2017 Hyundai Verna: Is It Priced Right?

The Hyundai Verna is back in an all-new avatar. The Korean manufacturer has managed to price the all new sedan at more or less the same price range as the previous version. Yes, Hyundai has juggled around some of the variants, especially the automatics, and also removed a few features offered earlier. However, they have added plenty more to elevate the Verna’s packaging. In fact, until the new 2017 Verna came around, some of these features could only be found in sedans from a segment above. Now, let’s do a variant-by-variant price comparison to see if the slight hike in prices is justified.

Hyundai Verna E 

Price Petrol (ex-showroom New Delhi)

• Old model - Hyundai Verna 1.4-litre Base: Rs 7.84 lakh   

• New Model - Hyundai Verna 1.6-litre E: Rs 7.99 lakh 

• Difference: around Rs 15,000

Price Diesel (ex-showroom New Delhi)

• Old model - Hyundai Verna 1.4-litre Base: Rs 9.06 lakh

• New Model - Hyundai Verna 1.6-litre E: Rs 9.19 lakh

• Difference: around Rs 13,000

The previous Verna’s range starter model had a 1.4-litre petrol and diesel engine and was referred to as just ‘Base’. Now, Hyundai has ditched both the 1.4-litre engines altogether (at least for now) and only the larger 1.6-litre petrol and diesel motors are available. 

For a premium of roughly around Rs 15,000, you get more powerful engines (+16PS/16Nm with the petrol engine and +38PS/40Nm with the diesel motor) than before. Further, the petrol version gets a new 6-speed manual as standard compared to the previous-gen model’s 5-speed manual. Hence, the increase in prices seems totally justified with the new base E trims.  

Hyundai Verna EX 

Price Petrol (ex-showroom New Delhi)

• Old model - Hyundai Verna 1.6-litre S (manual): Rs 8.80 lakh || 1.6-litre S (automatic): Rs 9.63 lakh  

• New Model - Hyundai Verna 1.6-litre EX (manual): Rs 9.06 lakh || 1.6-litre EX (automatic): Rs 10.22 lakh  

• Difference: around Rs 26,000 (manual) || Rs 60,000 (automatic) 

Price Diesel (ex-showroom New Delhi)

• Old model - Hyundai Verna 1.6-litre S (manual): Rs 9.97 lakh || 1.6-litre S (automatic): Rs 10.80 lakh  

• New Model - Hyundai Verna 1.6-litre EX (manual): Rs 9.99 lakh || 1.6-litre EX (automatic): Rs 11.39 lakh  

• Difference: around Rs 3000 (manual) || Rs 60,000 (automatic) 

Like before, the second variant in the Verna’s lineup remains to be the only one that offers both manual and automatic options. While it was known as the ‘S’ variant earlier, it has now been renamed as the EX. 

Over the previous trim, the new Verna EX offers these extra goodies: 

• Speed-sensing auto door lock (was only offered with the range-topping trim earlier) 

• Projector fog lamps (fog lamps were not even offered with the earlier S trim variant) 

• Gets a 5.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with rear camera support,  Arkamys sound tuning, 4-speaker system and an Android-based remote 

• Rear AC vents (added for the first time)

• Cruise control (added for the first time)

• Front and rear USB charging 

The EX misses out on three main features which were offered in what was earlier called the ‘S’ trim: projector headlamps, auto dimming inside rearview mirror and Ergo lever (rear seat passengers can adjust the front passenger seat to enhance legroom). Besides these, the rest of the features are common between the two cars.   

When it comes to the price difference, the diesel manual is just Rs 3,000 dearer to the older versions ‘S’ trim. For that nominal price difference, however, you do get a lot more features than before. On the other hand, the petrol manual costs Rs 26,000 more than the earlier version. But for this steep hike, you do get a 6-speed gearbox as opposed to the earlier sedan’s  5-speed manual. 

The petrol and diesel automatic versions now ask a premium of approximately Rs 60,000. With the 2017 model, Hyundai has replaced the ancient 4-speed auto with the 6-speed automatic borrowed from the Creta and the Elantra. The new auto box is relatively quicker in shifting gears compared to the latter and should improve efficiency by a small margin as well.

