, not flashy but well laid out with good ergonomics and feels robust/built to last. Being on the international-grade K2 platform rather than the scaled-down Indian K2 gives it a solid feel.
Cons
1) Rear seating space – It’s atrociously bad compared to segment standards. The coupe-like roofline reduces headroom significantly. At 6’2″, it’s a stark contrast compared to the Ciaz/City in terms of rear seating space.
2) The lack of steering feel – The chassis feels capable and solid; however, the steering leaves a lot to be desired. It feels lifeless and not as engaging as something like the Virtus/Vento.
3) The brakes– The brakes feel decent enough at best. The front disc setup is a disappointment and not a great match for the engine.
Moving onto the Future
This being a diesel, NCR’s NGT rules hang like a guillotine over its head. It’s getting close to 7 years old now and there will come a time when we’ll have to sell it off soon. If the situation permitted, I would’ve kept this car forever. My emotional attachment to it is that strong, but alas, that can never happen. My plan is to get a complete exterior fix-up, a Stage 1 tune from GTTunerz (160 BHP, 320 Nm) and an overhauled braking setup in the future when time permits. I will enjoy and make more memories with this car. It will always be my favorite, forever.
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