Verna

Overview

The Verna is the car you buy when a sedan still means something: presence, a long bonnet and a cabin that isolates you from the road rather than reporting it. The 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol makes 115 bhp and 144 Nm, it is smooth and willing up to a genuine highway pace, and at a steady 100-110 km/h the Verna is one of the most relaxed places to sit in this money. The boot holds 528 litres, which is more than enough for a four-person trip without folding anything.

Equipment is where the Verna distances itself from the older sedans it replaces. The top variant listed here carries a Level-2 driver-assistance suite with adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking, dual large screens dominate the dash, the front seats ventilate, and the sunroof and premium audio push the cabin toward something far more expensive. Hyundai has clearly built this car for the long-service-life executive sedan and the upmarket family cruiser alike.

The stain on an otherwise strong case is the crash structure. Six airbags are fitted, but the Verna carries a two-star Global NCAP adult score, which reads badly against the five-star SUVs sold for similar money, and safety-led buyers will use it as the reason to go elsewhere. The 115 bhp is also the naturally aspirated tune rather than a turbo, so while cruising is effortless, a hard overtake at a triple-digit speed needs the kickdown and room. As a highway car with a boot and a feature list to match any rival, it is compelling; the structure is the one box it does not tick.

• 528-litre boot
• Level-2 ADAS on top variant
• Composed, quiet high-speed ride