This week, too, we are crossing the border to see what is available there. We arrive in Russia, where Hyundai has presented a facelifted version of the Solaris. That naturally raises the question of what exactly we have before us here.
It is not uncommon for car manufacturers to supply a certain model with different model names in various markets. Hyundai is no exception. For example, the relatively compact sedan that it sells as Accent in, for example, the United States, in Russia as Solaris and in China as Verna, for example. The Chinese Versa was given an eccentric new packaging in October last year and now the time has come for the Russian Solaris to be updated. It is striking that the particularly lined carriage of the facelifted Verna (photos 4 to 6) is not transferred to the Solaris.
Although the renewed Solaris also has a distinct front with a large grille and pointed viewers, the front is less curvy than the muzzle of last year’s renewed Verna. The differences at the rear are even more striking. Where the Verna has interconnected rear lights, which also have a special design, the rear lighting on the updated Solaris is almost identical to that of the original presented in 2017.
We also notice differences in the interior of the updated Solaris. In both models the infotainment screen more or less protrudes from the dashboard, but the interpretation of the adjacent ventilation grills and that of the instrument panel is slightly different. What changes at engine level is not yet known. If the engine range remains intact, the Solaris will soon be available again with a blown 1.4 that delivers 100 hp and 132 Nm. Higher on the list than a 124 hp and 150 Nm powerful turbo-free 1.6.