The Verna Reborn

The Verna was once the hot choice mid size sedan of Indians. It beat even stars such as Honda City. But, slowly, its popularity diminished and it virtually vanished from Indian markets. Hyundai is bringing it back, but in a market awash with SUVs, how much a new sedan will shine is anybody’s guess.

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By Autocrat

The 2023 all-new Hyundai Verna made its India debut on March 21 with the South Korean automaker launching the much-awaited new version of the original hit car. The mid-size sedan from the house of India’s second largest carmaker will get a major overhaul, more prominently on the design front.

The fourth-gen Verna now comes with a radically different and modern design language, inside out, that has created a lot of buzz in the market. The Verna competes in the C-segment sedan market with cars like the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, Honda City, Volkswagen Virtus, and Skoda Slavia.

The new Verna is the latest in a long line of mid-sized sedans from Hyundai. It’s got the usual ingredients – an attractive design and a lengthy feature list – but this Verna also addresses many of its predecessors’ age-old weaknesses, like their wayward handling. On offer are six engine-gearbox options, meaning there’s a Verna for every budget.

It is confirmed that the new Hyundai Verna will be sold as a petrol-only car, like all of its direct competitors, including Honda City, Volkswagen Virtus, Skoda Slavia and Maruti Suzuki Ciaz. The engine options to be offered in the new Verna include a 1.5-litre 115 PS four-cylinder naturally-aspirated petrol engine from the outgoing model. This engine will be offered with both 6-speed manual and CVT gearbox options. There will also be a new 1.5-litre 160 PS four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine shared with the Alcazar, which will be offered with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

The all-new Hyundai Verna is expected to enthral with superior performance and deliver a thrilling driving experience like never before. It will be available in 4 trim options and has been packaged to deliver advanced safety, convenience and comfort.

The car has been designed to exude a premium and luxurious appeal. It offers superior legroom and knee room with a focus on enhanced space for 2nd row seat passengers, creating lounge-like comfort.

Designed to epitomize the future of smart mobility solutions, the car now features first in segment Horizon LED positioning Lamps & DRLs that run across the width of the sedan, making a bold and ultramodern statement. Further, the Parametric Connected LED tail lamps add a dazzling touch to the innovative rear design of the all-new Hyundai VERNA exuding a hi-tech and premium sensation.

With this segment’s best in class acoustic experience – Bose Premium Sound 8 Speaker system, the all-new Hyundai VERNA will ensure each drive is as enriching as the next. The seamlessly integrated 26.03 cm (10.25″) HD Audio video navigation system & Digital cluster with color TFT MID of the all-new Hyundai VERNA ensure an immersive in-cabin experience, while also enhancing the hi-tech and modern allure of this sedan.

The Verna now features switchable type infotainment & climate controller. The interface delivers a seamless and modern experience while controlling functions for air-conditioning and infotainment.

New Verna vs old Verna

Hyundai launched the new and updated Verna .This is a comprehensive update for the current-generation model which won the coveted Indian Car of the Year Award in 2018. Similar to the Elantra, the new Verna not only gets an extensively redesigned exterior, it also comes with additional equipment on the inside and newer powertrain options.

So let us take a detailed look at what has changed in the new Verna compared to the outgoing model and whether it is still worth your money over its C-segment competition.

Hyundai has thoroughly updated the Verna to an extent that it looks like an all-new generation rather than just a facelift. Following the new global design philosophy, the cascading front grille is wider than before and finished in meshed design instead of horizontal louvres like before. Even the redesigned headlamps now get newer LED lighting signature. Meanwhile, the foglamp housing gets triangular creases around it. Rounding off the fascia is the contrasting silver-finished lip-spoiler.

In profile, there are new 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels. Apart from that, all the creases and silhouette remain unchanged over the outgoing model. Moving to the back, the wraparound taillamps get newer LED internals and the rear bumper gets newer diffusers with chrome inserts. For the Turbo variants, the sedan gets twin exhaust tips and glossy black inserts all around. Overall, the new Verna looks much more modern and stylish than before.

The Hyundai Verna facelift not only looks utterly new and modern, but it also packs in many features on the inside which makes it much more desirable than the outgoing model. Combine it with a plethora of trim levels, many segment-first offerings and new turbo-petrol motor, and it now makes for an aspirational quotient as well.

Features:
Launch: The sixth-generation Verna will launch on March 21, 2023.

Price: The 2023 Verna is expected to be priced from Rs 11 lakh (ex-showroom) onwards.

Variants

The new Verna is being offered in four trims – EX, S, SX and SX(O). The four trims are further divided into 14 variants on the basis of trim, powertrain and colour combination.

Engine and Transmission: Hyundai will offer its new-gen compact sedan with two engine options: a new 1.5-litre turbocharged engine (160PS/253Nm) mated to a six-speed manual or a seven-speed DCT, and a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated unit (115PS/144Nm) paired with either a six-speed manual or a CVT gearbox. The sedan will not be available with a diesel engine.

Features: The 2023 Verna will be equipped with a dual 10.25-inch integrated screen setup (touchscreen infotainment system and digitised driver’s display). It will also have an eight-speaker Bose sound system, switchable controls for infotainment and AC, multi-colour ambient lighting, and ventilated and heated front seats.

