With diesel prices expected to be deregulated by the middle
of next year, it’s petrol cars that are slowly making a comeback. So, the
timing of the launch of the new Vento TSI seems about right. It gets the same
hi-tech 1.2-litre petrol engine and advanced seven-speed automatic gearbox as
in the Polo TSI hatchback.
Auto Expo 2014 Volkswagen Vento TSI
So, how does a puny sounding 1.2-litre engine perform in a
full-sized saloon? Quite well actually. It produces nearly as much power as the
older engine and the car takes off with zest when you push the throttle down.
Speed is gathered effortlessly thanks to the pulling force being available in a
broad spread, and overtaking maneuvers are easy to pull off too. In fact, we
found it to have a much stronger pulling ability from slow and medium engine
speeds than other cars in its class.
The new
engine and gearbox have changed the car completely.
Helping utilize the engine’s capabilities is the gearbox
which can be used in different modes. There is the regulation ‘D’ mode which
can take care of most driving situations that you are likely to encounter. For
driving enthusiastically, there is the ‘S’ mode. Here, the gears don’t shift up
till the engine hits the upper reaches of its rev range and it also downshifts
when you get off the throttle to keep you in the fun part of its rev range. For
more driver involvement, there is the option to change gears manually from the
gear lever itself, although paddle shifts on the steering are missing. And
while we haven’t tested it, we expect the smaller engine in the Vento TSI to
return better fuel efficiency figures too.
Volkswagen Vento TSI Rear View and TSI badge is the only
differentiator from Vento 1.6.
As far as driving is concerned, the car remains pretty much
unchanged. It comforts the passengers with its absorbent ride quality which
soaks up potholes and bumps alike, although there is some noise to be heard on
hard edge ruts. It handles predictably too, but the light steering doesn’t
inspire too much confidence when taking the car around corners. And the brakes
are not very sharp either.
At $ 16,283.70, the TSI sits on the top of the petrol
line-up of the Vento range and is available only in the top-of-the-line trim.
Hence, it's suitably equipped with parking sensors, Electronic Stability
Program and Hill Hold Assist. There's a music system, steering-mounted controls
and climate control. The only distinguishing factors from the regular petrol
are the TSI badge and silver garnish on the boot. Overall, it drives well, is
comfortable, well-built and should be economical too. It’s pretty much the best
petrol automatic mid-sizer out there and a huge improvement over the older car.
Light steering isn't very confidence inspiring, but it's
reasonably accurate.
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Specs:
·
Engine size 1.2 (P) ·
Price $ 16,283.70 ·
Power 103bhp at 5000rpm ·
Gearbox 7-speed automatic ·
Torque 17.84kgm at 1500rpm ·
0-100kph NA
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