The Vento uses MacPherson strut-type suspension at the front and a semi-independent trailing arm at the rear and has created a benchmark in the segment with its blend of ride quality and handling. The German car maintains its dominance in this aspect even over the popular City. This is not to say that the City doesn’t offer a decent ride, but the difference becomes discernible once the two cars are driven on pothole-ridden roads or over a series of bumps. The Vento offers better grip and holds on to
the road more firmly than the City. Both these accomplished sedans have disc brakes on front wheels and drum brakes on rear ones that give the required bite.
Round two goes to the Vento, but there are a few more things to consider before we can beat the drums and call the battle off for the day. The interior is where the City hopes to score over its rival. We had got our hands on the Exclusive variant, which Honda have introduced keeping both the competition and the festive season in mind. The car now gets beige leather upholstery and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The Manual version also gets leather on the gear-shift. The Vento Highline as of now does not have leather seats on offer nor does it have USB/AUX ports for your iPod, which the City does. The City also scores on legroom and shoulder room. The design of Honda’s dashboard is futuristic and looks high-tech, which would appeal to the youth, but appears plasticy in comparison to the Vento’s subtle interior. The grey-beige dual tone is impressive and the non-reflective dashboard adds to the premium feel. The three-spoke steering wheel also gets a chrome accent, but does not have paddle shifters or audio controls on it like the City. Volkswagen’s fit-and-finish and the quality of plastic and material used is a pleasure to experience in this segment. The smart interior design by the Germans is visible in things like SpaceMax, which allows you to move the co-driver’s seat forward or backward from the rear seat. However, Honda sweep this round by offering more space, gadgetry, paddle shift and cushy leather seats.
Finally it all boils down to looks. The City looks aggressive, ready to dart ahead while the Vento looks sharp, but is more composed and understated. The City Exclusive variant has chrome trims all around, right from the door handles to the boot. So if you like modern design and can live with a bit of bling, then it has to be the City. But if you prefer pleasant and unpretentious design with clean lines, then the Vento it is. One is a finely crafted suit and the other a smart riding jacket. Now it depends upon where you are headed.
BLURB
VW Vento has raged a price war and is challenging Honda City’s supremacy in the segment
CAPTIONS:
1. The leather wrapped steering wheel with paddle-shifts, audio controls make the City practical and fun
2.Powered by 1.5 liter i-VTEC and 5-speed auto-box the Honda does 0-100km/h in just 12.9 seconds
3. The Vento has a fine 1598cc petrol engine is mated with a solid 6-speed auto transmission and is more torquey to drive
4. The Volkswagen has a fabulous cabin finish and quality
VERDICT
So, did you find what you were looking for? It goes without saying that both these sedans are world-class cars and, in the automatic mode, offer convenience, comfort and style. They feature a host of safety equipment such as ABS and twin airbags, among others. But the City has the upper hand in this shootout with better performance and fuel economy, which however come at a premium price. The City Exclusive AT, priced at Rs 11.66 lakh (OTR, Pune), is about Rs 1.30 lakh dearer than the Vento, which bears a price tag of Rs 10.35 lakh (OTR, Pune). The Vento felt more confident at higher speeds and even on bad roads, but the auto-box felt sluggish compared to the City. The Volkswagen car also does not offer steering-mounted audio controls or paddles shift, leather seats nor is it USB and iPod compatible, but has class-leading fit-finish and interior quality. So, it is your call – either save over a hundred thousand rupees for a solid German car with a subtle design or shell it out for a loaded sedan laced with a bit of bling.
