The Mid-sized sedan segment in India is bustling with action, following the recent launch of the Skoda Rapid. It means that with its launch, the Skoda Rapid has become the 3rd major launch in this category of vehicles in India in the recent times – the other two being the Nissan Sunny and the Hyundai Verna. This has further intensified the battle for supremacy within this segment as other players like Honda City, Volkswagen Vento, Maruti Sx4 and Fiat Linea have already been slogging out for the top spot. In this article, we try to make a comparison between the three new entrants into the segment, on the basis of certain key parameters.
Pricing:-
Taking the base as the ex-showroom prices of the cars in Delhi, it is found that the middle variant of the Skoda Rapid car costs Rs.7.09 Lakh whereas the Nissan Sunny has a starting price of Rs.6.88 Lakh. The Hyundai Verna has a starting price of Rs.7.7 Lakh. However, one thing that has to be definitely mentioned here is that the Verna has 2 variants priced at greater than Rs.10 Lakh ex-showroom, hence with the added costs on taxes and other factors would enhance the on-road pricing substantially higher than that as well.
Options and Variants:-
The Rapid has been made available both in Diesel and Petrol variants and has been equipped with both Automatic and Manual transmission. The Hyundai Verna also has the same features incorporated. The Nissan Sunny, however, has been made available only in Petrol variant and automatic transmission has also not been provided on this vehicle.
Dimensions of the Vehicles:-
The Skoda Rapid has a length of 4386mm, width 1699mm and height 1466mm.
The Nissan Sunny has a length of 4425mm, width 1695mm and height 1505mm.
The Hyundai Verna has a length of 4370mm, width 1700mm and height 1475mm.
Engine specifications and Power Generated:-
The 1600cc Skoda Rapid engine delivers a peak power of 105Bhp.
The 1500cc Nissan Sunny engine delivers maximum power 99Bhp.
The Hyundai Verna rules in the power criteria with its 1600cc Petrol engine delivering maximum power of 123Bhp whereas its 1582cc Diesel engine has a peak power of 128Bhp.
Mileage:-
Mileage computed on the basis of ARAI standards show the Skoda Rapid trail behind at 15km/l, the Sunny is marginally ahead at 16.5km/l. Hyundai Verna rules this criterion as well at 17km/l for its petrol variant and 22.3km/l for its diesel one.
Safety Features Incorporated:
The standard version of the Nissan Sunny is equipped with ABS and Airbags with Automatic Climate Control provided in its Middle version. The middle variant of the Skoda Rapid includes features like ABS and Airbags whereas its top end version comes with Automatic Climate Control. The Hyundai Verna however is equipped with latest features like Reverse Parking Camera and Sensors, 6 Airbags and many more compared to the other two vehicles. However, its top end model out-prices the other two vehicles by Rs.50, 000 minimum, a cost if additionally paid can get these features incorporated into the other two vehicles as well.
Networks in India: This is where Hyundai Verna triumphs again as it has access to a huge number of dealership networks in the Indian market, followed much behind by the Skoda Rapid with Nissan Sunny at the end.
Based on the above-mentioned criteria, the Hyundai Verna, though more pricey, seems the right vehicle to buy. However, this is not the end-all about these cars; you might be interested in having certain other features on your car that might not have been elaborated here.