Nissan Sunny diesel versus Hyundai Verna diesel!

Nissan India has priced the Sunny diesel sedan competitively starting at Rs. 7.98 lakh. At present, one of the diesel sedans that top the sales chart is the Hyundai Fluidic Verna. Here we pit the base variant of the Verna diesel (the 1.4 CRDi variant) against the Nissan Sunny XL to find out which car is a better package.

Driving and handling

The Verna’s 1.4-litre common-rail diesel motor is slightly more powerful (about 3.7 bhp and 20 Nm more) than the Sunny’s 1.5-litre power mill. The Verna’s 1.4-litre diesel engine puts out 88.77 bhp of power and 220 Nm of torque while the Sunny’s 1.5-litre diesel engine puts out 85 bhp of power and 200 Nm of torque, which means performance will likely be similar.

The Verna has a light steering that facilitates hassle free city driving; ride quality on the Verna however is not as sorted out as in the Sunny. Body roll is slightly more than in the Sunny as well but remain unnoticeable when driven within speed limits.

At high speeds, the steering feedback on the Sunny diesel will likely be a little more precise than in the Verna though both cars are far from being the best in their segment with regard to handling. The heavier diesel engine at the front should improve the ride quality of the Sunny. Body roll will most likely be minimal and thanks to its long wheelbase and low body height, the Sunny will likely have a sorted suspension. Also read: Nissan Sunny diesel launched!

Winner: There is no outright winner here. Both the cars match up with each other in terms of drivability and handling.

Space and comfort

The Sunny is far more comfortable than the Hyundai Verna thanks to the longer wheelbase, which frees up far more interior space. The Verna on the other hand provides decent rear-seat comfort, but some find under-thigh support lacking. The Sunny also sports a larger boot than the Verna. Overall, the Sunny wins over the Verna in terms of space and comfort.

Winner: Sunny for its phenomenal legroom and roomy interiors.

Looks

The Verna with its fluidic design scheme boasts attractive lines and curves all over. On the other hand, conservative buyers would prefer the simpler lines and the coupe-like rear styling of the Sunny. With regard to interiors, the Verna has a more glossy finish while the Sunny has plastics which feel hard to touch. Both cars have good quality of fit and finish overall with even shut lines and good quality plastics.

Winner: Verna for its fluidic design and symmetric looks.

Features

The Sunny XL variant and Verna 1.4 CRDi are similarly priced. Both the cars get electric power steering, AC with heater, power windows, central locking, adjustable headrests (front & rear) and music system with speakers. However, the Sunny XL comes with safety features such as driver and passenger airbag, ABS, EBD and BA (Brake Assist) and comfort features including automatic climate control, rear fan, and electric mirrors. These features are not available on the Verna 1.4 CRDi. Read more about the Nissan Sunny, its variants and prices here.

Winner: Sunny for better safety and comfort features.

Price mileage and VFM

The Verna 1.4 CRDi is priced at Rs. 8.09 lakh which is Rs. 11,000 more than the Sunny XL priced at Rs. 7.98 lakh. With regard to fuel efficiency, the Verna (23.5 kmpl) seems to have an edge over the Sunny diesel (21.6 kmpl). But, we expect the on-road mileage to be at par with each other.

Though the price and mileage are similar, the Sunny diesel stands out as a clear winner in ‘value for money’ proposition. The Sunny XL which is Rs. 11,000 less than the Verna 1.4 CRDi still packs in safety features such as Airbags and ABS and comfort features such as automatic climate control, electric mirrors and rear fan.

Winner: Sunny, for the extra features it offers at a lower price.

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Verdict

The Sunny diesel has all one would expect from a sedan in this segment: space, comfort, safety and comfort features, all for a price that is slightly less than the Verna 1.4 CRDi. Hence, we feel you will be happy with the diesel Sunny XL than the Verna 1.4 CRDi.

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