oi-Dennis Abraham James
The
sedan
segment
has
been
on
the
decline
in
India
for
quite
a
while
now
as
car
buyers
across
the
country
have
shifted
their
focus
onto
the
higher
(slightly)
riding
SUVs
to
ferry
their
families
around.
The
shift
to
SUVs
has
been
so
significant
that
the
arrival
of
a
new
sedan
is
something
that
happens
maybe
once
in
a
blue
moon.
Thankfully,
that
rare
event
recently
happened
when
Hyundai
launched
the
all-new
Verna
in
Delhi
earlier
this
month.
What
emerged
from
under
the
covers
was
the
sixth-generation
Hyundai
Verna,
an
edgy
and
futuristic
car
that
looks
to
remind
the
nation
about
just
how ‘cool’ sedans
really
are.
So
when
the
South
Korean
carmaker
invited
us
to
the
national
capital
to
take
the
2023
Hyundai
Verna
out
for
a
drive,
we
jumped
at
the
opportunity.
So
just
what
did
our
stint
with
the
all-new
Hyundai
Verna
tells
us
about
this
futuristic
fighter
flying
the
flag
for
the
sedan
in
India?
Here
are
our
thoughts…
2023
Hyundai
Verna
Design
&
Features
–
Sharp
Edged
Fighter
One
glance
at
the
2023
Hyundai
Verna
shows
you
just
how
much
the
sedan
has
changed
from
its
previous
iteration.
The
sixth-gen
Verna
has
ditched
the
curves
of
its
predecessor
and
has
instead
adopted
a
sharp
and
edgy
look
that
looks
ready
to
slice
through
its
rivals.
The
2023
Verna
adopts
Hyundai’s
Sensuous
Sportiness
design
language
that
we’ve
seen
in
the
Korean
carmaker’s
SUVs
like
the
Alcazar,
Tucson
and
the
recently
launched
Ioniq
5
EV.
The
transformation
of
the
new
Verna
thanks
to
this
sporty
new
take
on
design
is
as
dramatic
if
not
more
than
what
we
saw
on
Hyundai
SUVs.
The
new
Verna
is
edgy
and
loud
and
looks
like
it
came
from
a
time
a
few
decades
into
the
future.
This
edgy
new
design
is
best
viewed
at
the
front
of
the
sixth-gen
Hyundai
Verna.
Like
its
SUV
siblings,
the
new
Verna
sports
a
split
headlight
design
and
the
front
end
of
the
sedan
is
dominated
by
the
connected
LED
daytime
running
light
strip
that
runs
across
its
width.
The
actual
headlights
and
cornering
lights
are
seen
lower
down
on
the
front
end
of
the
car
and
flank
the
upper
edges
of
the
blacked-out
parametric
grille
that
is
now
a
signature
design
piece
for
new
Hyundai
cars.
Turbo
petrol
variants
feature
a
smaller
horizontal
air
intake
above
the
parametric
grille
and
the
Hyundai
badge
can
be
seen
on
the
bonnet
which
features
a
few
raised
lines
that
increase
the
sporty
nature
of
the
new
Verna.
Switch
over
the
sides
of
the
new
Verna
and
your
eyes
are
drawn
toward
the
fastback-style
roof
of
the
sedan.
The
new
Verna
rides
on
either
15
or
16-inch
wheels
depending
on
the
variant
chosen
which
also
determines
whether
they
are
finished
in
silver
or
black.
Also
seen
are
quite
a
few
Z-shaped
character
lines
which
add
to
the
sporty
nature
of
the
2023
Hyundai
Verna.
There
is
also
quite
a
bit
of
chrome
around
the
windows
which
is
also
seen
on
the
door
handles.
Switch
to
the
rear
of
the
new
Verna
and
the
fastback-style
roof
smoothly
flows
into
the
boot.
The
connected
LED
taillights
feature
an
embedded
Verna
logo
and
look
rather
futuristic.
Above
the
taillights
sits
the
large
Hyundai
logo
while
the
variant
badging
can
be
found
on
the
lower
right
side
of
the
boot
lid.
The
rear
bumper
also
features
a
patterned
segment
that
adds
to
the
premium
look
of
the
2023
Hyundai
Verna.
