Hyundai Verna Turbo Manual: Long-term Fleet Introduction

The latest generation of the Verna is bigger, faster and more feature-rich than ever before. But what is it really like to live with every day?

Moving to a new city comes with numerous challenges and changes, but perhaps the biggest one for me was to no longer have access to a car for personal use. As a self-proclaimed enthusiast, it was not going to be easy to find a suitable replacement for my Volkswagen Polo GT back at home in Delhi. But when I was assigned the new Hyundai Verna WITH the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine as my long-term review daily-driver, I have to admit I was a bit giddy in anticipation.

The Hyundai Verna has always had a special spot in my life since my story with the Korean compact sedans goes a long way back. My first family-loaned car, a couple of years after getting my driver’s licence, was the Hyundai Accent. I always preferred the look and feel of a sedan over any other style of car, especially how low the driving position was (bit like a race car). More than a decade later, I find myself with the digital key fob (unlike the actual key of the Accent) for the most potent version of the sedan till date. 

First impressions

I picked up the new Hyundai Verna on a Sunday afternoon, a week before Christmas day, and the first task was to give it a proper clean. That’s why I took it to the professionals who gave it a nice wash and tidied up the interior as well. Once proper, I got to terms with the new-generation sedan inside and out. In this top-spec SX(O) Turbo variant, it gets the full LED lighting setup front and rear that looks particularly stunning at night. Those blacked out 16-inch alloy wheels with the red brake callipers add to its sporty presence.

Inside its all-black cabin with leatherette upholstery, the Hyundai compact sedan has become a lot more premium since the days of the Accent. Its integrated displays, cabin lighting and plethora of comforts certainly make for a modern interior, complete with a 4-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with manual height adjustment.

Oh, in case I forgot to mention, the Verna in question arrived with a 6-speed manual transmission! It took a little getting used to after driving a Volkswagen DSG (dual-clutch automatic) for years, but the powertrain is plenty responsive with 160 PS and 253 Nm on offer from that turbo-petrol engine. 

The Perfect Christmas Gift*

It seemed quite fortuitous that the Hyundai Verna long-termer arrived just in time for the Christmas weekend. Perhaps the best opportunity to put some serious kilometres on the car ahead of 2024. Sadly, it seems like the combined car-owning population of Pune and Mumbai had plans to travel over the long weekend, causing massive traffic jams. Instead, I took the Verna to a nearby tourist spot in the ghats on Christmas day, along a twisty route with smooth tarmac. This was the first chance to really see what the new Hyundai Verna could do in terms of the power delivery, ride and handling.

The turbo-petrol engine is quite responsive in the mid-range and the suspension setup gives you more confidence at pace than you’d usually expect from a Hyundai sedan. It also gets drive modes, but the main difference is that the “Sport” mode that weighs up the steering wheel for an increased sense of control through the corners. Even with the original plans cancelled, the Verna proved to be the ideal Christmas gift* this year.

*work-related

What’s lined up for the Verna?

Since I moved for work, I made sure I didn’t reside too far from the office so the daily commute will not be making much of a dent in the mileage. Even with trips to the local gym and to the shops, I will struggle to clock 100 km per week. Instead, I will be planning a bunch of weekend drives to explore my new surroundings, visit some old friends in nearby cities.

It’s also worth pointing out that driving the manual variant with a heavy right foot is going to be a costly affair with the Verna SX(O) Turbo returning an average of just over 9 kmpl in moderate city traffic. However, it did improve to 11-13 kmpl on the open road where you don’t need to change gears as often.

Plus, regaining the freedom of personal mobility gives me the opportunity to explore new hobbies and expand my horizons. All said and done, the new Hyundai Verna is my gateway to a host of adventures in the new year and I can’t wait to find out what it’s like to live with this premium sedan that now costs over Rs 18 lakh (on-road).

Positives: Modern styling, plenty of performance, packed with features

Negatives: Low fuel economy, surprising misses in terms of cabin comfort (more details soon)

Date when received: December 17, 2023

Kilometres when received: 9,819 km

Kilometres till date: 10,138 km (319 km driven)