How does the German Vento 1.6-litre diesel deal with the Indian conditions? Sarmad Kadiri hops in to find out
Photography Sanjay Raikar
Perhaps one of the bigger challenges is that the automobile industry has been launching an appealing sedan based on a successful hatchback design. Think about it and immediately you’ll get images of several car models that look as if the wrong boot has been welded onto the hatch by an absent-minded engineer. However, the engineers at Volkswagen did pay a lot of attention while designing it using the Polo and Golf platform. The car looks as if it were always intended to be a three-box design as the boot nicely blends in and, unusual as it may sound, it also has the entire ‘Volkswagen’ name along with the VW badge.
The Vento is a robust sedan which looks well-proportioned, smart yet understated and is offered with an equally solid range of powertrains. In our earlier issues we reviewed the 1.6 petrol with the five-speed manual transmission and six-speed automatic. We had saved the best for last and this month it’s time to take the Vento 1.6 diesel for a spin. 
To be honest, the 1.6-litre, four-cylinder, DOHC, 16-valve common-rail turbocharged diesel motor would be my pick, given an option. This one feels the peppiest and most fun from the other Vento variants. The sturdy oil-burner develops a decent 105 PS power and can churn out 249 Nm of torque between 1,500 and 2,500 rpm. From the outside the common-rail engine is noisy, but the German engineers must be given the credit for keeping the cabin insulated, specially since the sedan is so competitively priced. Since the torque kicks in at such low rpm, the car is a pleasure to drive even while crawling in the city traffic or while cruising on open roads. There is always enough power available, all you need is to press the accelerator and you zoom ahead without necessarily shifting down. The five-speed manual transmission shifts effortlessly and compliments the refined powertrain. You can quickly shift to a higher gear, which makes the car very fuel-efficient. We got 16.5 kmpl overall, which is quite good. You can cruise at 120 km/h all day with the tacho at 2,000 rpm and the Volkswagen, thanks to its ridged construction, wouldn’t flinch.
The Vento is a gem when it comes to ride quality and has been brilliantly engineered for India with McPherson struts and stabiliser bar in the front and a semi-independent trailing arm in the rear, which work in harmony to offer the best back seat ride quality. The suspension absorbs even the worst road conditions, leaving almost nothing to filter through to the cabin. Accentuating the ride are the tyres that grip the road like a magnet, well, almost. The Highline trim is slightly bigger and so better 185/60 R15 rubber with alloys, which not only look good, but are also more apt for Indian driving conditions, while the base Trendline version gets the smaller 175/70 R14 with wheel-caps. The other visible differences on the Highline are the chrome accents on the grille, fog lamps and also on the bottom of the boot. Body-coloured door handles and mirrors further distinguish this variant.
Both the quality of material used for the interior of the Vento and the craftsmanship are commendable, keeping the segment and price in mind. In tune with the exterior design the cabin is simple yet smartly designed and we love the matte, anti-glare look. The difference between the two variants – Highline and Trendline – can also be seen here as the top-end gets chrome trims on the a-c vents, steering and a few other places. The Highline also gets leather-wrapped steering and gear knob. The rear centre armrest and a-c vent along with a centre armrest in front with some storage space underneath is a good touch. Unfortunately, there is no mid-variant like the Comfortline, being offered by VW in their other models, and all the rings and bells only come with the Highline trim, such as the CD player, climate control, remote locking, electric rear-view mirrors and air bags, among others, but not parking sensors, steering-mounted controls nor a USB port. 
The beige fabric looks great, but this is not the best colour option for our country, considering the pollution and climate. The seats like any Volkswagen offer adequate support and cushioning. The Vento’s wide rear track offers large rear seats, which are really very comfortable. The wide bench seat offers good thigh support, has more than adequate legroom and can comfortably seat three adults. The Highline variant has the smart SpaceMax, which allows to move the co-driver’s seat forward or backwards from the rear seat. All these interesting features make the rear seat of the Vento the best place to be in, at least in this segment, and the torquey engine makes the driver’s seat very appealing. Moreover, its irresistible price (Rs 10.38 lakh, OTR, Pune, for the Highline) makes it an irresistible deal.
BLURB
The Vento is a gem when it comes to ride quality and has been brilliantly engineered for India
Gasha’s Perspective
Vent(o)astic!
With the keys of the Vento TDI, I step out to do what we call the ‘WP-test’ (woman’s perspective). The car is mighty good, I must say. Drivability being the first point of concern, the Vento fares really well. Ample torque spread uniformly throughout the rev range saves one from the hassle of frequent gear shifts. The steering wheel feels appropriately weighted for city driving. Seat height adjustment brings the first sigh of relief to us fairer and shorter gender. But there comes a mole – the absence of steering-mounted controls makes your left hand be elsewhere than where it belongs while driving. Parking sensors are also absent and they’re missed greatly while parking in tight spots. What I love the most about the Vento is its interior space. No rubbing of shoulders with fellow passenger, enough room for five and commodious boot space too. Fabric upholstery saved the seats from being a hot-plate on a bright, sunny day. Cubbyholes take care of keys, coins and other tid-bits. I believe, the Vento would appeal to women with minimal yet classy taste of styling. In short, to a woman driver, the Vento gives a confident mix of power, comfort, style and space.
CAPTIONS:
The 1.6-litre diesel motor offers torque right from 1500rpm, so you just press the accelerator and zoom ahead without necessarily shifting down
