Hyundai Verna Tranform VS Maruti Suzki SX4 VS VW Vento

Overview

Hyundai has launched the new generation of the Verna in India. Is it good enough to take the battle to the established order and win it as well? We pit the diesel Verna against the diesel versions of the SX4 and the Vento to find the answer to that question...

With petrol prices sky rocketing, a diesel option in the mid sized sedan market is of utmost importance now. Maruti Suzuki recently acknowledged this by launching the diesel SX4. The Volkswagen Vento on the otherhand came with this option right from day one. Hyundai mean while was making do with the Verna Transform. Now though with the new generation Verna Hyundai is all set to change the rules of the game. So let’s begin the contest for diesel supremacy between the SX4, the VW Vento and the Verna.

The SX4 on the other hand is all about being masculine. With its tall stance, high ground clearance, it exudes the hint of being crossover. A sedan which can delve into SUV territory! The large headlamps and the small grille too complement the overall design of the car.

Exterior & Interior

The dash looks smart and the beige and black combo suits Indian tastes. Steering mounted controls operate both audio and Bluetooth. Glovebox is deep and can pack in lot of stuff

The Verna looks the sportiest and most modern of this lot. The new Hyundai face is pleasing to theeyes, especially those 'Eagle eye' headlamps.

The Vento though returns to being a quint essential sedan.The corporate VW face though is an over kill considering most of the VW cars now resemble each other. The rear end of the Vento once again is rather plain Jane. No swoopy lines here, just business.

Step into the Verna and immediately there is a sense of luxury all around. The beige and black treatment looks good and gives the interiors a bright look. The instrument cluster too is top notch with dials very clearly laid out and bathed in blue backlight. The seats on the Verna are very comfortable with large squabs and backrests. Room inside is good too and even with a tall driver, passengers at the back will have no shortage of knee room. The Verna also scores heavily for its equipment list. The SX variant which we have here comes with a whole galore of equipment. A comprehensive trip computer, audio player with Bluetooth connectivity, steering mounted controls, it has it all. The buttons on the steering toofeel nicely made. However that cannot be said for the power window switches, which are a bit of a let down.

The SX4 on the other hand looks stylish inside. Thanks to its high roofline the feeling of space within is immense. The SX4 offers an audio player, which can also be controlled via the controls on the steering. The car also gets a climate control system, which is highly effective. At the back the SX offers a good amount of space. Nothing to complain about here either. From the driver’s perch it offers a commanding view ahead courtesy high seating, however thick A-pillars obstruct visibility, especially at turns.

The SX4 gets steering mounted controls for the audio, which gets an aux-in and is USB/iPod compatible. SX4 though gets the smallest engine here

The SX4 is the most manly of them all. This is particularly because of highground clearance, large headlamps and large wheels and tyres.

In the Vento everything seems like it's there for a purpose. Itis not about the looks but about how the switches, button, audio player, etc go about doing their job, which they do well. But we sorely missed functions like Bluetooth connectivity, aux-in andsteering mounted controls.

Start up the Verna and the common rail here settles down immediately. The gear lever slotsinto position with a hint of a notch and the car makes a go for it! A thing to note here is that the Verna offers a 'Dog lever' gearshift pattern and to put it into reverse, a switch has to be pulled before you can back the car up.

However the steering on the Hyundai disappoints. It feels super light and offers little feedback, especially at high speeds. On the plus side, even while the car is tationary, you don't require much effort to turn it around. The Verna is endowed with a soft suspension setup. Hence at low speeds, the set up is effective in soaking most undulations. But as speeds rise it tends to get bouncy and crashes into potholes.

Vento gets the same dash as the Polo. Integrated music system is old school and does not offer aux-in or USB ports. Stowage space though is found aplenty here. Note that the Vento does not come with steering mounted controls either. The dials too are the same and do their job well. But it is not as fancy and informative as the Verna's unit

Thanks to the common design philosophy, most VW cars look quite likeits siblings. Some distinguishing features would have been nice.

The Vento on the other hand offers a typical diesel clatter on start up. As you accelerate, the engine sounds a bit coarse. However not much of the vibrations creep into the cabin. The gearbox on the Vento is a slick unit. It slots in precisely and is a joy to use. Also, in spite of having the same shift pattern as the Verna it's easy to get used to.

