[Shome]

Finally I am penning down the ownership report for my Silver Hyundai Verna VTVT 1.6 SX(O). As you can see from the dates, this has been in the making for a few months. Just haven't had the time to finish this. So here goes...

I have seen just one other Ownership report for the VTVT. However, quite a few of the points covered in this ownership report will be applicable to both the VTVT and the CRDi models.

The Hunt Begins...

I started looking for a car for my dad since the last quarter of 2010. As prevelant with all buyers in this segment, there were numerous choices and each and every member of the family had their own say. While my Brand conscious Mom was all gung ho over the City, my dad wanted the spacious Manza while I was dily dallying between the Linea, the new Verna and the Vento.

Our first dilemma was do we go for a Petrol or should this car be our first oil burner. My dads previous ride was and still is a 2001 Accent (silver). Over the past 10 years, it has only done about 68,000 kms. Our other car was my A-star which had already done about 41,000 kms in just over 2 years. The idea was that I will sell my A-star, buy my dads Accent from him after we receive delivery of the new Sedan. I will then go on and buy a diesel hatch after which we will sell the trusty Accent. Now looking at the numbers, diesel just didnt make any sense. He will only drive about 800-1000 kms per month which doesnt justify a diesel.

That sorted, now the question was "Which car?"

One fine Sunday morning, my Dad, Mom and I left for a TD of the City, the Linea, Vento and the Verna. All TDs were booked over the phone. Once the TDs were over, sat in the evening and started short-listing

1. The Manza was the first one out. My mom just couldnt digest the fact of Tata as a brand. For her, TATA = Horn OK Please!

2. Next out was the City. Dated looks considering that it was over 4 years old. Price had been reduced recently but that still wasnt enough to sway our choice towards the City. The TD was good, the car was immaculately maintained but we felt that the size could have been a little bigger. Low ground clearance was also an issue considering the condition of the roads in Mumbai these days. A facelift is due soon as well

3. Then went the Linea. Loved the T-jet engine. Good ride qualities, spacious. But it was the suspect A.S.S which was the deal breaker.

Now, the final 2, the Vento and the Verna.

4. Vento was good. Driveability was great. Was slightly more expensive than the Verna. We never wanted an AT, the gear shift is excellent and the Drive felt the best of the lot. Looks wise, it was simple yet classy!

5. The last car we TD'ed was the Verna. And man, if looks could kill, this was it! Fluidic concept was mind blowing. Loved the curves and lines all over the body. The features list was impressive and the top most version was going to send us back by 10 lacs. The TD felt comfortable over the pothole riddled roads. Reviews from different sources did mention the poor handling at high speeds but I have never seen my dad go over 110 kmph.

So after a lot of discussions, it was the Verna that stole our hearts. Hyundau A.S.S has always been great with us which scored another imporant point over the Vento.

Booking and pre-registration checks:

The car was booked on the 8th of September at Sharayu. Surprisingly, delivery was confirmed for the 1st of October. We booked the Black as that was one colour that I really wanted.

Come the last week of September, called up the dealership, was informed that the allocation had been done and the car will be on its way for delivery on the 3rd. Went and paid the entire amount and a day later came the climax.

Our SE calls up and says, Black is not available as the company is making only whites and silvers now. We can allot you a silver but not a black . A lot of chaos and hankering followed but Black just could not be delivered. So we settled for the Silver. We were slightly disappointed as our 10 year old accent is silver as well.

Anyway, the car came, did the initial check before registration in the yard; all looked good and following registration, we were promised delivery on Dussehra.

A few pics from the yard

[Shome]

Delivery: On the morning of Dussehra, reached Sharayu at 10 and saw our gleaming ride parked.... right next to a BLACK CRDi!!!!

Went ahead and started going through the TBHP PDi checklist. To my surprise, other than the tyre pressure, everything else was in order. 5 litres of petrol was filled in front of us.

Finally satisfied with everything, completed the paper work (everything here was very efficient and quick), did a small Puja with the local pandit, the SE and the Hyundai team did the Party popper rituals and gave us a framed Photo of the family with the newest member. My mom really liked this gesture.

Our new ride next to the Black CRDi




Another impressive act here was that a worker was cleaning the car to make it spotless and he did a mighty impressive job. Being Diwali, offered him Rs 10 for his work as Diwali "bakshish". To my pleasant surprize, he refused, waved his hand and went away with a smile. This according to me shows the professionalism of Hyundai and the Dealership as well. A brownie point in my book!

