Upcoming Volkswagen Compact Sedan Spotted Testing Again

Volkswagen India's upcoming compact sedan, rumoured to be called the Virtus, has been spotted testing in India again. A fully camouflaged prototype of the vehicle was caught undergoing testing in Chakan, near Pune, Maharashtra, close to the company manufacturing facility. The new sedan is slated to make its India debut in March 2022, incidentally the same month when Skoda is set to launch the Slavia sedan, which will be the Virtus' counterpart. The new sedan will be the second product from VW India to be built on the MQB A0 IN platform, which also underpins the Volkswagen Taigun, and will replace the ageing Vento sedan.

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The new Volkswagen sedan is rumoured to be called the Virtus, and it will replace the Vento sedan in India

Given the heavy camouflage on the car, it's difficult to talk about the visual changes we will get to see on the new Volkswagen sedan or Virtus. However, judging by the exposed sections, we believe the car will get a slimmer grille with the new VW logo at the centre, a large central airdam, and a muscular bumper. The new VW sedan is also likely to come with features like LED headlamps, LED daytime running lights, and possibly even LED foglamps.

Also Read: Exclusive: Volkswagen's Compact Sedan To Make Global Debut In March; Launch Details Out

From the profile, the proportions of the sedan look similar to the Skoda Slavia, which means it could be similar in dimensions as well. The Slavia is 4,541 mm long, 1,752 mm wide, 1,487 mm tall, and comes with a 2,651 mm wheelbase. We also get to see a set of black alloy wheels, however, these look like temporary units, and the production car is likely to get new ones. We do not get a clear look at the rear section of the car, but we expect to see a set of wide wraparound taillamps and a beefy bumper.

The new VW sedan is expected to get the same dimensions as the Skoda Slavia, which is is 4,541 mm long, 1,752 mm wide, 1,487 mm tall, and comes with a 2,651 mm wheelbase

Also Read: Volkswagen Virtus Review: 1.0 TSI And 1.5 TSI Automatics Driven

The cabin too is not visible in these images, however, we expect to see a newly designed layout with a fully digital instrument cluster, touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The new sedan is also likely to share several features with VW Taigun like - a wireless charger, ventilated seats, sunroof, auto climate control and more. As for safety, the car will get dual airbags as standard, while the top-end trim will get up to 6 airbags. Other features like ABS with EBS, ESC, ISOFIX mounts, rear parking sensors, are also likely to come as standard.

The new VW sedan will come with the same two engine options that are offered with the Taigun - a 1.0-litre TSI three-cylinder engine, and a 1.5-litre four-cylinder TSI unit. The former makes 113 bhp and 175 Nm of peak torque, and it comes mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox and an optional 6-speed automatic torque converter. The bigger 1.5-litre motor makes 148 bhp and 250 Nm of peak torque and comes mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox and a 7-speed DSG automatic unit.