4 Steps Forward

After a successful 2014, Hyundai have started the New Year with the launch of a rework for their urban sedan - the Verna. Car India gets behind the wheel of the top-of-the-line 1.6-litre CRDi Verna 4S Fluidic to gauge what's different about this car.

"Progress for progress's sake must be discouraged, for our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering. A balance, then, between old and new, between permanence and change, between tradition and innovation because some changes will be for the better, while others will come, in the fullness of time, to be recognized as errors of judgement ." — Dolores Umbridge in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

For those of you (like me) who don't have Hermione Granger's keen sense of interpretation, that quote from the delightful Professor Umbridge might sound like so much waffle. The crux of it, though, is that change is a good thing when ideas or practices are outdated, but not so much if you're just making change for the sake of change. Now, whenever a car manufacturer comes out with a facelift version of a car, I can only think back to these lines, because a lot of times it's a little change in the lines here, a little dash of leather there, and an odd feature improvement thrown in for good measure. These changes seem forced, and a lot of times, unnecessary.

Which brings us to the Hyundai Verna 4S Fluidic, which, you guessed it, is a facelift of the old Verna Fluidic. The whole facelift-y bit is quite apparent as soon as your gaze falls upon the 4S Fluidic, which, as the name suggests, has been heavily influenced by Hyundai's much vaunted Fluidic design philosophy. The projector headlamp units on the Verna are bigger and taper across the front end, and the under-lamp LED strip, one of the most eye-catching aspects of the Fluidic Verna, is conspicuous by its absence. The front bumper, too, has been reworked to look edgier, and the air dam has been widened for greater air intake. All this is set off by a brand-new grille, shaped to resemble a wing.The front end of the 4S Fluidic Verna is aggressive and a lot more uncomplicated overall.

From the side, you wouldn't be able to tell that this Verna is any different from its predecessor; which isn't a criticism, because why change something that looks that good? The only discernible difference is the headlamps which stretch so far back across the face of the car that you can see them even when standing lengthways to it. The changes crop up again when it comes to the posterior of the car. The alterations here are a lot more subtle. The tail-lamps have been freshened up to match the wraparound styling of the headlamps, the bumper has been underlined in black, and the reflectors have been made a lot beefier to add to the car's edginess. If you're looking for those signature twin exhausts, you're in for a disappointment, because Hyundai have gone for a concealed exhaust set-up.

If you've travelled extensively in the original Fluidic, the inside of the 4S will seem mighty familiar. Again Hyundai have stuck to the if-it-ain't broke- don't-fix-it philosophy, and the interior stays as premium as ever. This means that the two-tone dash, that high level of fit-and-finish and those swanky leather seats are all maintained. As are the seats, this results in front seats that lack in the thigh support department, a problem that doesn't transfer to the rear seats, though. The front passenger seat now features an 'Ergo lever', allowing the passenger sitting in the rear to adjust the front seat for optimal leg-room without going through any trouble. The driver's seat now comes with a height adjuster too, which is always a pro for people who are a little too gangly for the standard fare of C segment car. Hyundai have chosen to provide a fixed rear headrest in this version of the Verna.

Gadgetry has been the hallmark of Hyundai cars, and the Verna sticks to its guns in terms of an audio set-up with Bluetooth, USB and auxiliary connectivity, six speakers, steering-mounted controls, and a cooled glove-box, etc. Safety-wise, Hyundai have taken the very welcome step of making ABS standard across the board, and retained the six-airbag set-up for the top-end variant. The Korean auto-makers have also introduced a new feature – impact sensing auto door unlock, making it easier to exit the vehicle in the event of a crash and potentially prevent the lock from jamming up.

Too geared towards city driving, the car wallowed about at high speeds. Hyundai have made a conscious effort to fix this issue by adjusting the spring stiffness of the rear coil and introduced a bump stopper, besides a low-velocity control valve to the rear shocks, all of which means that the ride quality has dramatically improved. The car is as comfortable as ever when absorbing the bumps and grinds of city roads, but feels a lot more planted at higher speeds, and the improved suspension along with a steering that gets heavier with increasing speeds means the car handles a lot better too. All this has also resulted in reduced body-roll, though the issue has not been completely eviscerated.

Since the engine and drive train options on the 4S Fluidic are still the same as those on the Fluidic, power delivery and performance haven't been affected. The 4S still creates an impressive 128 PS and 260 Nm of twist from the diesel power plant, but also carries forward that blip till 2,000 revs before the turbo kicks in. One noticeable difference, though, is the NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) levels. Driving in third with the car revving at 4,000 wasn't the slightest bit disturbing, even with the diesel mill thrumming. Gearshifts arc fluid and both petrol and diesel engine variants retain automatic gearbox options.

In summation, the 4S Fluidic isn't "progress for progress's sake" and a lot more of a complete package than its forerunner. It has been priced ranging from Rs 7.8 lakh to Rs 12.2 lakh (ex-showroom). This means it will measure up to its competitors price-wise too, making it a proper contender for the top spot in the battle for C-segment superiority.

Words By: Harket Suchde

Published By: Car India