Great Car With Wonderful Handling

After six months of homework, test rides on multiple cars and after checking with many users I bought the VW Vento Highline Plus 1.2 TSI AT model. It's been 18 months since I started driving this vehicle and I guess, I could possibly cover the areas that you are interested in. Looks: A great sedan with a wonderful look. The day-time-running lights add a typical different look to the car. The grill and the VW emblem look great. Handling: A typical German car, it acts like one. You would especially love the feel after driving a Maruti (as was my case). It is solid, handles well under all conditions. From about 5 KMPH in the city to 154 KMPH on the highways, and everything in between, it handles everything with consummate ease. At high speeds, you don't kind of feel nervous or jittery as the ride is rock solid. The brakes are dependable. You would not have to switch off the AC while climbing a steep hill (some people who have driven Maruti would possibly relate to this). The Hill Assist feature is especially desirable for new drivers who stop on an incline. Fuel Economy: Forget what they advertise. I get about 8 KMPH in the city and about 14 KMPH on the highway (if I maintain at 80 KMPH which I did for about 300 km on the Hyderabad, Bangalore highway). Maintenance: The first year they charged me Rs 11000.00 for the service. After one year, they have now jacked it up to Rs 16000.00. Apparently labour costs have gone up, but I think they are just hoodwinking customers. Special mention: I was parked at the toll gate when a loaded truck reversed into my car. It was a fairly strong hit although the airbags did not deploy. The only damage was that the emblem broke away and the bonnet bent upwards slightly. This ensured that the passenger door on the front would open with a creaking sound. No other damage, whatsoever. I drove 250 km before I took it for the repair. The VW service charged me Rs 54000.00 to get everything back into scratch less condition. I do feel that had I been in a Maruti, the damage would have been much severe. All in all, the car is a great buy. I have checked out the Honda City, the Hyundai Verna, the Maruti Ciaz, the Skoda Rapid and the Nissan Sunny. The City is a great car and we do have it in the family. But I would prefer the solidity of the Vento to any of these cars mentioned here any day of the year.