New Ford Fiesta vs Hyundai Verna Fluidic

Showdown of class: A comparative evaluation between New Ford Fiesta and Hyundai Verna Fluidic


It is raining cars! Indian consumers will surely be perplexed with the number of cars being launched every month and making a choice from a range of car brands is rather a painstaking effort and of course time consuming. But comparative evaluations between cars can simplify your decision making process. And here is one such assessment between the new Ford Fiesta and Hyundai Verna Fluidic that will assist you to make a choice.

Looks
The two sedan's predecessors unfortunately could not reach the company as well as the market expectations and this time around the new Fiesta and Verna Fluidic seem to have left no stone unturned to make a mark in India. The two sedans in discussion share fundamental design elements but they definitely leave the older variants far behind in this regard. Talking of Fiesta it seems to be an extension of the hatchback variant; the fascia looks elongated and in many ways the US carmaker has stuck to the Kinetic design that exists from a decade. While the boot design is not very impressive rather it looks bulky and awkward. Except for these shortcomings Fiesta is quite a head turner.



Whereas, the Verna Fluidic is not an imitation of its hatch in any sense and has an edge over Fiesta with an individualistic look with being more eye-catching, aerodynamic and sporty. The well-designed boot makes the Verna Fluidic longer and in fact is a long car when compared to its competitor Fiesta but in the tussle of exterior appearance it tends to lose a bit of headroom inside the car.


In terms of the interiors, new Fiesta seems to have gone all out to make a mark and is ahead of its predecessor in this regard with Bluetooth operated audio system, automatic foldable mirrors, voice controlled AC, cruise control, multimedia & phone access and the its safety-rich features such as anti-theft alarm, traction control, engine-check warning, seat belt and door ajar warnings are cool along with the standard safety features. The only thing that could make you frown is the plastic touch to the door pads and the black contrast to the interiors steals the sophistication. The seats both at the front and rear are comfortable but if you are bulkier the bolsters might hurt your back.


Speaking of the interiors in the Verna Fluidic the use of light colours adds a touch of class and the finishing is good unlike the Fiesta. The rear seats have arm rest, headrests for three passengers and offer comfortable seating in terms of ample head room and leg room. The use of plastic and wood inside the car are certainly of better quality in comparison to the previous version. The quality plastic and the overall usage of superior quality material inside the car put Verna Fluidic ahead of Fiesta. The hi-end version of Verna Fluidic is braced with Bluetooth audio system, camera with sensors that help while reversing and electric foldable mirrors are a few features to mention.


So in the interiors department Ford beats Hyundai hands down; the sober beige interiors of the New Fiesta are attractive and makes it very pleasant as soon as one enters the cabin.

As for the safety features, it is Verna that outscores the new Fiesta

Engine, performance and mileage
The Ford Fiesta is equipped with 1.5L (diesel) engine that delivers a power of 90 bhp at 3,750 rpm and maximum torque of 20.8 kgm of torque 2000 rpm, which indicates that the car is not all that a powerful machine and the use of turbocharger also do not seem to help the performance of the car to a great extent. But the top speed of 173 kmph may offer some solace, while the clutch functioning could bother you in city driving, which again drags down the overall performance of the car. The ARAI has certified that Fiesta delivers mileage of around 17 kmpl (petrol) and around 23 kmpl in the diesel car.

The Verna Fluidic on the other hand is braced with 1.6L motor with a power output of 126 bhp and 26 kgm torque, which makes it a clear winner in terms of power. The 0-100 kmph can be touched in a mere 10.54 seconds and top speed of 191 kmph is also decent among this segment of cars. The clutch is smooth and the refined engine leads Verna Fluidic to a greater level than Fiesta in addition to the better mileage; petrol version gives a mileage 17.43 kmpl and diesel variant gives around 23.5 kmpl.

We can say both the sedans tie when it comes to mileage with both of them returning almost about same mileage of around 16 kmpl.

Colors
The all new Ford Fiesta comes in 8 versions starting at Rs. 824,000 upwards Rs. 1,043,500
1.5 TiVCT Petrol Style
1.5 TiVCT Petrol Trend
1.5 TiVCT Petrol Titanium
1.5 TiVCT Petrol Titanium+
1.5 TDCi Diesel Style
1.5 TDCi Diesel Trend
1.5 TDCi Diesel Titanium
1.5 TDCi Diesel Titanium+

The Verna Fluidic comes in 10 versions with prices starting from Rs. 821,000 going upwards to Rs, 1,230,000
New Verna Fluidic MPFi
New Verna Fluidic Gamma
New Verna Fluidic SX Gamma
New Verna Fluidic SX (O) Gamma
New Verna Fluidic AT
New Verna Fluidic 1.4 CRDi
New Verna Fluidic 1.6 CRDi
New Verna Fluidic SX CRDi
New Verna Fluidic SX (O) CRDi
New Verna Fluidic Diesel AT

Verna Fluidic is available in silver, purple, black, white, beige and gray. And the color options for Fiesta include: black, silver, white, gray, blue, squeeze and metallic.

Conclusion
The Fiesta is certainly an improvised version although in some departments the Verna Fluidic outsmarts the Fiesta. The easy steering and comfortable suspension makes Verna Fluidic a better sedan for city drives, but my choice will be the new Ford Fiesta when it comes to the amazing steering, ride quality, engine performance and handling.

That said Ford service is reputed to be expensive as will be its spares when compared to Hyundai and the Ford Fiesta top end version comes cheaper than its Verna Fluidic counterpart. But the Verna Fluidic will beat Ford hands down in many departments - from its fresh looks coupled with more features, comfortable and spacious cabin, good after sales service. Ford Fiesta with contemporary interiors feels it is designed for the young upwardly mobile class.

So drive the sedan that best fits your driving needs.