Although the Virtus shares a lot with the Skoda Slavia, VW have done a lot to distinguish the German sedan from its Czech counterpart
Volkswagen has pulled off the wraps from the all-new Virtus sedan in India. Brought in as a replacement for the ageing Vento sedan, the new Volkswagen Virtus will witness an official launch in the Indian car market in May 2022.
Even though the all-new Slavia and the new VW Virtus share a lot of common parts, both manufacturers have worked extensively to add individual identity to the new sedan.
Key Highlights
- Only available with petrol engines.
- 1.0 TSI and 1.5 TSI with manual, automatic and dual-clutch option
- Gets a sportier GT Line time with only a 1.5-litre engine
- Pre-launch booking open
- Longest sedan in the segment
Overview
The new Virtus replaces the VW Vento from the market. It is bigger, looks sleeker and feels fresh and modern with contemporary new-age features in and out compared to the outgoing model. Like the BS6 version of the Vento, the new Virtus will be a petrol-only model for India.
VW has introduced the all-new Virtus for the Indian market
Volkswagen will also export the new Virtus to over 25 countries. However, the brand did not share the specs of the export versions.
How the new Volkswagen Virtus looks from the outside?
| Volkswagen Virtus Engine and Transmission | 1.0 TSI | 1.5 TSI (GT Line) |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 115 | 150 |
| Torque | 175 | 250 |
| Transmission | 6-speed manual/6-speed automatic | 6-speed manual/7-speed DSG |
The new Volkswagen Virtus adopts the German brand’s latest design philosophy, which makes it look much very sharp, modern and elegant. The front profile of the Virtus looks sleek with wraparound LED headlamps, while the grille and front bumper come with nice looking chrome accents.
It is the longest car in the segment and is even longer than the Slavia
From the side, the Virtus looks very much similar to the Skoda Slavia with which it shares its platform, which is evident from the sharp creases, glasshouses and window waistline. However, the Virtus gets a different set of machined alloy wheels, similar to those of the Volkswagen Taigun. The highlight of the rear profile of the Virtus is the wraparound LED tail lamps. The Virtus is the longest car in the segment. It has 20mm of advantage over the Slavia.
VW will offer only petrol engines with the new car
In the top-spec GT trim, which is exclusively available only with the 1.5-litre TSI petrol engine, the Virtus gets blacked-out alloy wheels, rearview mirrors, front fender garnish, roof and boot-mounted slim spoiler. There are six colour options listed for the Volkswagen Virtus, namely Curcuma Yellow, Wild Cherry Red, Carbon Steel Grey, Candy White, Reflex Silver and Rising Blue Metallic.
Given that it shares the Skoda Slavia’s MQB A0-IN platform, the Volkswagen Virtus shares its dimensions with the former apart from the length. The Virtus measures 4,561mm long, 1,752mm wide and 1,507mm tall. The sedan has a wheelbase of 2,651mm and a boot space of 521 litres, both of which is similar to the Skoda Slavia.
What does the Volkswagen Virtus feel from the inside?
The cabin has a striking resemblance to the Taigun
Compared to Vento and Slavia, the new Volkswagen Virtus has a very different looking cabin layout, which looks inspired by the Volkswagen Taigun SUV.
The dashboard has a layered layout with many bits like a centrally-placed 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a three-spoke multifunctional steering wheel and an 8-inch full TFT digital instrument console from the Taigun.
But there are a few tweaks and changes
Unlike the dated Vento, the new-age Volkswagen Virtus is loaded with modern equipment like wireless phone charging, touch-sensitive panel for automatic climate control, rear AC vents, ventilated front seats, ambient lighting, sunroof, cooled glovebox, 8-speaker audio system, connected car tech, auto-headlamps, rain-sensing wipers and leather upholstery.
Even the list of safety features is pretty comprehensive, which includes six airbags, ABS with EBD, reverse parking sensors with camera, ESC, hill hold control and tyre pressure monitoring system.
What are the engine options on offer for Volkswagen Virtus?
| Length | 4,561mm |
|---|---|
| Width | 1,752mm |
| Height | 1,507mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,651mm |
| Boot space | 521 litres |
The Volkswagen Virtus gets the same duo of 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol and 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine options from the MQB A0-IN based cars like Taigun, Slavia and Kushaq. The 1.0-litre TSI petrol in the Virtus produces 115 PS of maximum power and 175 Nm of maximum torque and is available with a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed torque converter.
On the other hand, the more powerful 1.5-litre TSI petrol is exclusively available in the GT trims of the Virtus and churns out 150 PS of maximum power and 250 Nm of maximum torque. This engine features cylinder deactivation technology as standard and is offered with two transmission options of a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic.
VW is yet to announce the exact price announcement date. However, it is likely to happen by the end of this month.
What are your views about the new Volkswagen Virtus? Let us know in the comments below.
Keyword: 2022 Volkswagen Virtus Makes Global Debut In India; A Far Cry Over The Ageing Vento