The
spring-loaded
boot
lid
of
the
Verna
opens
up
to
allow
access
to
a
large
528-litre
boot
which
gobbles
up
all
you’ll
need
for
weekend
road
trips
with
ease.
Step
inside
the
new
Hyundai
Verna
and
you’ll
be
greeted
by
a
rather
minimalistic
interior
which
gives
the
new
sedan
a
rather
premium
look.
While
the
Verna
variants
equipped
with
the
naturally
aspirated
engine
get
a
dual-tone
theme,
the
versions
with
the
new
turbo-petrol
engine
feature
a
more
sporty
black
theme
with
a
host
of
red
accents
on
the
dash
and
doors.
The
layered
dash
is
dominated
by
a
pair
of
10.25-inch
displays.
The
one
behind
the
steering
wheel
acts
as
a
display
for
the
instrumentation.
The
other
display
is
a
touchscreen
unit
for
the
infotainment
system
that
supports
both
Android
Auto
and
Apple
Car
Play
and
acts
as
a
hub
for
Hyundai’s
Bluelink
connected
car
features.
The
infotainment
setup
is
connected
to
an
8-unit
Bose
surround
sound
system
(7
speakers
and
a
subwoofer)
which
will
make
bass
heads
around
the
country
bounce
about
in
their
seats
as
their
tunes
drop
the
beat.
Underneath
the
infotainment
display
and
the
vents
below
it
sits
the
controls
for
the
automatic
climate
control
system
that
features
three
different
modes
–
low,
medium
and
high.
There
is
also
another
button
on
this
setup
which
when
pressed
allows
you
to
control
the
functions
of
either
the
climate
control
setup
or
the
infotainment
system,
which
we
found
to
be
a
rather
clever
touch.
The
cabin
itself
is
rather
spacious
and
there
is
more
than
enough
room
for
even
the
taller
personalities
to
sit
quite
comfortably
at
the
rear
which
is
thanks
to
the
new
Verna’s
extended
wheelbase
(70mm
longer
than
its
predecessor).
The
seats
themselves
feature
leatherette
upholstery
and
offer
ample
support.
The
front
seats
are
both
heated
and
ventilated
and
the
powered
driver’s
seat
along
with
the
tilt
and
telescopic
adjustment
for
the
steering
allows
those
in
control
to
find
the
perfect
driving
position
with
ease.
Other
features
on
the
new
Verna
include
a
large,
electrically
operated
panoramic
sunroof,
ambient
lighting
with
64
different
colour
options,
a
cooled
glovebox,
and
leatherette
wraps
for
the
two-spoke
steering
wheel
and
gear
lever.
In
terms
of
safety
features,
the
2023
Hyundai
Verna
comes
packed
with
a
boatload
of
kit
to
keep
those
inside
safe
including
6
airbags,
ABS,
EBD,
VSM,
Traction
Control,
TPMS
and
ISOFIX
along
with
an
array
of
ADAS
features
like
Adaptive
Cruise
Control,
Lane
Keep
Assist,
High-Beam
Assist,
Rear
Cross-Traffic
Alert,
Rear
Cross-Traffic
Collision-Avoidance
Assist
among
others.
2023
Hyundai
Verna
Specs
&
Dimensions
–
A
Larger
Cutting
Edge
The
2023
Hyundai
Verna
is
a
lot
larger
than
its
predecessor.
The
new
Verna
sedan
is
4,535mm
long,
1,765mm
wide
and
1,475mm
tall.
The
wheelbase
of
the
new
Verna
is
2,670mm
long.
The
new
Verna
offers
170m
of
ground
clearance
which
is
more
than
adequate
for
our
roads.
The
new
2023
Verna
is
95mm
longer
and
36mm
wider
than
the
car
it
replaces
and
it
features
a
70mm
longer
wheelbase.
The
new
Hyundai
Verna
is
offered
up
with
two
petrol
engine
options,
both
displacing
1.5
litres
each.
The
naturally
aspirated
engine
is
something
previous
Verna
owners
will
be
very
familiar
with.
The
engine
produces
113bhp
and
144Nm
of
peak
torque
and
comes
paired
with
either
a
6-speed
manual
gearbox
or
Hyundai’s
Intelligent
Variable
Transmission
(automatic).
The
second
engine
option
is
the
newer
1.5-litre
turbocharged
petrol
engine
which
pushes
out
158bhp
and
253Nm
of
peak
torque.
