2017 Hyundai Verna Competition Check

Hyundai has finally launched the new generation of their popular C-segment sedan, the Verna, after years of wait. The new car sports the new styling trend that began with the Elantra and was seen in the Xcent and the Grand i10 as well. Starting at Rs 7.99 lakhs for the base petrol trim and Rs 9.19 lakh for the entry-level diesel car, Hyundai has priced the Verna at the median of its competitive segment. We figure out how the Verna fares against the other C-segment sedans like the Honda City, Maruti Ciaz, Skoda Rapid, Volkswagen Vento and their ilk.

Honda City

The Honda City has been at the forefront of the C-segment over the years and enjoys loyal patrons over the years. The car received a facelift earlier this year and comes with a slew of features including an electric sunroof in the top-spec trim. Like the Verna, the City also gets dual front airbags as a standard, but unlike the City, the top-spec Verna gets six airbags as well. Also, add the first-in-its-class ventilated seats to the equation and the Verna fares better than the City.

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz

The Ciaz recently began selling under aegis of the Nexa dealerships and it has been battling for the top-slot of the C-segment with the Honda City. When compared to the Verna, the Ciaz’s design is definitely dated. Also, in terms of powertrains, the Verna is far ahead of the Maruti Suzuki. The 1.6-litre mills develop close to 120bhp of power for both the petrol and the diesel versions while the Maruti Suzuki is still stuck at about 90bhp of power. Also, the Ciaz misses out on the diesel automatic which is offered on the Verna.

Skoda Rapid

The Skoda Rapid, like the Verna, received a facelift last year. But unlike the Verna, the underpinnings of the facelifted car are still the same as the first Rapid launched in India. Still, when it comes to ride and handling, the Skoda Rapid is one of the better handlers in the C-segment and although the Verna has improved a lot in that respect, it still falls short of the Skoda. Apart from that, the Verna scores over the Rapid in almost every avenue, whether it be the features list, the power output or even the size and space.

Volkswagen Vento

The Volkswagen Vento, just like the Rapid, has been essentially the same as when it was first launched in India. After a slew of facelifts and model year updates, the Vento has managed to come on par with the benchmarks of the C-segment. It now gets DRLs and projector headlamps for the top-spec car, rain-sensing wipers along with push-button start, cruise control, electrically adjustable wing mirrors etc. It still misses out on the touchscreen display whereas the Verna gets all of these and a few more bells and whistles.