Review: VW Vento TSI

The huge umbrella of Volkswagen houses a massive collection of brands. Skoda, Audi, Porsche, Volkswagen, Lamborghini et al. You think about it and they are there. So you can imagine the bank of technology that these brands bring to the table and Volkswagen indeed has a lot to choose from. If you climb through the history of VW cars sharing technology, you will remember that the Polo hatchback received the 1.6-litre petrol maniac engine from the Vento, which was a brilliant combination for a hatchback.

The Vento in turn was the recipient of the underpinnings of the Polo. The German car maker then went ahead and plonked the 1.6-litre diesel powertrain in the Polo and that is the GT TDI. Much before the GT TDI, VW decided that the Polo hatchback needed a smaller engine with the same output as the 1.6-litre one. This gave birth to the 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol motor which was mated to a 7-speed Dual Clutch transmission and this engine went straight into the Polo giving life to the GT TSI.

Now the guys at VW must have given this a lot of thought and decided, oh well, we have the engine, we have the car, why not give the customers a fast car? So, they've put the same engine under the Vento and given it power that matches the 1.6-litre unit.

The Vento TSI is for those who live life in the fast lane. The 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine makes 103bhp and churns out 175Nm of torques. Since it's a saloon, it does carry some additional weight and that is why it doesn't feel as eager to get off from a standstill. But it's got the power to keep you occupied as you pile on the miles.

There are no changes to the exterior or interiors of the Vento and the ride quality too hasn't changed. It also gets the same 7-speed Dual Clutch Transmission which makes it fun to drive. In 'S' mode for example, the gears shift at a higher rpm and it's fun to see the ticker cross the red line and this is what makes you want to push the limits with the car. We miss the paddle shifts on this one but still, it is a pretty fun thing to get around.

Volkswagen also goes ahead to say that it is fuel efficient too and returns a figure of 12.5km/l. Priced at 9.99 lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi), the Vento TSI might be a little pricey but at the end of the day, it is the best version of the Vento out there.