2016 Volkswagen Vento: B-segment VW goes to another level



Three days ago, VW of Malaysia launched the refreshed version of the Polo Sedan, now rechristened as the Vento, following the same moniker that was used in the Indian market. The new Vento is theoretically gains attraction to everyone. With the addition of the 1.2 TSI engine choice over the naturally-aspirated 1.6 litre engine, the Vento makes itself the top contender for the B-segment.
The Vento doesn't get most upgrades that what you have seen compared to the Polo Sedan. VW added some touches and nit/pick to the exterior. The front grille has been replaced with the most conservative one to make it more elegant like the Passat. Apart from that, there's two lines at the back, one in the tailgate and one in the rear bumper finish. New to the Vento is the 16" Syenit alloy wheels in all four corners, and it is only available in the Highline level like the one you see here.


             New front fascia and bumper to make it cooler like the Passat.



                           New 16" wheels, only available for Highline.

 
   Restyled rear design, by adding chrome accent to the boot and the bumper.



Interior-wise, only the seats are redesigned. And sadly, they are still fabric and not even a leather seats available for the top of the line Vento. It adds a new steering wheel that can be found in the Polo Hatchback. The instrument cluster finish are also been redesigned and the fuel and temperature gauges are moved into the digital multi-info screen in the middle of the dash.









Like I said previously, the top of the line Vento Highline gets a 1.2 litre 4-cylinder turbocharged engine that screams a peppy amount of horsepower, which is around 105 go and producing 175 Nm of torque at 1550 to 4100 rpm. The 1.2 TSI engine is mated to a 7-speed dry-clutch based DSG gearbox, making it more smoother to drive around the city compared to the conventional 6-speed automatic gearbox that is found in the Trendline and Comfortline.



Now it's time for a test drive to know the driving difference between the Vento and the Polo Sedan.




I used to try the Polo Sedan two years ago and there was no TSI engine option at that time. With the new Vento, the way of it behaves is way different compared to its pre-cool-defacto form. With the 1.2 TSI engine and a lighter chassis, the acceleration is very smooth and fast, making it the fastest B-segment sedan in the market. Riding quality is not much different compared to the previous one. There is a body roll but it is very minimal due to the suspension setup. Braking is a so-so as there are no rear disc brakes, but it still performs well while tackling the corner.

Overall, the Vento might not having too much oo-la-la bits and touches, but it has a vast improvement for the powertrain under the hood. Also, currently the Vento is the quickest and the most expensive in the B-segment group.

Price for the Vento Highline is about RM 94,635. But for those who wants to book this car before reaching 500 bookings, you will get a RM 2000 rebates.

Thanks to Wearnes Automotive Sdn. Bhd. of Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur to let me to do a test drive and review of the new Volkswagen Vento.

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