The Vento has perhaps the best steering feel in this trio.Sure it feels a bit weighted, but it is mechanical. It gives you the feedback and the feel which ensures you can pinpoint the car towards a corner and have some fun. The suspension too is better set here. Despite being stiffer, the ride quality on the Vento is the best. It offers lots of confidence nd at high speeds, absorbs most undulations with ease.

The steering on the SX4 feels a bit heavy, mainly due to the large tyres, but on the move it becomes lighter. Like the Verna it does not offer much feedback. The suspension too is soft. So handling has taken a beating but not enough to make it dead boring.

Engine & Gearbox

Hyundai Verna Tranform The 1.6-litre engine is the most powerful here.

Acceleration is pretty brisk with power coming in at around 1800rpm. However unlike previous generations, this new Verna has a more linear power delivery. Mean while abundant torque ensures there is little need for frequent gear change.Adequate power also means that the Verna can cruise allday at high speeds.

Maruti Suzki SX4 SX4 though gets the smallest engine here.

On the move the Vento is not as fast as the Verna, but it never feels underpowered. VW has also done a good job with the gearing of the Vento, as aresult the car pulls off well from even 1500rpm with the torque coming in quite low in the revs.

VW Vento The Vento too comes with a 1.6-litre diesel unit, but it offers 105bhp.

The SX4 has received the diesel upgrade recently in form of the 1.3 DDIS engine, which does duty on most other Marutis. However to ensure better drivea bility it now gets a variable geometry turbocharger and is retuned to offer 90bhp. Unlike the Swift, the SX4's power delivery is linear. While power is adequate for most purposes, if you want brisk acceleration, you are better off shifting down in the SX4.

Dimension

Hyundai Verna Tranform (mm)
Verna gets the largest wheelbase in this trio which means the most kneeroom.	Lack of fold down split seats rob the Verna's boot of flexibility. While headroom at the rear is limited there are no such issues when it comes to the Hyundai's kneeroom for the rear occupants
Maruti Suzki SX4 (mm)
SX4 offers 180mm of ground clearance which is good for Indian conditions.	The SX4 has a massive boot which is quite deep as well. At 515 litres it is one of the most spacious in its category. Thanks to its tall stance, there are no complaints about the headroom this sedan offers.
VW Vento(mm)
Vento suffers from a low nose which tends to get scraped if one is not careful.	The boot on the Vento is very usable and with minimal intrusions. However the seat backs cannot be folded down for increased boot space. Headroom at the rear is etter than the Verna's.

Scorecard & Verdict

Rank 1 VW Vento - The Vento is no longer the most expensive to buy. Additionally it retains its offer of good fuel economy and is also fun to drive thanks to the good steering and handling characteristics.

Two Hyundai Verna Tranform- The SX scores on performance and equipment on board. However it is a better cruiser than a sporty and fun to drive car. Hence it gets a deserving second.

Three Maruti Suzki SX4 - The biggest plus for the SX4 is the price it sells for. Moreover, these days it is also benefiting from extended warranty. Thanks to that it has gained some nifty points.

Scorecard

Body: As far as space at the front is concerned, the Hyundai and the VW score more, but the Maruti Suzuki fights back at the rear. Even the boot is such a close match here! All cars here get the same safety pack. Hence all three once again claim three points each. No wonder the final tally is within hair's breadth of each other

Drive: The Verna is no doubt the fastest to 100kmph amongst the three. The heavier SX4 loses out here. As far as driveability is concerned, thanks to better ratios the VW is the winner. The gearbox though is where the Maruti Suzuki fights back. Thanks to a smaller tank however, the Verna needs a refuel earlier.

Comfort: Once again the match runs neck and neck. Be it ride quality, ingress or driving noise. All three run more or less at par. However when it comes to handling the best is the VW followed by the SX4. Operability once again is best in the Vento thanks to the clearly laid buttons.

Dynamics: The Vento has the best steering response. Make no mistake, all three steerings here feel light,but it is the Vento which offers feedback and hence gets a point more. The SX4 however has the best braking abilities. All of them score identical for grip, manoeuvrability and so on.

Cost: The Maruti is the cheapest to buy here. It also gets extended warranty. However the Verna comes back into the fray with a higher resale value. While the VW has equally good warranty it loses out on price and residual value.

Verdict

This has been quite a nail biting match to play. One look at the points table is enough to show how close all three cars really are! Most importantly the SX4 has gained some nifty points thanks to the additional warranty. However the Vento remains our choice in the diesel segment.