I had a doubt about the hill climb abilities of the car, but was able to ferry a carload of people from Dehradun to Mussoorie in absolute comfort.
BHPian Tapish recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
6000 km update:
So, in a matter of 4 months, the car has already crossed 6,000 kms. Most of this has been on highways including Ahmedabad- Delhi and multiple Gurgaon – Nainital – Dehradun trips.
Overall, the car has returned a healthy 14.9 kmpl mileage. This is from the MID and I haven’t verified it. On early morning highway runs, I have been able to extract 19-20 kmpl as well.
I have had one free service that I got done with only 650 km on the odo due to a long drive that was planned from Ahmedabad to Delhi.
No other expenses (touchwood) until now, it is truly a fill it, shut it, forget it car. Did manage to get a small scratch on the back bumper while reversing in a tricky place.
Car care: Got the Turtle Wax spray-on Ceramic coating for around Rs. 1000 from Amazon, held up well for about 2 months. Need to do another coat of the same. Luckily the bottle can do 3-4 coatings.
I thought I should write about the things that I have loved during these 4 months and also the ones that I could do without.
Likes:
- The sunroof: A lot of people might disagree with me here but the sunroof is a real boon. Granted, this is the winter season and I drive mainly on the highways, but the extra light just makes the cabin airier. In fact, I have never put on the shade, and I have only once opened the roof (while on a scenic drive from Dehradun to Mussoorie) – so the sunroof is being used more as an all time moon roof. I bought the car in Sep/ Oct and since then we have surely appreciated some extra sunlight in the car. Maybe during the summers, I will have to use the sunshade more often and only remove it during early morning drives. Would I pay extra for it, maybe not! but it’s one feature that both I and my wife love.
- Cornering lights: I know it’s a basic feature expected at this price level, but every time I turn into a hill or a weird mall parking corner, I thank the guys who designed it. Such a simple feature and so useful.
- Carplay and wireless charger: Such a boon every time you need to add something to navigate or listen to some music that you randomly remembered. And of course, not to worry about carrying the charging cable every time. In fact, my wife’s phone did not fit the charger so we changed the phone just for convenience.
- Boot space: No car in the same price bracket (okay maybe some cars) have this kind of boot space. Successfully used it for airport runs as well as when we had to almost move the house.
- Cruise control: Have used it extensively during highway runs. It is especially useful if you want to avoid the nagging sounds beyond 120. So on a good highway like the Eastern Peripheral Expressway or the Meerut Expressway, I set it at 118 (the speed limit is 120) and drive comfortably. If the traffic forces me to disengage, I work the speed back and reset it. Also useful in places like Delhi where the expressway has a limit of 70. It’s easier to set it once and drive.
- Gearbox: The car has kept me happy driving across the country on 6 lane highways and is a blessing in traffic. I had a doubt about the hill climb abilities of the car, but was able to ferry a carload of people from Dehradun to Mussoorie in absolute comfort. Granted, I don’t compete it with Octavias on the road but am able to keep pace with most others. I even managed a speeding ticket in Delhi driving 91 in a 70 zone.
- Presence: This is highly subjective, but the car has amazing presence with the Starry Night color ,and looks great in a sea of all CSUVs around. In fact, when I see a puny Kushaq or a Venue on the road, I feel bad for the owners since they may have paid more money than me for a smaller car. Here’s the car somewhere in the hills:
Dislikes:
- No wireless charger switch: Every time I give my car to a valet, I have to disconnect the charger, since there is no way to switch it off and the valet would usually keep the car keys on it. It’s a fire hazard in that sense.
- No paddle shifters: Have not got a hang of the manual override, maybe would have used paddle shifters if the car had those.
Surprisingly, I have gotten used to the front grille and don’t mind it as much now. In fact, I have taken multiple pics of the car from the front angle which I thought I would never do.
Unused: Rear seats have only been used a couple of times when we had family or friends accompanying us. I have asked them if it’s comfortable at the back and they said yes. I don’t know if they were really comfortable or just being courteous.
I hope to continue updating my ownership experience frequently.
Keyword: My Hyundai Verna petrol IVT: 6000 km update