The
engine
is
paired
with
either
a
6-speed
manual
gearbox
or
a
7-speed
DCT
automatic.
As
stated
earlier,
the
new
2023
Verna
rides
on
either
15
or
16-inch
wheels
that
are
shod
with
185/65
R15
and
205/55
R16
tyres
respectively.
The
new
Hyundai
Verna
features
a
McPherson
strut
with
a
coil
spring
setup
at
the
front
while
the
rear
end
features
a
coupled
torsion
beam
axle.
The
new
Verna’s
braking
duties
are
handled
by
discs
at
the
front
and
drums
at
the
rear
except
for
the
top-spec
turbo
DCT
model
which
gets
disc
brakes
all
around.
2023
Hyundai
Verna
Driving
Impressions
–
Soft
Turbo
Scimitar
We
got
behind
the
wheel
of
the
new
Verna
with
the
1.5-litre
turbocharged
engine
that
has
been
recently
seen
on
the
new
Alcazar
SUV.
This
turbocharged
engine,
claims
Hyundai,
is
the
most
powerful
in
its
class.
Under
the
bonnet
of
the
Verna,
the
engine
features
a
tiny
bit
of
lag
but
once
spooled
up
delivers
quite
a
bit
of
mid
and
top-end
grunt
that
propels
you
triple
digits
in
no
time
at
all.
For
the
enthusiasts,
this
engine
is
best
paired
up
with
a
6-speed
manual
gearbox
which
features
short
throws
and
paired
with
a
smooth
and
light
clutch
is
quite
easy
to
use
even
in
stop-and-go
traffic.
For
those
looking
for
a
good
mix
of
comfort
and
fun,
the
DCT
is
the
option
to
go
for.
The
7-speed
dual-clutch
box
is
a
slick
shifter
and
will
easily
go
down
a
few
gears
in
quick
succession
if
you
get
a
bit
heavy
with
your
right
foot.
And
it
also
allows
you
to
shift
through
the
gears
manually
with
the
steering-mounted
paddle
shifters.
The
new
Verna
comes
with
three
driving
modes
–
Eco,
Normal
and
Sport.
A
button
next
to
the
gearstick
allows
you
to
switch
between
the
three
options.
Eco
is
best
left
for
the
hypermilers
willing
to
put
up
with
a
slightly
lazy
throttle
response
while
Sport
is
for
those
who
prefer
to
sprint
to
wherever
they
want
to
go
and
don’t
care
about
the
fuel
bills.
For
the
City,
we
would
recommend ‘Normal’ as
it
allows
for
a
good
mix
of
both
extremes.
The
steering
of
the
Verna
is
properly
weighted
–
neither
too
light
nor
too
heavy
–
and
responds
quickly
to
your
inputs.
Switching
lanes
is
effortless
and
the
blind
spot
monitoring
system
keeps
an
eye
out
for
any
lurkers
hiding
behind.
However,
don’t
go
chasing
corners
with
the
Verna
as
the
soft
suspension
setup
means
that
you
experience
quite
a
bit
of
body
roll
when
you
push
it
around
a
bend.
While
the
softer
setup
is
good
for
traversing
over
the
bumps
and
ruts
(which
the
Verna
does
without
much
fuss),
a
slightly
stiffer
setup
would
have
made
the
new
sedan
a
better
all-rounder.
Oh
well,
we
can
always
wait
for
the
N-Line
for
a
bit
more
fun.
Final
Thoughts
On
The
2023
Hyundai
Verna
–
Not
For
the
SUV
Sheeple
The
2023
Hyundai
Verna
looks
like
it
dropped
off
from
the
future
to
give
the
sedan
the
kick
up
the
rear
end
it
needs
to
combat
the
menace
of
the
SUVs.
As
an
overall
package,
the
sixth-gen
Hyundai
Verna
ticks
off
all
the
boxes,
though
enthusiastic
drivers
will
have
to
wait
for
a
future
N-Line
(please
do
it,
Hyundai)
version.
So
if
the
SUV
is
not
your
cup
of
tea
and
you
want
something
that
will
make
heads
turn
wherever
you
go,
the
2023
Hyundai
Verna
with
its
starting
price
of
Rs
10.99
lakh
(ex-showroom),
may
just
be
what
the
doctor
ordered
for
you.
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