Virtuous twin

Despite the SUV onslaught, the Volkswagen Virtus just might make sedans great again

LOOK AT THE VIRTUS AND IT DOES REMIND YOU OF THE

JETTA

VOLKSWAGEN MAY HAVE MADE major inroads into India with hatchbacks such as the Polo and SUVs such as the Taigun and Tiguan, but the success of the manufacturer has always been cemented by its sedans. Be it the Jetta, the Passat and even the Vento, Volkswagen’s sedans have always exuded a feeling of luxury and solidity in their respective segments. And now there is a new one, the Virtus. But before we go ahead let’s clear the air on a few things.

First off, the Virtus is not a Vento replacement but rather a much more grown up version of the latter. The Virtus is also underpinned by a different platform than the Vento, the heavily localised MQB-A0-IN that also does duty in the Skoda Slavia, as well as the Taigun / Kushaq. But is the Virtus merely a Slavia with the badges swapped out?

Look at the Virtus and it does remind you of the Jetta at first glance. But that’s where the resemblance ends. The front apron and the automatic headlamps are the biggest differentiators, the chrome grille which looks really classy and the front bumper also gets a gloss black finish along with a chrome strip, giving the Virtus a sporty appearance. Move to the side and you’ll notice the 16-inch alloy wheels which are standard across the range, as well as the muscular shoulder lines of the Virtus, typical Volkswagen. Even though the Virtus is a conventional three-door sedan, the coupe-like roofline does look quite svelte. The taillamps of the Virtus bear a resemblance to the Jetta sold globally, making the Virtus a very appealing sedan. You can have the Virtus in a choice of six colours and if you have a sporty bent of mind, Volkswagen has you covered. The Virtus will be available in two trims ― the Dynamic Line with the 1.0 TSI and then there’s the Performance Line pictured here with the 1.5 TSI engine. The Performance Line wears the GT badge and the 16-inch alloys are finished in black. Even the mirror caps and the roof gets the blacked-out treatment, with the Performance Line also offering a boot lip spoiler ― enthusiasts will have no trouble choosing their variant of choice!

Step inside and the interior of the Virtus is identical to that of the Taigun but with slightly different dash trims and a layout. The Performance line features bright red accents to brighten up the cabin. The Performance Line also gets all-black interiors with contrast red stitching, while the Dynamic Line gets a dual tone beige and black colour scheme. There’s ambient lighting as well, along with an 8-inch digital cockpit that gets customisable views. A 10-inch touchscreen is present for infotainment, and it offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which will definitely make belting out your favourite tunes from the 8-speaker sound system easier. The Virtus also gets ventilated front seats, a cooled glovebox, which is a boon considering the Indian summer is reaching its peak, and a sunroof. There’s also a host of safety equipment on offer with over 40 active and passive safety features combined, including six airbags.

The Virtus will be powered by the same engine-gearbox combos as the Skoda Slavia and the Kushaq / Taigun, which translates to two petrol engines on offer. Both the 1-litre TSI and the 1.5-litre TSI will be mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. When it comes to the automatic transmission, the 1-litre TSI will be mated to a torque converter, with the 1.5 getting the snappy 7-speed DSG. In terms of power, the 1-litre TSI produces 113bhp of power and 178Nm of torque, with the larger 1.5 TSI producing 148bhp of power and 250Nm of torque. The 1.5 engine will also get cylinderdeactivation tech to aid fuel economy when the engine is not under heavy load.

While the Virtus is due to launch by the end of May, we can expect prices to begin from `10.5 lakh and go up to `15.5 lakh for the 1.0 TSI, with the price for the 1.5 TSI ranging from `16.5-17.8 lakh, in the same ballpark as the Skoda Slavia. And while that may not particularly move an SUV enthusiast, the Virtus is bound to breathe life into the Honda City-dominated segment, and help make sedans great again! ⌧