The new Verna gets two engine options – a 1.6-litre petrol and a 1.6-litre diesel. The petrol engine makes 123PS of power at 6400rpm and 151Nm of torque at 4850rpm, while the diesel engine produces 128PS of power at 4000rpm and 260Nm of torque from 1500rpm all the way up to 3000rpm. Both engines are mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox.

If you are looking for an automatic, then Hyundai offers a 6-speed torque converter in the EX and SX(O) petrol-powered variants and the EX and SX+ trims with the sedan powered by the diesel mill. On paper, the new Verna has the most powerful engines on offer when compared to its competition, which includes the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, Honda City, Volkswagen Vento and the Skoda Rapid.

Speaking of looks, the new Verna is based on the Russia-spec Hyundai Solaris. The Verna for India gets a sporty design like its bigger sibling, the Hyundai Elantra. The third-gen car features a trapezoidal grille, bi-xenon headlamps with daytime running lights and projector fog lamps. As you moves to the side, you will notice the strong crease that runs under the window line and merges with the tail lamps, and the coupe-like silhouette like the older car.

While the E and EX (manual) variant gets 15-inch steel wheels, the EX (automatic) gets alloy wheels of the same size. The SX and SX(O) variants get 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels. The new Verna measures 4,440mm in length, longer than the previous-generation by 65mm. It’s also wider than before by 29mm, measuring 1729mm now.

The wheelbase is also longer than before by 30mm and that should free up more space at the rear. At the rear, the raked roofline and the LED tail lamps give the Verna a very distinct look when compared to its predecessor.