Hyundai Verna Diesel Long Term Review
Car Tested: Hyundai Verna 1.6 CRDI MT
Kms Done: 16,950 kms
Test Started at: 4695 kms
Test Concluded at: 21,645 kms
Mileage: 13.55 km/l, 16.3 km/l (best), 10.8 km/l (worst)
Fuel Consumed: 1250.92-litres
Total Fuel Cost: Rs. 86,313/-
Fuel Cost Per Km: Rs. 5.09/-
The Hyundai Verna’s feature-loaded cabin and effortless daily driving abilities make it one of the easiest cars to live with
The Hyundai Verna diesel had been a part of the MotorBeam long term fleet since a while now. Our test car was the 1.6 diesel manual and I decided to use it as my daily runner. I wasn’t too unfamiliar with the Verna because I had driven it multiple times, first at the media drive in 2017 and then countless times on multiple shoots. Always liked the Verna for its comfort, nice features and the punchy diesel mill so I was more than happy to keep the car with me.
The punchy performance from the Verna’s diesel engine is very addictive
My commute to and fro work is around 80 kms and I drive through different kinds of roads on my route. The commute which takes 50 minutes in the morning takes 90 mins in the evening. The Verna’s 1.6-litre CRDI unit never fails to amaze me, I always let it loose whenever I find a nice empty patch of tarmac. Turbo lag is present but it isn’t very bothersome and the mid-range is just too tempting. The strong wave of torque which hits the car starting from around 1500 RPM is just fab.
Hyundai has done a great job with the NVH levels of the diesel Verna
The Hyundai Verna gets a 6-speed MT which is effortless to use with its smooth shifts and the light clutch. I was a wee bit disheartened with the fuel efficiency though. On my regular commute, the Verna delivered around 12.5-13.5 km/l and I was expecting the figures to be slightly higher. However, what impressed me was the engine refinement. The engine is quite silent for a diesel unit with very less noise being heard in the cabin, but our test car seemed to a vibrate a bit at idle.
Strong brakes and great high speed stability are strengths of the Verna
Features such as ventilated seats, a light clutch and good ride quality make the Verna the ideal choice for commuting
The sedan has a pliant suspension that soaks up potholes well while handling is a drastic improvement over the older Verna. It is still not a driver’s car but it does feel so much more confident at high speeds on the highways. There was an incident where I had to brake really hard on the NH8 once when a dog ran across the road and thankfully the Verna stopped without much drama. Our car had done close to 21,000 kms at that time and since it is a media car which has been driven hard by various journos, the tyres were probably on their last legs and hence the grip felt a bit lacking in certain scenarios.
The Verna’s feature-loaded cabin gives it an edge over its competition
My favourite feature in the Verna has to be the ventilated seats. The ventilation function is effective and really helps in our hot climate. The AC also performs quite nicely, but on a couple of occasions when the car was parked in direct sunlight for a lot of hours, the aircon took a few minutes to cool down the cabin. I usually tilt open the sunroof in such scenarios and this helps too. The Arkamys audio system churns decent sound quality while the head unit itself is crisp to use and offered seamless connectivity with my iPhone.
Hyundai’s strong service network instills confidence in customers
During the entire duration that I had the car with me, I never really got a chance to sit at the rear. I liked the build quality inside the cabin. The components had been ageing well and there were barely any rattles despite the car being used roughly. Now I know why the Verna is one of the highest selling cars in its segment, people love the light steering, the long equipment list and the refinement on offer. Back that with Hyundai’s strong service network across India, you have a winner on your hands. The Verna facelift has been launched in China, and it will make it to India in 2020 as well providing some tough competition to its rivals.
The facelifted Hyundai Verna will be launched in India next year
What’s Cool
* Premium and modern design
* Feature-loaded cabin with good build quality
* Refined diesel engine with smooth gearbox
* Easy to drive
What’s Not So Cool
* Certain vibrations started to creep in
* Fuel economy could have been better
* Rear seat space
No compact SUV can offer the poise and stability of a sedan
Further Reading –
Hyundai Verna Diesel Long Term Review – First Report
2018 Hyundai Verna Review
2018 Hyundai Verna Video Review
Hyundai Verna Pros & Cons [Video]
Hyundai Verna vs Honda City vs Toyota Yaris
Hyundai Verna vs Honda City vs Toyota Yaris – Video