Does it make sense to buy the new Hyundai Verna?

The Hyundai Verna has always given very tough competition to the Honda City.

The Korean automaker launched the new generation of the Verna in 2017 and this sedan packs in petrol and diesel engine options with both manual and automatic variants.

The sedan is also popular for its features but how does this car really fare in day-to-day conditions?

To find out, we at MotorBeam had the Hyundai Verna 1.6 diesel manual in our long term fleet.

The overall design of the Hyundai Verna, though inspired by the Elantra looks very elegant and snazzy.

Hyundai is also offering some funky colours like Orange with the Verna and these shades are usually preferred by younger customers.

The latest generation looks more proportionate and the sloping roofline does have a sporty feel.

The top of the line variants also get 16-inch diamond cut alloy wheels.

One of the main selling points for Hyundai cars has been their easy to drive nature.

Though it doesn't cater to enthusiasts, a lot of people prefer a light steering over responsive feedback.

For driving in the city and especially while parking, the lighter steering is often appreciated.

Hyundai even offers an automatic transmission with both petrol and diesel engines.

Another domain where Hyundai has improved the Verna compared to the previous generation is in terms of ride quality and driving dynamics.

The ride is so much more comfortable and stable at higher speeds.

There is still some amount of body roll around corners but overall the ride is wonderful.

The refined diesel engine has a lot of punch on offer and offers incredible acceleration.

The 6-speed manual gearbox is smooth to shift and the clutch is also on the lighter side.

The diesel engine has good drive-ability and is also very fuel-efficient, returning us an average fuel efficiency of around 14 km/l which is very good considering the Verna is the most powerful car in its segment.

Hyundai has always disrupted the competition with the number of features it loads into its cars.

However, adding ventilated seats to that list takes it to a whole new level, especially in this summer season where it has proved to be a godsend.

This feature is not even available in many D-segment cars and here's Hyundai offering a hands-free trunk in the Verna.

Even the large sunroof adds to this premium feel.

The touchscreen infotainment system is responsive and comes with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

The AC cools the cabin in no time and the sound quality out of the stock speakers is also very good.

As it is with all Hyundais, the quality of the materials used is good and the cabin feels premium, practical and well put together.

Nevertheless, there is something which the competition does better and that is rear seat space.

It has always been a weak point for the Verna and the current generation continues this tradition.

There is not enough headroom for tall passengers due to the coupe-like roofline and knee room could have also been better.

However, keeping this aside, the new Hyundai Verna is actually a good package and we're not surprised to see why it's selling in such good numbers.

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