No freebies other than an air freshner! Bought floor mats, Vkool sunfilms on all windows and the front and rear windscreen, Teflon coating and Anti rust at a discount since we did not get black.

Finally took the keys, gave the SE a box of sweets and drove off in the new ride and a complementary box of chocolates.


First Impressions:

Graduating from a 10 year old Accent and a 3 pot A-Star, the first thing that hits you is the quietness inside the vehicle. The engine is so refined that it is absolutely soundless and difficult to understand if it is running or not.

The ride quality is good with the 16 inch alloys and the suspension soaking in all the jerks with relative ease.

The Rear View using the IRVM is pathetic due to the seats and headrest for the rear passengers blocking your view. The ORVMs compensate for the loss of rear visibility to quite an extent. The parking camera and sensors are engaged when you slot into the reverse gear.

A few pics from the initial runs.

The Headlamps with the uber stylish and considerably effective fog lamps



The front view is the same hexagonal shape inherent to the Fluidic concept. To me the hexagon looks exactly like that of the i10 and now the Eon. How I wish Hyundai could have changed that a bit to make every model look different. Does anyone feel this looks like the head of a bug(Insect and not the car)?



This car is best viewed from the side and rear 3/4th. The curves and cuts along the sides are just orgasmic





Chrome strips all around the window sill could have given a different look IMHO (Just like most Indians, I am in love with Chrome )



BTW, quite a few of these photos were taken by El Lobo during the Mumbai BKC Photoshoot. Thanks a million bro!

[Shome]

The Interiors:

The Interiors of the new Verna is a generation ahead of the outgoing version. Dual tone with Beige and Black make the interiers look roomy. The highline of the rear windows does make some of the occupents feel Claustrophobic but this is again subjective.

As mentioned by Zappo in the official review, the dash is made of material which acts as anti skid mats!





My 6'4" inch friend in the back seats





Lower thigh support is average at the rear. The taller amongst the species will face a bit of discomfort.


The cooled glove box strictly keeps your drinks and chocolates cool. Not very effective at it

[Shome]

The Engine/Drive experience:

The 1.6 litre VTVT petrol engine is one of the most refined engines I have driven till date. You can barely hear it running in idle. Acceleration is linear and it doesn't run out of breath at any range.



16" Alloys with Bridgestone B250s give good grip. A better suspension would have made a huge difference to the overall behaviour of the car at high speeds



The boot is big enough to fit in 3 large size suitcases



The gear shift is good and the chrome enveloped gear lever has a good and premium feel



idle RPM for petrol and Avg speed



Eco Driving mode on. It just shows the ideal time to change the gears in the MID asking you to go up or down and the gear number. If its off, the numbers don't show up. A good feature for my fuel conscious dad


Distance to empty


Avg. Fuel consumption



Instantaneous fuel consumption.


pathetic rear view using the IRVM


much better view through the ORVM

[Shome]

First Service and 5000 km update:

The first service was done at the scheduled time. The entire cost of the service was Rs 0.

The panel around the HU corroded as the OEM Air freshener that was provided leaked around the top. Had to do a bit of hankering with the dealer but thankfully they got it changed. The panel had to come from Chennai, so took a couple of weeks but was done free of cost.

One morning in January, I was surprised to notice a couple of bulges on the front right tire sidewall. Called the dealer and took the car to the dealership. Asked them that this is surprising that the sidewall bulged although there was no impact that I was aware of. Asked them for a replacement. They declined and said I would have to pay the entire price for the replacement. Finally, they decided to buy back the old tire and I had to pay for only 60% of the cost for the replaced one. I paid Rs. 3680 for the new tire and it is currently is in the spare.

The next tragedy struck a couple of weeks back. Car was parked near Matunga gymkhana where I generally park to go to Welingkars where I do my MBA. A cricket match was on and the star batsman from one of the teams targeted my car left fog light with a huge six!!! Apparently it was a very good shot. The result...the fog light is broken. Moreover, in the Verna, the fog light is built into the bumper i.e. the fog light is placed in the bumper and is held together by a piece of plastic. Now, thats broken as well which means that if I decide to change, I will have to replace the entire front bumper .

Question for the gurus: Is this true?

I have kept this on hold as the foglight is working but I know its broken from the inside. Not planning to change it now.


