Bong Connection

Mumbai to Delhi was easy picking. Delhi to Kolkata sounded complicated too, but it required us to pass through UP, Bihar and Jharkhand.

We get off to an early morning start since we’re aiming to cover 850km by sundown, and from the looks of it, we’re pretty much on target, cruising at 120kph on the thinly-populated National Highway 2. And just when we’re thinking things are going our way, a local hero on two wheels with an equal number of pillion riders suddenly pulls out of a little side lane and lands in front of our car.

Seeing our fast-approaching vehicle, the rider panics, locks both breaks and stands right in our path-frozen and waiting for death to claim him. It seems like the perfect setting for one of those scary highway accident videos on Youtube. Luckily, our car is proficient enough to come to a halt in extra-short time and distance, stopping inches from catastrophe.

We live to tell our respective, but we could‘ve easily attained Youtube glory if not for an alert guy at wheel of impressive little hatchback. That guy with quick reflexes is our photographer Nitin, who at the first sight of the catastrophe, stood on the brake pedal with everything he had and steered away in the nick of time. And the car that saves the day is the Hyundai Grand i10, equipped with efficient brakes and ABS for added safety.

Being a co-passenger, there wasn’t much I could do apart from screaming like a schoolboy and adding to the commotion. Despite that, the Grand doesn’t lose its composure, even under hard braking, and has done exactly what we asked it to do-instantly cut speed and avoid the villagers sitting there like nine pins waiting to be knocked out. And the whole thing is no fault of ours, but we still flee the scene. Why?

Because we’re travelling through the state of Jharkhand, in a stronghold of Maoists, a group of people who aren’t really known for their fondness for either the Government or the media. Of course, we won’t dare reveal our identity in a place like this, but we have mustered up the courage to drive through this Naxal-infested area without any sort of escort. And we’re doing this because, as motoring journalists, we do tend to take some risks once in a while, and this time, we’re betting on the Grand’s overall reliability to get us out of troubled waters. And it hasn’t disappointed so far.

Our journey from Delhi’s India Gate to Kolkata’s Howrah Bridge via Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi, Gaya, Dhanbad and Durgapur, is to be a two-day affair. And like any other road trip through the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, this one too has had its share on antics.

In this part of India, it’s quite normal for bikes, cars and trucks to come charging at you in the wrong direction, expecting you to give way. Also, you’ll often find three-lane highway stretches suddenly disappearing, with unexpected diversions and no visible signboards to keep you informed. Plus, we’re forced to drive on broken roads for hours on end owing to a series of never-ending ‘works in progress’. Fortunately, Hyundai understands Indian road conditions really well, and has engineered the Grand fittingly. To iron out uneven roads like no other hatchback this size can. 

And it’s not just bad roads that it handles well. Given the space, the Grand will be more than happy to gobble up miles at a rapid pace- like it did on our way from Noida to Agra on the silky-smooth Yamuna Expressway. Its 3-cylinder, 1.1 Litre diesel motor is game for regular visits to the 150kph mark and even at those speeds, the engine doesn’t feel overly stressed. It is so well behaved even beyond 120kph that you’ll be momentarily fooled into believing you’re at the wheel of something bigger than a mere hatchback.

And that’s a great quality in a vehicle that has been assigned an endurance run, expected to cover an average of 700km daily for seven days straight. For Herculean tasks like this, you need a car that’s comfortable on long stretches; generous on passenger space and comfort levels; a car that, with the rear seats folded easily swallowed 400 Litres of luggage. And so far, the Grand has done all of that successfully and we expect it will continue to until our journey ends in Chennai.

But before that, we need to tackle the madness that is Kanpur, Allahabad and Varanasi. After a smooth drive on the Yamuna Expressway, we head towards Kanpur city. We spot a nearly 2km-long traffic snarl queued up outside city limits. Attempting to wade through this chaos could prove to be suicidal, so we skip it and change direction.

