Dimensions – Lengthwise, Honda City stretches the tape significantly more than others – Volkswagen Vento, Skoda Rapid and Hyundai Verna, while width and height of all given sedans are similar. Ground clearance is marginally higher in Germans, at 168 mm, while turning radius is slightly larger at 5.4 m.
Petrol Engine – Volkswagen Vento is powered by 1.6 litre MPI motor producing 105 PS max. power @ 5250 rpm and 153 Nm peak torque @ 3800 rpm and 1.2 litre TSI unit producing 105 PS @ 5000 rpm and 175 Nm @ 1500 – 4100 rpm. Skoda Rapid uses Volkswagen’s same 1.6 litre MPI engine with no changes in output.
Honda City is pushed by 1.5 litre i-VTEC engine delivering 119 PS @ 6600 rpm and 145 Nm @ 4600 rpm. Hyundai Verna is propelled by two engines, 1.4 litre VTVT motor giving out 107 PS @ 6300 rpm and 135.30 Nm @ 5000 rpm, and 1.6 litre VTVT engine blasting 123 PS @ 6300 rpm and 155 Nm @ 4200 rpm.
Diesel Engine – Volkswagen Vento is driven by new 1.5 litre TDI engine debuted in Polo facelift recently, churning out 105 PS @ 4400 rpm and 250 Nm @ 1500 – 2500 rpm. Skoda Rapid also uses same engine undisturbed.
Honda City is propelled by 1.5 litre i-DTEC motor generating 100 PS @ 3600 rpm and 200 Nm @ 1750 rpm. Hyundai Verna again has two engines, for diesel variants; 1.4 litre CRDi unit sending 90 PS @ 4000 rpm and 220 Nm @ 1750 – 2750 rpm, and 1.6 litre CRDi oil burner throwing 128 PS @ 4000 rpm and 260 Nm @ 1900 – 2750 rpm.
Transmission (Petrol) – Volkswagen Vento comes with 5 speed manual transmission mated to 1.6 MPI engine and 7 speed DSG (auto) kit coupled to 1.2 TSI motor. Skoda Rapid features 5 speed manual or 6 speed Tiptronic (auto) transmissions working in tandem with 1.6 litre MPI unit only.
Honda City gets 5 speed manual gearbox and CVT (automatic) mated to 1.5 litre i-VTEC engine. Hyundai Verna 1.4 litre VTVT gets 5 speed manual kit, while 1.6 VTVT version is given 5 speed manual and 4 speed automatic options.
Transmission (Diesel) – Volkswagen Vento, for the first time gets 7 speed DSG (automatic) setup paired with diesel engine, new 1.5 TDI, apart from usual 5 speed manual kit. Skoda Rapid follows same pattern.
Honda City diesel and diesel are given 6 speed manual transmission boxes only with 1.5 i-DTEC engine in former, and 1.4 CRDi & 1.6 CRDi engines in latter.
Price – Skoda Rapid emerges most affordable petrol sedan in this comparison at Rs. 7.22 lakhs while Honda City is least expensive among diesel variants at Rs. 8.37 lakhs, while top end variants of Honda City petrol and diesel are most expensive at Rs. 10.98 and Rs. 11.05 lakhs respectively. All prices are ex-showroom Delhi.
