Honda City diesel, launched in 2014, has taken the market by storm and also helped its manufacturer regain muscle in the sedan segment. Earlier, due to the lack of a diesel version, the firm suffered a lot in terms of sales, something that has changed now. However, unlike the time it was first launched in India, City has a wide range of competitors, one of which dominates the segment now. The top three models that compete neck-to-neck with Honda City are Hyundai Verna, Volkswagen Vento and Skoda Rapid. Let’s take a look at how these three models fare against each other, keeping Honda City aside.
Hyundai Verna, at the moment, undoubtedly, is India’s favourite sedan and its sales are quite reflective of the same. Rejected initially, Hyundai Verna has staged a remarkable resurgence in India and now sits pretty at top of the sedan table, outmuscling all rivals including Honda City. It is no hidden fact that the introduction of Fluidic design architecture has been the single-most influential factor in the success of this sedan. The exteriors of Hyundai Verna boast of a sleek and sporty profile along with modern curves. Highlights of the appearance of this car include fog lamps, electric outside mirror with side repeater, chrome outside door handle, chrome front grille, alloy wheels and two tone chrome rear garnish.
This car comes in four versions in total, which include two petrol and two diesel variants. The petrol variants are fitted with 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre engines, delivering power levels of 105 BHP and 121 BHP, respectively. On the other diesel versions, featuring 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre engines, produce output levels of 89 BHP and 126 BHP, respectively.
Volkswagen Vento might not have registered sales like Hyundai Verna but it has certainly carved a niche among engineering aficionados. Based on the highly successful hatchback Volkswagen Polo, Vento features a chrome accented front grille, body coloured door handles, chrome finish boot lid and stylish alloy wheels. Like other models in its segment, Volkswagen Vento also comes in both petrol and diesel variants. The diesel version is fitted with a 1.6-litre engine that delivers maximum power of 106 BHP and fuel economy of 20.5 kmpl, according to company claims. Volkswagen Vento petrol, too, features a 1.6-litre engine that produces a similar output but at a much lower torque rate.
Skoda Rapid, a cousin of the Vento, has almost similar technical specifications but differs in styling and features. The appearance of this sedan boasts of a black front grille, projector headlamps, black roof, black side decals, alloy wheels and C-shape tail lamps.
Taking a closer look at all these models, it would be fair to say that Hyundai Verna outdoes others by quite some distance. While Skoda Rapid and Volkswagen Vento both are good models, Hyundai Verna’s appeal is much wider due to superiority in appearance and options in variants.