Compared to that, traffic in Allahabad is a bit better. And while we’re losing our cool navigating through locals walking, driving and cycling like herds of sheep, the Grand comes into its own, nipping in and out of small gaps, squeezing out of narrow lanes and avoiding running over the livestock that blissfully holds group meetings and spends leisure time in the middle of the road.

After driving for nearly 700kmph that day, we finally find some peace at Sangam Tat, a holy destination where the three great rivers, Ganga, Yamuna and Sarswati meet. It’s also the address for the nearly 100 million who visit the maha Kumbh Mela, held from January to march every year. Good we aren’t around for that.

After seeking blessings from the mighty rivers, we get a bit carried away and decide to drive into the heart of Varanasi, which is something of a capital city of Hinduism in India. To beat peak traffic, we reach the city early in the day, hoping to get a good glimpse of its narrow, crowded lanes flanked by roadside shops and Hindu temples.

To our surprise, we find that the locals here start the day as early as 5am, to visit Varansi many religious ghats. Sp welcomed by heavy traffic and after nearly an hour’s struggle, we decide to skip that as well. Fortunately we’ve got good music and efficient air conditioning, so our minds and bodies are cool despite the despair outside.

By the time we leave Varanasi, it’d 10 am and we’ve lost all hope of reaching our hotel in Kolkata in time to catch the Bahrain F1 GP. Kolkata is another 680Km away, and the race is scheduled for 8:30 pm – we still have a chance of making it to the final few laps of the race. So we put the hammer down and point the Grand’s nose towards the city of trams. By the time sun sets, we’ve shaved off close to 500km with almost 200km more to go. The highway leading from Asansol to Kolkata sees lots of heavy traffic, which threatens to slow us down, but we haven’t lost hope just yet.

With the Grand’s small footprint, and its ability to slot into narrow gaps, there’s nothing to stop this little Hyundai. It’s 9pm when we enter the city, and it takes us almost an hour to find a hotel in our budget. The money we’ve saved on the Grand’s lowly fuel bills, we spend all of it on our luxury hotel stay. For the record, the Grand has returned a healthy 18.7kpl throughout our journey from Delhi to Kolkata. Impressive! And on that positive note, we end leg 2 of the Grand Indian Drive in Kolkata.

So far, it’s been a smooth journey and the Hyundai Grand i10 has amazed us with its ability to tackle Indian driving conditions. Be it cruising a high speeds, navigating through peak traffic or evading potholes, the grand has done it all with great composure. The lengthy list of features has pampered us, and overall comfort and ride quality have been mighty impressive.

We’ve clocked close to 3,600 Km so far, and there’s 2,000 km more to go. Can the Grand keep it all together till it gets back to its place of origin? We’re betting on that!

Grand Crusader

Our car had the five-speed manual transmission, but for the buyers looking for hassle-free driving in the city, the Grand is also available with a four-speed automatic gearbox for an extra 43.

The Grand has a strong top end and turned out to be one of the best performers among the mid-size hatchbacks. It accelerates to km/h from standstill in 5.84 seconds, and crosses the ton mark in just 13.51 seconds. Although the engine's power band lies on the higher side of the rev-range, it is responsive at all engine speeds and provides that necessary surge of acceleration during overtaking.

Being a small car, fuel efficiency is an important parameter of the Grand i10’s performance. In city conditions, the car could manage 13 kilometers in one litre of petrol while an uninterrupted run on the highway yielded 18 km to a litre. This brings the real world average to 14.25A. Thus the 43-litre tank gives it a range of almost 613 kilometers. The fuel efficiency turned out to be lesser than expected from a 1.2-litre petrol car, which is the only shortcoming of this otherwise fantastic engine, Let's get down to the driving experience. The Grand's compact proportions and precise steering make it easy to slip through the gaps when maneuvering in traffic and it also handles well in turns. The car feels surprisingly steady and planted at high speed. Suspension is well-sorted for Indian conditions as it keeps the occupants disconnected from the harshness of the road, but a slightly stiffer set-up would have been even better. The Grand is equipped with a pair of disc brakes on the front wheels and drum brakes on the rear and they provide a strong braking force, which is another improvement from Hyundai.