Safety: The standard safety kit of the new-gen Verna will consist of six airbags, ISOFIX child seat anchorages and ABS with EBD. Its higher variants will also get electronic stability control (ESC), front parking sensors, all disc brakes, and a tyre pressure monitoring system. The compact sedan will be equipped with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) such as forward collision warning, blind spot alert, lane keep assist, lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control.

Rivals: The new Verna will continue to rival the Honda City, Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, Skoda Slavia, and Volkswagen Virtus.

 Engine
The new Hyundai Verna will be offered in two petrol engine choices – 1.5-litre petrol and 1.5-litre turbo-petrol. The former develops 115 PS and 140 Nm, and it is available with either a 6-speed MT or a CVT. The new turbo-petrol unit will push out 160 PS and 253 Nm, and it will be offered with either a 6-speed MT or a 7-speed DCT.

Exterior and interior features

Alloy wheels, LED headlights, LED taillamps, DRLs, auto wipers and headlamps, and more. Inside, again,will get touchscreen infotainment systems, navigation, wireless smartphone connectivity, ventilated seats, wireless charging, and much more.

Like the exterior, Hyundai has completely transformed the cabin of the new Verna. The interior now features a dual-screen for the driver’s cockpit, much like in the Mahindra XUV700. The wide cockpit houses two 10.25-inch full-HD screens. The screen behind the steering wheel displays a fully-digital instrument console, the fonts and layouts of which look inspired by that of the Kia Carens. The screen placed to its left is a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.


 Dynamic Performance

The all-new Hyundai VERNA comes with a new, sporty and thrilling 1.5 l Turbo GDi Petrol engine that is available with 6-speed Manual Transmission (6MT) and 7-speed Dual Clutch Transmission (7DCT). These powertrains are geared to churn out maximum power and torque performance.
It will also be available with a 1.5 l MPi Petrol engine that comes with 6-speed Manual Transmission (6MT) and Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT).

 Design

The highlight of the new Hyundai Verna is a new design language, that takes inspiration from the Elantra, as the sedan gets a full LED light bar on the nose, which separates the bonnet and bumper. Around the sides, the silhouette of the new-gen Verna looks appealing in the design sketches revealed and gets larger dual-tone alloy wheels. At the rear, it gets connected tail lights and a sharp design.

Cabin

The Hyundai Verna gets a modern Mercedes-Benz inspired dual-display on the dashboard, with a single glass pane housing two 10.25-inch touchscreen. There’s a two-spoke steering wheel, neatly-integrated AC vents and a high-set centre console. Feature wise, it gets BlueLink connected car system, wireless phone charger, automatic climate control, 8-speaker Bose sound system, ambient lighting, electric sunroof, and most likely Level-2 ADAS tech.


Dimensions

The Hyundai Verna in its new-gen avatar will be 4,535 mm long and will be the widest car in its segment at 1,765 mm, and with a height of 1,475 mm, it will be the lowest. The wheelbase at 2,670 mm is the best in the class, like the 528-litre trunk volume.

Mileage

Hyundai Verna is available in India as Petrol and Diesel model. The claimed ARAI mileage of Verna Petrol Automatic is 19.2 kmpl and Verna Diesel Manual is 25 kmpl.

Fuel TypeTransmissionMileage
PetrolManual17.7 kmpl
DieselManual25 kmpl
PetrolAutomatic19.2 kmpl
DieselAutomatic21.3 kmpl

Specifications

ARAI Mileage25 Kmpl
Fuel TypeDiesel
Max Power (bhp @ rpm)120 PS @ 6000 rpm
Seating Capacity5
Transmission TypeManual
Fuel Tank Capacity45 Litres
Engine Displacement1493 cc
Max Torque (nm@rpm)250 Nm @ 1500-2750 rpm
COMPARISON Hyundai Verna (new) & Hyundai Verna (old)
Petrol engineHyundai Verna (new)Hyundai Verna (old)
Engine type1.5-litre MPI/1.0-litre Kappa T-GDi1.4-litre VTVT/1.6-litre Gamma VTVT
Displacement1,497 cc/998 cc1,368 cc/1,591 cc
No. of cylinders4/34/4
Power115 PS @ 6,300 rpm/120 PS @ 6,000 rpm99 PS @ 6,000 rpm/123 PS @ 6,400 rpm
Torque144 Nm @ 4,500 rpm/172 Nm @ 1,500-4,000 rpm132 Nm @ 4,000 rpm/151 Nm @ 4,850 rpm
Transmission6-speed manual or CVT/7-speed DCT5-speed manual/6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic
Drivetrain LayoutFWDFWD
Diesel engineHyundai Verna (new)Hyundai Verna (old)
Engine type 1.5-litre U2 CRDi1.4-litre CRDI/1.6-litre U2 CRDi
Displacement1,493 cc1,396 cc/1,582 cc
No. of cylinders44/4
Power115 PS @ 4,000 rpm90 PS @ 6,000 rpm/128 PS @ 4,000 rpm
Torque250 Nm @ 1,500-2,750 rpm220 Nm @ 1,500rpm/260 Nm @ 1,500-3,000 rpm
Drivetrain LayoutFWDFWD