The Hyundai Verna facelift has to again go up against the Honda City (segment leader), the Maruti Ciaz (the second best seller in the segment), the VW Vento, Skoda Rapid and Nissan Sunny.
Since the dimensions of the Verna facelift remain relatively unchanged (the length has increased by 5 mm thanks to the new bumpers), the pecking order in this segment with respect to the longest length and wheelbase remains unchanged: The Ciaz is the longest in overall length and wheelbase, with the City and Sunny trailing behind with a 2,600 mm wheelbase.
In terms of width, the Fiesta (available only with a diesel engine) is the widest followed by the Ciaz and Verna. The Ciaz and City offer a 510 liter boot, the Sunny gets a 490 liter boot, the Verna facelift a 465 liter boot, and the Vento and Rapid sport 460 liters of boot capacity.
Hyundai Verna Diesel vs Rivals -
Hyundai is the only manufacturer in this segment to offer two engine options. The 1.4L diesel Verna facelift makes 90 PS, comparable to the Fiesta, Ciaz and Sunny, whereas the 1.6L diesel Verna facelift makes a class leading 128 PS and 265 Nm of torque.
While the rest of the cars have a power-weight ratio between 78-86 PS/tonne, the 1.6L diesel Verna makes 108.65 PS/tonne. The Verna and City are the only cars in this segment to feature a 6-speed manual transmission. The Vento and Rapid are optionally available with a 7-speed DSG, whereas the Verna 1.6L diesel gets an optional 4-speed torque converter.
Coming to fuel efficiency, the Ciaz and the City post figures in the 26 km/l range, with the Fiesta closely following at 25.01 km/l.
Speaking about prices, HMIL has gone for premium pricing with even the base 1.4-liter Verna costing above the competition, and INR 8,000 cheaper than the VW Vento. The top-end Verna diesel AT is the most expensive mid-size sedan you can buy in India.
Hyundai Verna Petrol vs Rivals -
Again, Hyundai offers the Verna facelift with a 1.4- and 1.6-liter engine to target the entry-level buyers and those who wouldn't mind spending for the higher performance of the 1.6-liter unit. On paper, the Verna 1.6 petrol makes a class-leading power figure. In the power-weight ratio department though, it is outclassed by the Honda City. Save for the Verna 1.6 petrol and the City, the rest of the cars put up a power-weight ratio figure in the region of 90-92 PS/tonne.
All cars here are available with an automatic transmission as an option. The Verna facelift and Ciaz get a 4-speed AT, the City and Sunny come with a CVT, the Rapid features a 6-speed AT while the Vento TSI gets a modern 7-speed DSG.
The Ciaz is once again the benchmark for fuel efficiency, followed by the City and Verna. The Rapid has the lowest efficiency figure.
Coming to prices, the story repeats here with even the base 1.4-liter Verna costing more than the competition, and INR 3,000 cheaper than the Vento. However, the top-end Verna is priced about INR 15,000 cheaper than the top-end City MT, though it should be noted that the City comes with a sunroof.
Read more about the car in our first drive reviews of the 2015 Hyundai Verna Petrol and 2015 Hyundai Verna Diesel.
