Volkswagen Vento

The Volkswagen Vento has been around for quite some time. While the overall look and feel of the car has remained the same for years, it got a new heart and quite a few changes with its 2015 upgrade. The model year update in 2016 adds a few more pointers to the list.

Exterior

Design wise, not much has been changed in terms of the layout of body panels. The Vento continues to exude typical Volkswagen design cues with its neatly designed front/rear end, taut shoulder lines and a compact profile.

The Vento now gets a re-profiled bonnet with deeper creases and new front grille with triple chrome slats. There’s also a new front air dam and front fog lamps with integrated cornering lights. Move onto the rear and you will notice the old layout of the taillights albeit with revised internals, a thin chrome strip on the boot lid and a restyled rear bumper with chrome inserts and reflectors.

Interior

The design of the interior remains the same as before, but Volkswagen has introduced new colour themes and updated the equipment list according to the trim level. The Vento gets cruise control, cooled glove box and a dead pedal as all-new equipment. Standard features, meanwhile, include climate control, rear parking sensors, electrically adjustable rear view mirrors, ABS, twin airbags and a rather good sounding audio system with Bluetooth connectivity.

Engine and Gearbox

The diesel-powered models feature a 1.5-litre four-cylinder diesel engine that produces 103bhp of power @4400rpm and 250Nm of torque @1550rpm. This TDI unit makes peak power at 2,000rpm and redlines at nearly 6,000rpm. The petrol powered models, on the other hand, come with either the 1.6-litre MPI or the 1.2-litre turbocharged TSI engine. The latter produces 105bhp of power and 175Nm of torque, while the 1.6 MPI engine produces 105bhp of power and 153Nm of torque. Volkswagen is offering a 5-speed manual and 7-speed DSG automatic gearbox, depending on the version.

Price and competition

The Vento is a C-segment car and is available in three trims – Trendline, Comfortline and Highline with the equipment list growing longer towards the latter. Ex-showroom prices for the new Vento start from Rs 7.70 lakh for the entry-level 1.6-litre petrol, going all the way to Rs 11.6 lakh for the top-end diesel with DSG gearbox. The car competes with other C-segment cars like the Maruti Ciaz, Hyundai Verna, Fiat Linea and the Honda City.