After a series of teasers, Volkswagen officially unveiled the revamped Virtus in India, a global sedan that will be offered in more than 25 countries. The Virtus has been available in South America since 2018, but the new version has luxury styling and more technology, while sharing the MQB A0-IN platform with the Skoda Slavia. It is a more advanced car, with a higher technological level, which hopes to adapt to the new times and become one of the favorites in the Asian market.
seen from outside
Styling-wise, the Virtus no longer looks like a Polo sedan thanks to the restyled face. The bumper is more pronounced with sportier air intakes with chrome and gloss black elements. The grille is better integrated with the simpler LED headlights, with a chrome line on both the lower air intake and chrome surrounds on the grille. The manufacturer’s slogan remains in the center.
On the sides of the car are spiral-shaped alloy wheels or rims, which maintain an advanced braking system that consists of discs and calipers on each of its wheels. The door locks are body-colored, while the mirror caps come in black and are matched with chrome.
As for the rear, it gets new LED graphics for the taillights and a slightly updated rear bumper with faux tailpipes and diffuser. This new Virtus is a slightly modified car in which more advanced details can be seen compared to previous models.
car dimensions
In addition to the new wheel designs, the side view remains practically unchanged, sharing the cabin and doors with the Skoda Slavia. In terms of dimensions, the facelifted Virtus measures 4,561 mm (179.6 in) long, 1,752 mm (69 in) wide and 1,507 mm (59.3 in) tall with a wheelbase of 2,651 mm (104. 3 inches). This makes it 79 mm (3.1 in) longer than the facelifted model and slightly longer and taller than the Skoda.
When entering the cabin
Inside, the dash gets new trim options, a multifunction steering wheel, an 8-inch digital instrument cluster, and a larger 10-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system. Other available features include automatic climate control with touch-sensitive sliders, ventilated front seats, a wireless charging pad, a sunroof, an eight-speaker sound system, a reversing camera, and up to six airbags. The boot has a capacity of 521 lt (18.4 cu ft), which is identical to that of the Skoda Slavia.
What’s under the hood
The VW Virtus is available with two engine options, namely the Dynamic Line with a 1.0 TSI three-cylinder producing 113 horsepower (85 kW/115 PS) and the GT-badged Performance Line with a 1.5 TSI EVO four. cylinders that produces 148 horsepower (110 kW / 150 CV). Power is sent to the front wheels through a standard six-speed manual gearbox. The 1.0 TSI is optionally available with a six-speed torque converter automatic, and the 1.5 TSI can be had with a seven-speed DSG.
India will be the first market to get the updated Virtus in May 2022 as a replacement for the old Vento, with other markets to follow in the near future. The model is now available for pre-order in India, where it will compete with the Skoda Slavia, Honda City, Hyundai Verna and Suzuki Ciaz.
