This is one car which magazines like autocar and overdrive have really built up, because of the engine its power and torque(diesel). I managed to get a test drive of the diesel last Sunday and drove it for almost an hour.
Once you fire the engine you realize that it is very quite, the next thing which I tried out was to hold the gear knob at idling. There was absolutely no vibration at all on the gear knob, neither the dashboard. The interiors are very polished and the beige color looks good. The wheelbase is 50mm longer than the hondacity, thus this car appears more spacious in the inside. This car is also longer, wider and taller than the old accent, but it looks smaller from the outside.
Ok now on to the drive, the first gear is very weak and takes a lot of time. The second is better and the third is out this world. The first to second gear change should happen at 20km/h. The second to third should happen at 40km/h. The 3rd-4th should happen at 55km/h. This ratio creates a problem while driving inside the city, imagine if you are in third gear and you brake to 25km/h, you expect to remain in 3rd. But that is not possible, the engine starts sounding noisy and there is an uncomfortable feeling which is because the gear ratios were not fixed correctly.
The gear shift is little notchy. Now these are all the bad points, coming to the good points, the car is very very drivable even though the gear ratios are bad. The steering is light and easy inside the city, and car powers on like a bull, it is free revving and chews up competition easily. The expected mileage is 13/14 in the city and 18/20 in the highway. So imagine driving a powerful car which gives you the mileage of a santro and that too the at the price of one liter of diesel.
The suspension is very good, much improved in comparision to the accent, the Verna is a very heavy car weighing 1173 Kgs. The Civic itself weighs only 1210 Kgs. Thus this gives it a solid feel, the car feels heavy and planted and the suspension is good. The vibrations and the shocks are well absorbed. Another thing about Hyundai cars is that thier metal bends inward when depressed with your hands, meaning the build is very flimsy. You would find this problem in the Aceent and the Santro, but the build of the Verna is very good and solid. This car was bulit keeping in mind a diesel engine unlike the Accent.
On the highway I was cruising effortlessly at 120km/s, the car was rock solid and there were no issues. So as a package the Verna is a much better buy than the fiesta, it is wider, longer, taller has a larger wheelbase, better interior space more powerfull engine than the fiesta. Added to that all prior Ford owners would agree that Ford Service try to rob you blind. (I was a proud owner of an Escort and an Ikon, they used to say Brake Disc bleed and charge me 2000 RS every time they see my car) The ownership experience of the hyundai is more peaceful. Thus If I had to make the decision I would shell out 50 grand more and buy a Verna. But Folks the 112 BHP fiesta is coming out in May 2007, but still the after sales service and ownership of a Ford is exasperating.
Comparision:
Length Width Height Wheelbase
Verna : 4315 1695 1490 2500
Fiesta: 4282 1686 1468 2486
All measurements are in MM.
0-100 20-80(3rd gear) 40-100(4th gear)
Verna : 11.23 12.01 15.69
Fiesta: 17.13 12.52 16.37
All measurements in seconds.
As you see inside the city there is not much of a difference, but the revv on the verna is a tilting factor.
Summary:
Bad:
Lack of features: No remote, no system, small tyres (175 R14).
Bad gear ratios
Not an eye catching look
No airbag option.
Average handling in comparison to the fiesta.
Tiny Boot space with just 351 litres in comparision to Honda’s 500 litres.
Good:
Superb mileage
Breathtaking Power
Spacious interiors.
Larger in size than the competition
Solid after sales service
Good resale value.
Advice:
Buy a diesel Verna and fit it with high profile tyres, like Yokohama/Michelin 195 R14. Do not change the radius, then you would have to recalibrate your speedo and odo meter. By adding good tyres the handling in the highway improves by 20%. Then fit it with alloys, remote and a good system. You would have a awesome car at the end of it.
Verdict:
Check out the comparision sheet above between the verna and the fiesta. There you see the Verna is a bigger car than the Fiesta,
Why would anyone want to buy the smaller fiesta with a wheezy engine, when we can get a Verna for 50 Grand more.
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