Honda City Effect: Hyundai India rejigs the Verna variants

The all-new 6th generation, 2014 Honda City is looming large in the rear view mirror, with the official India unveil slated to happen on 25th November, 2013. The erstwhile segment leader in the C-segment sedan class, the City lost out as the Indian market dieselized.

The City’s loss was the Hyundai Verna Fluidic’s gain, a car that’s currently the undisputed market leader of the C-segment sedan class. The advent of the 2014 City, with a diesel engine in tow, seems to have alerted Hyundai India into evasive action. Case in point is the variant rejig of the Verna. Also read: Diesel Honda City unveiling on Nov 25

The Verna Fluidic now gets the following features on the top end variants:

• Projector headlamps
• LED daytime running lights
• Backlit power window and steering mounted controls
• Revised alloy wheel design

The car’s top end SX(O) variants, available with petrol and diesel engine options, lose the third headrest on the rear seat while the spare alloy wheel is replaced with a steel wheel. Hyundai has also decided to do away with curtain and side airbags on the automatic variants of the Hyundai Verna Fluidic petrol and diesel models.

These changes are aimed at making the automatic variants of the Verna Fluidic more attractive to buyers by offering the new set of features consisting of projector headlamps and daytime running lamps, at a moderate price bump up. While the additional 4 airbags, along with the new features, would have pushed the price of the Verna automatics to higher levels, Hyundai seems to be content in compromising safety for visual appeal.

Interestingly, Hyundai USA has unveiled the 2014 Verna Fluidic (known as the Accent in that part of the world) with the following new additions:

• One-touch triple turn signal
• Sliding sun visors
• Blind spot mirrors
• Updated standard audio system
• Improved voice recognition and button layout
• Projector headlights with LED accents
• Headlamp welcome / escort function
• Driver’s auto-up power window
• Telescopic function for steering wheel

While a couple of features (DRLs and projectors) are already standard on the top-end, India-spec Hyundai Verna Fluidic, the additional features available on the 2014 US-spec Verna could eventually make it to the Indian models. The additional features will serve as differentiating factors amidst new competition, read the 2014 Honda City. Engines and transmissions wise, the 2014 Verna Fluidic sold in India remains unchanged.