The Grand i10 is our Car of the Year 2014 and the petrol variant has impressed us as much as did the diesel. And it's not just us. The entire industry has echoed our judgment since the car has also won the ICOTY (Indian Car of the Year) Award for the year. It is one of the best small cars available in the country and Hyundai have priced it wisely. Moreover, the reduction in the excise duty announced in the Interim Budget has resulted in a further decrease in the price of the car, which stands at Rs 6.32 lakhs (OTL Pune).

2015 Sonata breaks cover

Hyundai have unveiled the next generation sonata in South Korea. It is the first car to adopt the company's new Fluidic Sculpture 2.0, an evolution of the `fluidic design' language, and borrows t ling cues from the bigger Genesis sedan. The new understated styling gives the car a premium look.

As expected, the car has a long list of features and, for the first time Hyundai have paid special attention to safety. The car has a high strengthen creel moistures like predictive braking, lane departure warning, blind spot detection, hands-free boot opening and radar-guided cruise control.

Hyundai Verna the Gold Standard

What is it about this car that sets the Verna apart?

 

You could call it the gold standard for executive sedans in India. Or you could call it Hyundai Verna. But what is it about this car which sets the Verna apart? In the previous issue of the magazine, we had investigated the styling and comfort features of the Hyundai Verna. This time, we dig deeper to find out if there is substance under this style.

The Amazing Four

To do so, we must look at the heart of the Verna, the engine. Or rather, engines, since Hyundai gives you a choice of four engines in the Verna. There are two petrol and two diesel powering the Verna in 1.4 and 1.6 litre cubic capacities. What holds true for all engines is that they are frugal without sacrificing performance.

 

Hyundai engines are designed to maximize fuel economy. The more fuel efficient car is, the less toxic emissions it releases in the air. That means we leave our children cleaner and healthier planet. Yes, we so save on our fuel bills too.

Hyundai uses three methods to enhance the fuel economy of its cars. First is the maximization of fuel efficiency in the power train. Second, minimization of loss of energy and third, use of recycled energy sources. Eco-friendliness is a key element that is taking on bigger and bigger importance at Hyundai. Therefore developing innovative technologies that allow great driving performance through exceptional engines, as well as eco-friendliness has become the most important task at Hyundai. The Gamma engines powering the Verna are a step closer towards Hyundai’s mission of cleaner, greener world. 

Let’s take a look at the engine specifications and see what they tell us. The 1.6 Litre diesel generates 128PS at 400rpm while the 1.4 Litre petrol manages 107PS, On paper, these figures look impressive. But what does it all translate to on the road? There’s only one way to find that out. It’s time to drive.

 

The Driver’s Diary

You can see what to expect just by looking at purposeful stance of the car and its edgy Fluidic design. The Verna’s smart key can stay in your pocket, as the Verna automatically detects the key presence and allows you to unlock the car by pressing a discreet button on the door handle. Press the start button, no keys to turn on the ignition, and the engine warbles to life.

Slot the Verna into gear and mash down on the pedal. As the car surges forward, it’s difficult to tell it’s a diesel. It’s one of the smoothest and quietest in its class. The power delivery is linear and there’s enough power available across the band. You can barely feel the turbo kick in. There’s gentle surge at around 1900rpm followed by a strong thrust all the way to the top. The tractable engine means that you don’t have to constantly work the smoothing-shifting gearbox. The other thing that you’ll love is the Verna’s electrically powered steering. It is light and just what the doctor ordered for effortless scything through crowded urban streets and squeezing into tight parking spots. Given India’s roads, ride quality can, literally, make or break a car. The good news is that the Verna delivers on this front. You feel that you are riding on a magic carpet with softly set-up suspension has been tweaked further to make your drive more engaging than ever before.