The premium Hyundai charges for the new automatic trims and petrol manual seems appropriate considering the additional features and the new 6-speed automatic/manual transmissions offered.

Hyundai Verna SX 

Price Petrol (ex-showroom New Delhi)

• Old model - Hyundai Verna 1.6-litre SX (manual): Rs 9.49 lakh || 1.6-litre SX (automatic): Rs 10.27 lakh

• New Model - Hyundai Verna 1.6-litre SX (manual): Rs 9.49 lakh  

• Difference: Nil (manual) || SX trim doesn’t get an automatic option with the new model 

Price Diesel (ex-showroom, New Delhi)

• Old model - Hyundai Verna 1.6-litre SX (manual): Rs 10.66 lakh  

• New Model - Hyundai Verna 1.6-litre SX (manual): Rs 11.11 lakh || 1.6-litre SX+ (automatic): Rs 12.61 lakh  

• Difference: around Rs 45,000 (manual) || SX trim gets a diesel automatic for the first time

The last two trims of the earlier sedan were also called the SX and SX (O). The new SX trim adds cornering lamps with the projector headlamps along with LED daytime running lights (a long missing feature in the Verna). You also get Hyundai's latest 7.0-inch infotainment system coupled to a 6-speaker system. The infotainment system supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto along with MirrorLink connectivity options. The unit also boasts Arkamys sound tuning and Android-based app remote control. It has an IPS (In-plane switching) screen which offers wider viewing angles. 

Even though the 2017 Verna SX petrol manual features a 6-speed gearbox and extra features, Hyundai has managed to keep the price exactly the same as the earlier version. This variant is, undoubtedly, the most bang for your buck! Further, the SX petrol automatic offered earlier is no longer available now. Compared to the last-gen model, the diesel is unusually expensive by Rs 45,000 and could have been priced slightly lower. 

There’s a new top-spec diesel automatic variant added with the SX trim christened the SX+. The earlier sedan only had an SX(O) auto as its top-spec diesel-auto variant. However, both versions are priced roughly the same. The new SX+ diesel auto gets features such as sunroof, Eco Coating function (eliminates odour from the AC) and rear manual curtain, which are not offered in the SX trim.        

Hyundai Verna SX (O)

Price Petrol (ex-showroom New Delhi)

• Old model - Hyundai Verna 1.6-litre SX (O) (manual): Rs 10.50 lakh   

• New model - Hyundai Verna 1.6-litre SX (O) (manual): Rs 11.08 lakh || 1.6-litre SX (O) (automatic): Rs 12.23 lakh

• Difference: around Rs 58,000 (manual) || There was no top-spec petrol auto before 

Price Diesel (ex-showroom, New Delhi)

• Old Model - Hyundai Verna 1.6-litre SX (O) (manual): Rs 11.85 lakh || 1.6-litre SX (O) (automatic): Rs 12.62 lakh  

• New Model - Hyundai Verna 1.6-litre SX (O) (manual): Rs 12.39 lakh 

• Difference: around Rs 54,000 (manual) ||  There’s no top-spec diesel auto now 

The SX (O) is the variant, which sets the new Verna apart from not only its peers, but also the older model as well. For a premium of Rs 58,000 and Rs 54,000 for the petrol and diesel version, respectively, you get features that you would earlier find in only cars a segment above. These features include ventilated front seats, smart trunk (pops open automatically when you’re in its proximity with the key in your pocket) and Eco Coating (AC odour eliminator). 

Compared to the previous-gen model, you also get an electric sunroof, Auto Link (connected car app) along with rear manual curtain and luggage hooks and nets. Though it misses out on rain-sensing wipers, the premium asked by Hyundai seems appropriate for the segment-first features that the 2017 SX (O) packs. The SX (O) petrol automatic has been added for the first time, while SX (O) diesel auto has been discontinued.

Overall, the 2017 Hyundai Verna’s pricing seems about right for a sedan that packs more features than the previous model. However, it must be noted that these prices are introductory offers and will be limited to the first 20,000 customers only. Expect Hyundai to announce the revised pricing in six to nine months from now.

Source: cardekho.com