A few more pics:


The ACC



Cubby holes with the armrest up


The window control panel. No Auto up, Auto down for Drivers side only. No anti pinch windows


Very spacious footwell with dead pedal


The steering wheel with steering mounted audio controls and Bluetooth. Bluetooth worked seamlessly with my Android, Blackberry and a friends iPhone

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Initial Ownership Section. Thanks for sharing!

[Vik0728]

Congrats on your buy Shome and wish you a Long, Happy & Safe motoring.

Fluidic Verna in VTVT Avatar seems to be a pretty rear breed whether its on our TBHP or out on the road, considering the ever increasing Petrol price. I feel glad everytime I see a Bhpian Pick up a new stead but feel really elated when they choose my favorite, "Petrol Heart" under the bonnet!!

Shome you have provided a detailed review of pretty much everything, but personally, I would really appreciate if you could throw some light on the Highway performance. You have mentioned that its linear and does not run out of breath, but a bit more detailed review would help me. I know that Verna's (Old & Fluidic) handeling has been criticized all over the forum by the Gurus, so all I am really looking at is its performance on straights and slow curves.

[Shome]

Originally Posted by Vik0728

Congrats on your buy Shome and wish you a Long, Happy & Safe motoring.

Fluidic Verna in VTVT Avatar seems to be a pretty rear breed whether its on our TBHP or out on the road, considering the ever increasing Petrol price. I feel glad everytime I see a Bhpian Pick up a new stead but feel really elated when they choose my favorite, "Petrol Heart" under the bonnet!!

Shome you have provided a detailed review of pretty much everything, but personally, I would really appreciate if you could throw some light on the Highway performance. You have mentioned that its linear and does not run out of breath, but a bit more detailed review would help me. I know that Verna's (Old & Fluidic) handeling has been criticized all over the forum by the Gurus, so all I am really looking at is its performance on straights and slow curves.

Thanks Vik. I love the petrol. The refinement absolutely amazes me.

With respect to the handling issues, well they are issues. I have mentioned about this a few times in the official review thread. So did not want to go about with the same rant here again .

Till about 120 kmph, the ride is comfortable on the straights as well as the curves. However, as soon as you go over that, you are in for a lot of turbulence (if I may use the term). It's like you are trying the bank a single engined plane through a really heavy and big storm cloud.

The rocking takes over as soon as you hit a curve at this speed, there is a lot of both vertical and horizontal movements due to the softly sprung suspension, and the back benchers feel quite a rollercoaster ride. The EPS does not give any feedback but then I am comparing this to the other cars I had/have i.e. the A-star and the new Swift. But much better than the Hyundai accent which this car replaced.

But there still is a silver lining...the straights! The linear power delivery does not make you realize how fast you accelerate but trust me...it's quite a lot!
It's only when you have a friendly drag race with your friends cars that you will realize this. Lets just say that the Ventos and Cities cant catch up (as long as you are in a straight though ).

Hope this helps!

[Vik0728]

Thank you Shome and I can imagine what you are referring to when you say "you are in for a lot of turbulance".

I have driven my friend's Verna CRDI (Old version) and not many cars can out accelerate it on straights. I even remember we having a drag with a Honda CRV driven by an elderly gentleman and he seemed quite amazed at the catching up this CRDI was doing.
Since you have owned the Fluidic Verna for a while now, I wanted to know if you have as well noticed the "Boat Like" feeling quite often.

On the contrary, my friend prefers a magical switch of stearing from my Getz onto his Verna upon hitting 100. Wonder if Getz was the only Hyundai with HPS...First & Last, Till Date.

[Shome]

yes, the boat like feeling is present but again at higher speeds. This car is primarily for my dad and mom and while he drives, he rarely goes above 100. On normal Mumbai roads where speeds rarely exceed 80-100 max, the suspension does an amazing job and you barely feel the potholes.

[joslicx]

Great looking car and a pretty comprehensive review with pics. Thanks for sharing.

And congratulations to your mom and dad for owning one of the best looking car in India. Wish your family many happy moments in it.

[el lobo 6061]

Finally you have put up your review. You really took your time. I was thinking you have forgotten and pics I sent you would never be uploaded. Better late than never. Excellent detailed and comprehensive review.

Congrats on your purchase all over again and have many more miles on it and drive safe. Looking forward to meet in a T-Bhp meet.

[Shome]

El lobo...thanks for the pics bro! you can see the difference between the pics you took and the one that was taken by my camera phone.

Lets plan a meet and meet up!

