Clearly, Hyundai has come of age. The old Verna has made way for a bolder, assertive and a confident new sibling, showing how Hyundai has set out to create its own distinct identity. The latest Verna is the seventh generation and is built on a completely new platform that took around five years and Rs. 810 crore to develop. The chassis is much stiffer than before and has been optimised for better crashworthiness to meet the increasingly stringent standards in Europe and the U.S. The suspension follows the tried and trusted layout of MacPherson struts in front and a torsion beam axle in the rear. However, the sub-frame has been made more rigid and lighter which will be an advantage on our bad roads. With the new Verna, Hyundai has moved to an electrically powered steering with a column-mounted motor, which is the trend these days.
The new Verna looks impressive from any angle and sports Hyundai's new ‘Fluidic Sculpture' design which in essence is a mix of sharply sculpted and flowing lines. The hexagonal grille is now an obvious Hyundai signature but it's the L-shaped fog-lamps stretching outwards in the bumper that is a brilliant design detail. The hawk-like headlamps and the ‘power bulge' on the hood all add up to make the new Verna look distinctive.
Few cars look great in side profile and the new Verna is one of them. The heavily creased character line which swoops upwards from the front wheel arch into the rear tail-lights, slicing through the door handles along the way, looks simply brilliant. The swooping roofline and sharply raked C-pillar have reduced overall height by 13mm but they give the new Verna a coupé-like profile and a more hunkered-down stance. Also, the flowing shape along with the generous 2570mm wheelbase (70mm more than the older car) makes this Hyundai saloon look longer than it actually is. Move over to the rear and the Verna continues to impress with its chiselled lines and pointy tail-lights which extend far into the flanks. Panel gaps are consistent and there's a quality feel you immediately perceive when you tug on the meaty pull-type door handles.
The interior design isn't as cutting edge as the exterior but the dashboard is nicely sculpted with a subtle indent on the top, which looks nice but isn't very useful. The storage space in the cabin isn't generous. The cubbyholes in the centre console are big enough and the door pockets slim and glovebox not particularly big. The high gloss plastic in the centre console is likely to be replaced with a wood finish for India and features such as parking sensors, a USB port and a Bluetooth system will also be offered.
The front seats are quite comfortable and have ample space to suit tall people. There's fantastic legroom in the rear too. However, like in the previous Verna, the seat is low and this compromises under-thigh support. Also, the high beltline means in the rear, the cabin doesn't feel as airy as in the older car. The corners of the rear seat are rounded off excessively that again leaves you with little thigh support.
Hyundai says the Indian Verna will have a redesigned rear seat and hence we reserve our final judgement until we test the local model (we tested the West Asia spec cars). What's good is the flat floor which makes it easier for the middle passenger to sit and a 465-litre boot is pretty generous.
What comes as a surprise is the wide range of engines for the Verna. The Indian Verna will get two each of petrol and diesel, and the good thing is that none of these engines are carried over from the previous Verna. Instead, Hyundai has plonked its latest Gamma petrol and U2 diesel motors under the hood.
The pair of petrol and diesels come with 1.4 and 1.6-litre capacities with different power outputs. The 1.4 90bhp diesel is the same unit as in the i20 and hence the heavier Verna won't be as quick as the hatch. But this base diesel motor is economical, refined and will do the job for everyday driving once you learn to work around its considerable turbo-lag. However, it's the 1.6 diesel which pumps out 126bhp and 26.5kgm of torque that promises to be the cracker.
Hyundai's new-generation Gamma petrol twin-cam, 16-valve motor comes with continuously variable valve timing and, as a result, power and torque outputs are pretty healthy. The 1.4 delivers 106.5bhp, which is very impressive for a small capacity motor, while the 1.6 Gamma dishes out 122bhp to make it the most powerful engine in its class. Engine response at low revs is pretty good. The mid-range is adequate but at high revs, this motor struggles quite a bit.
The steering is quite light but still had pretty good feel around the centre position but it doesn't weigh up consistently and at times feels disconnected from the road like many EPS units. However, that won't bother owners who look for an effortless steering feel and light controls for an easy commute. Hyundai has made quite a leap with its new Verna. It blends practicality, quality and value in a package that is way more upmarket than its older sibling.
