Mini Cooper owner gets mighty impressed by the Hyundai Verna 1.5 DCT

The car feels positively ‘European’ in terms of Quality and Design and is definitely as good as, if not superior to, these new-age Skoda or VW designed-for-India vehicles.

BHPian shankar.balan recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

There is a Hyundai showroom close by and I've been intrigued by this Hyundai Verna 1.5 Turbo DCT for a while now. I've seen it ‘take off’ during a couple of highway trips. It is easily able to keep pace with my old Cooper and match my Thar for power in many ways. So we went and experienced it first-hand this morning.

Frankly, this is a real cut above the typical Hyundai or one’s mental impression of one. These new-age Hyundais deserve the kudos and recognition they get.

The car feels positively ‘European’ in terms of Quality and Design and definitely as good as, if not superior to, these new-age Skoda or VW designed-for-India vehicles. Upon taking a very short experience-drive, I was quite taken up with the thrust and power delivery from the get-go. Also worth mentioning are the fit, finish and finesse inside the vehicle, the excellent under-thigh support both in the front and rear, the tactile feel of all the buttons and the overall feel of ‘durability’ that I encountered. The seat covers too are made of faux leather and feel very long lasting.

The engine and gearbox are well-mated. The safety features and electronic aids feel built to last and not flimsy. One actually feels the G Forces from the 4-cylinder 160 bhp engine and the 250 NM of torque is evident the way the car pulls away unhesitatingly. The DCT gearbox is responsive, as are the little paddles. Amazing kick down! The 4 disc brakes clearly offer plenty of stopping power. The car feels well-planted at speeds.

The boot space is humongous and the space design is really up there despite this being a very nicely proportioned and compact vehicle. There was frankly only one ugly thing- the fat silvered plasticky door handles which seemed a little visually disproportionate though very handy to catch hold of.

Much has been written about the ‘vault-like’ door-opening-and-closing-feel’ of European cars. Well yes, this is true of the last generation, but not any longer because of the over-riding considerations of lightness and fuel efficiency. The doors of the new-age BMWs and Mini Coopers etc feel quite light. And this Hyundai Verna feels equivalent.

Suffice it to say that I came away very well-impressed overall and if I'm in the market for a well-built and value-for-money sedan, this car is definitely worthy of active consideration.

Attached Thumbnails

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.