[DevilsCry]

Congratulations for your Verna! I don't have experience of sitting in Verna but having driven an i20, I can understand how amazing it feels to drive a fully loaded car which feels uber-premium thanks to soft suspension and class leading interior quality.

Verna's rear seats don't seem bad from pics except that windows are claustrophobic. How do you feel sitting in Verna's rear compared to Swift and A-Star? My friends own A-Star and Swift so I can get idea if you explain in comparison with them.

Are you sure that Verna really handles bad at high speed, even if the roads were smooth and free of potholes? I would guess that Verna and i20 have similar highway behavior. i20, thanks to massive wheelbase and sheer metal weight, feels quite stable to me. And it is not like that I have a low standard when it comes to high speed handling since I own a Figo and have owned an Esteem. Only if roads were rough and had potholes, i20 becomes scary at 100kph.

Last question, after graduating from bare cars, does Verna's gadget gizmos feel nice? Do they feel worth the extra money?

As for looks of Verna, it is quite hard to decide if I like it or not. At an angle, it looks so awesome. At another angle, it looks so ugly, like a bug and cousins with i10 and Eon. You said the same too

[Shome]

Originally Posted by DevilsCry

Congratulations for your Verna! I don't have experience of sitting in Verna but having driven an i20, I can understand how amazing it feels to drive a fully loaded car which feels uber-premium thanks to soft suspension and class leading interior quality.

Verna's rear seats don't seem bad from pics except that windows are claustrophobic. How do you feel sitting in Verna's rear compared to Swift and A-Star? My friends own A-Star and Swift so I can get idea if you explain in comparison with them.

Are you sure that Verna really handles bad at high speed, even if the roads were smooth and free of potholes? I would guess that Verna and i20 have similar highway behavior. i20, thanks to massive wheelbase and sheer metal weight, feels quite stable to me. And it is not like that I have a low standard when it comes to high speed handling since I own a Figo and have owned an Esteem. Only if roads were rough and had potholes, i20 becomes scary at 100kph.

Last question, after graduating from bare cars, does Verna's gadget gizmos feel nice? Do they feel worth the extra money?

As for looks of Verna, it is quite hard to decide if I like it or not. At an angle, it looks so awesome. At another angle, it looks so ugly, like a bug and cousins with i10 and Eon. You said the same too

Thanks man!

Sitting in the verna feels great. To be honest with you, the rear seats are pretty spacious for some one my height...I am only 177 cm tall. Compared to the Suzuki brothers, the ride is much more plush. The softer suspension absorbs everything the Mumbai roads have to throw at you at low to medium speeds. I assume Delhi will be quite similar. I prefer cars with a stiffer suspension while compromising on the softer and more plush ride at slow and medium speeds. I also prefer a high window line, gives me a sense of privacy...now that I think of it which is something that I probably don't need . It was the same with the A-star and is quite similar in both the Swift and the Verna.

The hump is barely noticeable and 3 can sit in comfortably. Again, while cornering at high speeds, the occupants will feel some amount of discomfort while is absent in the Suzuki brothers. BTW, I consider the A-star to be a better handler than the swift. It's more nimble and very chuck-able around corners.

Anyway, back to the Verna...trust me the handling is bad at speeds over 120 kmph. Even on well banked roads which are properly paved, the car "rocks" a lot. A lot of horizontal and vertical movements. This car really deserves a better suspension. Hopefully, the new tightened option will make things better. Moreover, the EPS doesn't give you much confidence.

The Gizmos were what clinched the deal. It feels amazing to sit in press a button and start the car, look into the mirror for the rear view from the camera while parking, check the MID to see exactly which door is ajar, walk out of the car and not having to worry about fumbling with the keys...just press a button on the door handle and the car locks itself and most importantly, feel safe in a cocoon of 6 Airbags (Which I hope I never have to use). Man, the extra money is totally worth it!

As for the looks...well I actually like it a lot! As i said in the review, the side and rear 3/4th views are the best! They could have probably made the front grill Just noticeably different from its cousins but I guess this is something of a philosophy.

Also, I haven't mentioned in the review but the audio needs as upgrade. mathranik's ownership review is a treasure trove for Ice updates to the Verna

Bottomline: This car is for my dad. The question I ask myself is...If I had to buy a car for myself from the C-segment, would I want the Verna? Most probably not. All gizmos, straight line speed etc apart...the handling is too erratic, the drive at high speeds is uncomfortable and cornering/overtaking in ghats is an issue. If only the suspension was better, this car would have been a true champion...if only!