How important the Indian market is to the leading car manufacturers all over the world is becoming increasingly evident as they launch cars that are designed and built specifically for the Indian conditions and market requirements. The Vento from Volkswagen is the first such car to hit the Indian roads among the many to follow suit soon. The Vento India premiere took place in Delhi last month.
Some cars look good the moment you behold them and the Vento lived up to this maxim the moment I saw it for the first time. The clean and classic lines give the car a fresh and elegant look.
The Volkswagen engineers have merged the Polo and the Golf platforms to make the Vento. It may look similar to the Polo from the front, but is, actually, completely different from its sibling as the A-pillar is more steeply raked compared with the Polo. The front fender and the two doors are also slightly bigger to get the proportions right. The Vento does not give you the slightest feeling that it started out originally as a hatch and has now inherited a boot. As a matter of fact, it looks like a well-designed sedan.
So far as the interior is concerned, the folk at Volkswagen seem to be taking the game to another level. The quality of material used as well as the fit and finish of the grey and beige colour interior give the car a fresh and bright look from the inside. The extra 96 millimetres added to the wheelbase over the Polo have liberated a huge amount of leg space for those in the rear seat. In fact, this car has been designed specifically as a chauffeur-driven car. The rear passenger can move the front passenger seat forward while seated at the back to create even more leg space for himself. The AC vents for the rear occupants are another noteworthy aspect. In short, the space and quality of the car’s interior make it look as if these belong to a car that is couple of segments higher. You can adjust the driving position to suit your individual self just as the leather-wrapped steering wheel can be adjusted for tilt and reach. All these make your driving position relaxed and comfortable.
