Hyundai has launched the updated Verna in India, and though the launch itself was rather unceremonious, the 2026 Verna addresses a lot of complaints that the pre-facelift model accrued. However, there are a few misses, including deleted features on the Verna facelift. Below, we've outlined everything the 2026 Hyundai Verna gets right, and the areas where there's scope for improvement.
Exterior design
Hits
Among the most lambasted aspects of the pre-facelift Verna was its fascia, which featured a wide grille, and a full-width LED light bar up top with the main headlight units below it.
The Verna facelift sports a fully redesigned front bumper, replete with Y-shaped elements, a hexagonal grille, and larger headlight clusters; the headlights themselves have been upgraded to dual-projector LEDs. While looks are ultimately subjective, fans of the current-gen Hyundai Sonata's design will likely take to the updated Verna's fascia much better.
Other styling tweaks on the 2026 Verna comprise new alloy wheel designs, and a revised rear bumper with a silver shroud and a sportier diffuser-like centre section.
Many have brought up the fact that the front LED light bar has been carried over to the Verna facelift as is. Hyundai possibly found it unfeasible in a mid-lifecycle facelift to change the split-headlight design to a more conventional setup, as such an endeavour likely required a lot more time and resources.
Misses
Hyundai could've used sequential indicators within the front and rear light bars for a cleaner look, instead of the simplistic halogen units. In fact, the Creta, Alcazar, and the new Venue get sequential indicators. Notably, Hyundai has also removed the cornering lights function with the 2026 Verna, even though it was available in the prior model.
Interior and features
Hits
Inside, the Verna facelift gets two updates that significantly up the premium feel: a three-spoke flat-bottomed steering wheel and a fully digital 10.25-inch driver's display.
While the pre-facelift model did come with a 10.25-inch driver's display, it was a part-digital unit borrowed from the old Venue and didn't look all that premium. The updated Verna borrows the top-spec Creta’s driver's display, which looks much nicer and is more detailed.
The prior Verna was equipped with a two-spoke steering wheel, which the facelifted model swaps out for a more upmarket-looking three-spoke flat-bottomed unit. Much like the new Venue, the Verna's steering wheel features the 4-dot Morse symbol for ‘H’ instead of the Hyundai emblem.
Depending on the variant, the 2026 Verna’s equipment list is bolstered with a 360-degree camera, a blind-spot monitor, a powered co-driver's seat, a memory function for the powered driver's seat, a Boss mode, a built-in dashcam, and 7 airbags.
Misses
Hyundai has binned a couple of creature comforts for the Verna facelift, most notably the heated front seats. The pre-facelift Verna was the only mass-market car that offered heated seats, which are very useful if you live in colder regions. Now, the only Hyundai car currently available in India that gets heated seats is the Ioniq 5, which costs north of Rs 46 lakh.
The other big omission is the cabin air purifier, an especially important feature in this era of skyrocketing AQIs. Hyundai removing the heated front seats is somewhat understandable, but the cabin air purifier should've been retained for the 2026 Verna.
Price and variants
Hits
The 2026 Verna gets a rejigged variant line-up and simplified nomenclature, with the trim levels now designated HX2, HX4, HX6, HX6+, HX8, and HX10. Moreover, pricing for the entry-level trims isn't all that high compared to those of the pre-facelift Verna.
Misses
Prices for the petrol-CVT variants of the 2026 Verna start at Rs 14.4 lakh, which is Rs 1.25 lakh more expensive. The top-spec Verna HX10 petrol CVT costs Rs 17.15 lakh – an increase of Rs 1.32 lakh.
The turbo-petrol line-up of the Verna facelift has also been truncated from five variants to just three. It doesn’t end there, though, as the price of the Verna turbo-petrol now starts at Rs 16.28 lakh – a Rs 1.76 lakh hike over the pre-facelift Verna – and tops off at Rs 18.25 lakh; Rs 1.27 lakh pricier. If you’re looking to buy the turbo-petrol DCT, its starting price has shot up by a whopping Rs 2.88 lakh.
Moreover, Hyundai now offers only one turbo-petrol MT variant of the Verna, the HX8 trim. Therefore, buyers will be locked out of features like a centre-side airbag, a 360-degree camera, a powered co-driver's seat, Boss mode, and a 10.25-inch fully digital driver’s display. The same holds true for the NA petrol-MT version.
Overall, the 2026 Verna incorporates several great changes and feature additions, and remains one of the most feature-packed and refined midsize sedans on sale. Hopefully, Hyundai will expand the Verna's turbo-petrol line-up to make the enthusiast-focused powertrain more affordable.
All prices are ex-showroom, India.
Saptarshi Mondal
Saumil Shah
