2017 Hyundai Verna review, road test

That the new Verna is stiffer and better built than its predecessor becomes obvious the moment you shut the doors. The old Verna’s hollow sound on door shut has made way for a reassuring, and even, European car-like thunk. Those behind the wheel will also find the cabin a neat and user-friendly place to be in. The dash’s low sill allows a good view out, the centre console is usefully angled, if ever-so-slightly, towards the driver, the infotainment system is placed high up and within easy reach and all buttons and controls are logically positioned too. The whole look and feel of the dual-tone cabin is properly Hyundai. It’s just that, while the dash is smart and quality is consistently good, at some level it all feels a bit too familiar and not ‘new’ enough so to speak. Perhaps the use of soft-touch plastics on the dash would have helped elevate the Verna’s cabin to the next level.

You sit reasonably low in the Verna but, thankfully, the driver’s seat-height adjust moves the entire seat rather than merely change the angle of the seat base as in the last Verna. The front seats are shapely and well-finished but aren’t the largest around, and some may also find cushioning a bit soft in the lower back region. The rear seat is an improvement over the old Verna’s, with extra cushioning and more support, but the low seating position is far from ideal and also makes ingress-egress that little bit harder. Rear legroom is better, again when compared to the old Verna, but isn’t particularly generous by modern-day class standards. This is not the widest of cabins either, so fitting in three passengers will be a squeeze and anyone taller than average will also find headroom at the back limited. Frankly speaking, there are compact sedans that offer a comfier back-seat experience, let alone the far roomier City and Ciaz.

Irrespective of where you may be seated, the Verna offers plenty of space for smaller items. Each door gets a 1-litre bottle holder, the centre armrest flips open to reveal a storage bay, there are cupholders near the gear lever and on the fold-down centre rear armrest, and the cooled glovebox is also usefully large. Oddly though, the recess at the base of the centre console – in the vicinity of the 12V charging socket, USB charging port, and the USB and aux-in inputs – isn’t large enough for smartphones over 5.5 inches. What is nice, though, is that rear-seat occupants get a dedicated USB charging port.

On airport runs, you’ll find the Verna’s well-finished 480-litre boot accommodating but the loading lip is a touch too high.