New Verna vs Ciaz vs City: Spec Comparison

The Hyundai Verna was the king of its segment till the Honda City was updated with a diesel motor back in January 2014. Since then, Maruti Suzuki has launched the popular Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, Honda has launched a new City with a comprehensive update and compact-SUVs/crossovers have increased the competition for the Verna. Constant updates to the old Verna were not enough to help it fight against an increasingly tough competition, the only solution for Hyundai to remain competitive in the segment was to launch a new Verna. The all-new Hyundai Verna is here now; it is bigger, better equipped and possibly good value too. But to see if it really makes a good deal we are putting it against its arch rivals in an on-paper fight to see who comes out on top.

Dimensions

The Hyundai Verna has grown in dimensions as compared to the model it replaces; overall length has increased by 65mm to 4440mm, the wheelbase has increased by 30mm and the overall width has increased by 29mm. Only the overall height of the car is the same as the previous model. Even with the increase in dimensions, the new Verna is now only at par with the competition in terms of exterior dimensions. The Maruti Suzuki Ciaz remains the biggest car in this segment, for now. The extra length, width and wheelbase do give it a lot of cabin space which the City and Verna will not be able to match. The Verna also lags behind in terms of luggage space with a 30-litre deficit over both the Ciaz and the City.

Diesel Engine

The Verna has the biggest engine in this comparison. For now, Hyundai is only offering a 1.6-litre, turbocharged engine in the new Verna, the older car featured a 1.4-litre engine too. With this engine, the Verna is the most powerful and torquiest car in this comparison but it does suffer in terms of fuel-efficiency. The Verna's 1.6-litre engine is the thirstiest in this comparison. The Maruti Suzuki Ciaz wins the efficiency battle here with a jaw-dropping 28.09kmpl! One redeeming factor for the Verna is that it is the only car here that offers diesel automatic variants. The Verna features a 6-speed torque-converter which is better than the 4-speed unit offered on the previous model.

Petrol Engine

Just like in the diesel engine comparison, the Verna features the largest petrol engine in this comparison with the largest power/torque output and consequently the least efficient. The Verna has the advantage of offering a 6-speed automatic transmission as compared to the 4-speed automatic transmission on the Ciaz. The City is offered with a CVT transmission which should make it the smoothest car to drive in this comparison without impacting efficiency. The Maruti Suzuki Ciaz tops the efficiency battle again.

Standout Features

The Verna stands out with segment-first features like ventilated front seats and hands-free automatically opening boot-lid. These are premium features it borrows from its larger sibling, the Elantra. On the other hand, the unavailability of a telescopically-adjustable steering at this price point makes it feel less premium.

Get latest updates on
the automobile community

Login Now

The City, after the mid-life facelift it received in February 2017, has really been pushed into a league of its own in this segment - at least in terms of features. Features like all-LED headlamps, LED DRLs, LED tail lights, rain-sensing wipers and a connected car app (which Honda was the first to introduce in this segment) make the City feel more premium the competition. The touchscreen infotainment system is not the best in terms of smartphone connectivity and the touchscreen A/C controls are not intuitive to use, but we are just nitpicking about a package that is otherwise the best in the segment.

The Ciaz is now the oldest car in this class, it has not received a comprehensive update/facelift since it was first launched in 2014. The Ciaz feels adequately equipped amongst its competition, but it does not stand apart. The Ciaz has the best touchscreen infotainment system in this comparison, it is also the only car to be offered with a fuel-saving automatic start/stop system. The Ciaz is the only car here to offer just two airbags, the other two offer six! For the price, the exclusion of features like a cruise control system, telescopically-adjustable steering and rain sensing wipers make it feel dated.

Price

Hyundai has cleverly priced the Verna's variants to make it look like the most value-for-money offering in its class. The base price of the Verna is so low because the base E variants are offered with minimal features. All things considered, the Ciaz is the most affordable car in this comparison, but while it offers the most spacious cabin and the most efficient engines, the sedan ranks low in terms of features. The Honda City is the most expensive car in this comparison but offers a lot more features than the competition. The Hyundai Verna, at least on paper, is the best car here only if you are looking for a powerful sedan, it is trumped by the Ciaz in terms of space and efficiency and by the City in terms of features. A comprehensive real-world comparison review will give us a proper idea of how the new Verna fares against the competition - stay tuned.

Recommended Read:

Which variant of the Hyundai Verna should you buy? We make it easy for you

Who's the New Hyundai Verna? Our first impressions are good