The Hyundai Verna and Skoda Slavia are two of the hottest midsize sedans on the market currently and both pack some serious performance. Along with entry-level engines, both also come with range-topping 1.5-litre, direct-injection, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engines but with differing outputs.
The Verna has the upper hand with 160hp and 253Nm, but the Slavia is not far behind with its 150hp and 250Nm. Both use 7-speed dual-clutch automatics with dry clutches, and those are the versions we’ll be comparing here. The Hyundai is also 30kg lighter and as such, it trumps the Skoda in the power to weight and torque to weight ratios. So the Verna has the advantage on paper but let’s see who comes out on top on the tarmac.
| Verna Turbo DCT vs Slavia 1.5 TSI DSG: Specifications | ||
|---|---|---|
| Hyundai Verna DCT | Skoda Slavia DSG | |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 1482cc, turbo-petrol | 4 cyl, 1498cc, turbo-petrol |
| Power | 160hp at 5500rpm | 150hp at 5000-6000rpm |
| Torque | 253Nm at 1500rpm | 250Nm at 1600-3500rpm |
| Gearbox | 7-speed dual-clutch auto | 7-speed dual-clutch auto |
| Kerb weight | 1248kg | 1278kg |
| Power-to-weight | 128.2hp per tonne | 117.4hp per tonne |
| Torque-to-weight | 202.72Nm per tonne | 195.61Nm per tonne |
Hyundai Verna vs Skoda Slavia: 0-100kph, quarter-mile
| Verna Turbo DCT vs Slavia 1.5 TSI DSG: Acceleration from rest | ||
|---|---|---|
| Acceleration from rest | Hyundai Verna DCT | Skoda Slavia DSG |
| 20kph | 1.74s | 1.77s |
| 40kph | 3.10s | 2.98s |
| 60kph | 4.66s | 4.56s` |
| 80kph | 6.51s | 6.64s |
| 100kph | 8.82s | 8.96s |
| 120kph | 11.79s | 12.15s |
| Quarter mile | 16.24s | 16.42s |
Off the line, both sedans are neck-and-neck. Neither sedan allows for an aggressive launch, but the Verna’s shorter gearing, lighter weight and more torque come to the fore and it manages to register an 8.82s time for the 100kph sprint, narrowly beating out the Slavia’s 8.96s time. As for the quarter mile time, there’s less than two tenths of a second between them, with the Hyundai coming out on top here as well. Interestingly, the Slavia redlines at 6400rpm while the Verna’s spins till a more conservative 5800rpm.
Hyundai Verna vs Skoda Slavia: in-gear acceleration
| Verna Turbo DCT vs Slavia 1.5 TSI DSG: In-gear acceleration | ||
|---|---|---|
| In-gear acceleration | Hyundai Verna DCT | Skoda Slavia DSG |
| 20-80kph | 5.14s | 5.09s |
| 40-100kph | 6.30s | 6.07s |
It’s in the rolling acceleration where the Slavia claws back some lost ground, as Skoda’s DSG is quicker to respond and downshift than the Verna’s DCT. The 1.5 TSI’s stronger power delivery gives the Slavia the edge.
Autocar India’s testing standards
Before we conduct our performance tests, we check and maintain tyre pressures based on the manufacturer’s recommendation and ensure the car has a full tank of fuel. The car is then tested in a controlled environment with two people on board and the data is collected via highly accurate GPS-based timing equipment.
