If you were one of those people who thought the Verna looked quite staid when Hyundai launched it in 2006, then this one might just be up your alley. For once, it’s not just a subtle facelift that features changes so minute that one can hardly notice them but a complete makeover that is a part of the Verna’s transformation. While the foundation for the new car remains the Verna that we’re so used to seeing on Indian roads, this is the perfect example of what a little bit of cosmetic surgery can do to complete change the way a car looks.
For starters, and probably the sight that you’ll notice the most is the dramatic job performed on the front end. Not only does the Verna Transform get a new pair of headlamps – that themselves are far more stylish than the current set, but it also gets a completely new front bumper as well. The headlights now look more in line with Hyundai’s scorcher-of-a-car, the Genesis Coupe which is most definitely a huge improvement on the earlier units that the Verna had. But the headlamp change doesn’t garner just visual appeal – Hyundai claims that it also provides better illumination.
The front bumper gets a curvier theme with creases that seem to converge to a point behind the license plate – an effect that gets accentuated by the new grille that features bodycolour slats running its full width just under the Hyundai logo. Then there is also the cascade mesh air dam and the round fog lamps surrounded by black inserts. Completing the visual changes on the front is the sleek row of LED turn indicators on the wing mirrors. The tail features a new lamp design as well as chrome garnish along with a dual tone redesigned bumper. But the highlight of the rear end has to be the trapezoidal chrome finished exhaust tip.
Arvind Saxena, the director of Marketing and Sales said that other features which the Verna boasts of include iPod connectivity, 6 air bags, camera to assist reversing, climate control, 16 inch alloy wheels and keyless entry.
The Hyundai Verna will also symbolize the company’s new marketing tagline ‘New Thinking New Possibilities’. The car has been priced from Rs. 6.99 Lakhs (1.4 petrol) to Rs. 10.74 Lakhs (1.6 diesel SX (O) AT).
The new Verna is available in 4 engine options and 2 transmission options.
| Engine / Features | 1.4 VTVT Petrol Engine | 1.6 Petrol VTVT Version | 1.4 Diesel Version | 1.6 Diesel Version |
| Max Power (PS) | 107 | 123 | 90 | 128 |
| Max Torque(Nm) | 135 | 156 | 224 | 265 |
| ARAI Certified Mileage(KMPL) | 17.43 | 17.01 | 23.5 | 22.32 |
2011 Hyundai Verna Prices –
| Petrol engines | Diesel Engines |
| 1.4 VTVT 6.99 Lakhs
|
1.4 CRDi 8.0 lakhs
|
The prices that Hyundai announced for the Verna however are introductory and can be expected to change. As for the new diesel engine plant, Hyundai reported that they have invested around Rs.400 crores. The plant will have a production capacity of 45,000 in this year.
Also see – Hyundai to launch the 2011 Verna RB on 11th May, 2011
