The previous Verna had its issues with the suspension. Too geared towards city driving, the car wallowed about at high speeds. The fact that 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, means 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. Steering feedback isn’t exactly adequate either – as it is still slightly on the down-low, but not to a degree where it becomes a major problem.
Since the engine and drivetrain 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 powerplant, 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. Gear-shifts are 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. Expect it to be priced ranging from just over Rs 9 lakh to Rs 15 lakh. 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.
