KOREAN CORONATION

There's a new contender in town, vying for the top spot in the mid-size sedan space. So, are we heading for another coronation ceremony?

- DHRUV PALIWAL

Before I began writing this story, I had to double-check the calendar to confirm that we are indeed in 2023. The reason for this seemingly unnecessary precaution is quite simple. You see, the three sedans that we have with us not only come with a promise - a promise of offering comfort, practicality, a sporty driving experience, and everything else that we expect from a sedan - but have also managed to rediscover their popularity from the past. They can potentially overshadow the similarly-priced SUV segment. How exactly will that happen? Hear me out.

The cars that you see on these pages are the Hyundai Verna, Volkswagen Virtus, and Honda City. Some of you might notice the absence of the Skoda Slavia, while others would want the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz to be here as well. As for the Slavia, well, media cars aren't always available, and the Virtus does a good enough job of standing in for it. In fact, they are virtually the same car underneath. As for the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, it's simply too old to stand next to these cars with a straight face. The entire segment has moved on, and the Ciaz just doesn't really have what it takes to rival these cars anymore. Now, as all of that is out of the way, the question is - which one of these cars is the best bet in the segment?

POWER TALK