Also Read: Hyundai Creta: All You Want to Know
There is not much lag and drivers will appreciate the fact that you don't need frequent gear changes especially at lower speeds. So city diving should be a breeze. But to go with the quick acceleration both of us felt that there should have also been a sportier and stiffer suspension. What also lets the car down is a very soft steering with limited feedback and way too much play. A precise steering and a sportier setup would have also held its own better against the Duster - a car that drives very well. I'd have especially liked the steering to be not just adjustable for height but also reach. But the engaging gearbox, good grunt and quick pickup will impress buyers looking for a peppy diesel.
On to the automatic now. And it's very different in its character from the manual. Somehow the same engine manages to sound a bit louder too! The automatic has been tuned for efficiency and typical city driving, and so is not as engaging or fun as the manual. But it is still good to see Hyundai bringing us a more superior gearbox as compared to the auto boxes we got on cars like the Verna. The 6-speed doesn't allow you to redline the car, nor does it let you downshift - even if you use the tiptronic and get into manual mode. While none of this will matter much during daily driving conditions, where it will make a difference is on highways when you're trying to go past a vehicle and need that instant downshift and added punch.
We drove the two variants for a brief period of time and these impressions are based on the feedback the car gave us on the silky-smooth tarmac of Hyundai's test track. We'll get to learn about the car a lot more when we take it for a more evaluative drive upon its launch.