Hop out of the diesel and check out the petrol-powdered motor. Like the diesel, the new gamma petrol engine scores high on refinement too with a near-silent idle. There is no doubt that this is a powerful motor with a meaty performance. Stay on the throttle and 100kmph comes up alarmingly fast. And here’s the best bit. The mid-range is strong, but the top end 4000rpm is even stronger. So as the revs rise, the Verna pulls harder. This is a surprisingly fun car to drive. Like a twist in the white-collar sobriety.

Your choice doesn’t end with the engine. The Verna gives you a choice between automatic and manual transmissions. The 5-speed petrol and 6-speed diesel manual gearboxes provide smooth, noiseless shifting of gears thanks to the key-and-ball-type synchromesh, optimized gear-tooth shape and precision matching. On the other hand, the four speed H-matic auto transmission offers highly responsive sporty acceleration, like that of manual transmission. So whether you want the convenience of an auto box or the control of manual, there is Verna for you.

Safety First

With great power comes great responsibility. That is why the Hyundai Verna is packed with an armory of active and passive safety systems to make your drive safer on our dangerous roads.

Anti-Lock braking system

Emergency braking maneuvers can cause a vehicle’s wheel to lock up and skid, resulting in a loss of steering control exactly when you need it most. ABS helps present the possibility of wheel lock up under hard braking, and rapidly pulses the brakes to help you retain steering control as you come to a stop.

Electronic brake-force distribution

EBD balances braking forces at each wheel when the car is dynamically loaded. This helps the driver maintain confident control in difficult braking solutions.

Six airbags all round

Six airbags provide all-round protection. One for the driver, one for the front-seat passenger, two curtain airbags running the length of the cabin , plus two side airbags make it the safest car on road in this segment.

Seatbelt pre-tensioners   

In the event of collision, a sensor detects the impact and automatically tensions the seatbelts around the pelvis, for additional protection.

Electro-chromic mirror (ECM)

The mirror automatically senses and reduces light intrusion from vehicles following you, dramatically reducing glare.

Rear proximity warning system

Sensors in the rear bumper detect objects which you can’t see while reversing and sound a warning if you get too close.

 

 

Front and rear disc breaks

All four disc brakes ensure optimum breaking efficiency and longer brake life.

Impact-sensing auto door unlock

In a case of collision, the doors get unlocked automatically to allow a safe and quick exit for all the passengers.

The Driver’s Diary

 

Talking about safety, what is the most important safety feature in a car?

It is driver. That is why the Hyundai Verna is designed with the driver needs in mind. So how does Hyundai do it? Hera are some examples.

Supervision Cluster with blue illumination

This is a case of no-nonsense functionality meeting sporting elegance. With its curricular rev counter and speedometer illuminated with white and blue lighting for optimum clarity and readability, the cluster provides the driver with vital vehicle information through both sight and sound.

Driver Information system

The new Verna comes equipped with an onboard computer that gives you useful driving information such as journey time and ‘distance to empty’. The panel also has a first-in-segment ECO drive indicator in the automatic variant that helps your drive in a more fuel-efficient way.

Steering wheel remote control

From the driver seat of the Verna you can operate a Bluetooth enabled mobile phone without having to take your hands off from the steering wheel. You can also control the stereo system and adjust the volume of phone calls with remote control on the steering wheel.

Rear-parking assist system

Parking is now a breeze with the visually guided parking system in the electro-chromic rear-view mirror where a camera helps you align the car in relation to other vehicles and the kerb.

 

The Gold Standard

While the Hyundai Verna is the gold standard in the executive sedans today, Hyundai realizes that journey has just started. Hyundai’s responsibility doesn’t end with you driving out of the showroom; in fact, it’s just the beginning. That’s why Hyundai has invested in an exhaustive nationwide dealer and workshop network to ensure that it is there wherever and whenever with whatever you need. Has this really translated to customer satisfaction on the ground? What do the Verna owners really feel about it? What does Hyundai do to increase customer satisfaction? In the next issue we will talk to some people to answer these questions.