[Rajeevraj]

I own an VW and voted No. The only reason being their 2.0 cars are in the same segment as my existing Vento with 'almost similar' engines and the same transmission (DSG). So if looking for an upgrade , does not make sense to buy them. Does not mean I will not buy VAG group cars. I would definitely buy an Octavia, Kodiaq, Superb or even the Tiguan if it fits into my budget and requirements

[voldemort]

Probably not, even though I'd love to.

• DSG situation. I know it's terrific when it works, but I cannot deal with random breakdowns in the middle of nowhere. A lot of people here apparently have higher tolerance towards breakdowns, but I prefer to minimize the risk.
• Even if I opt for their manual or torque-converter gearbox, I hear their service centers aren't great. I'm hoping other issues (like, water pump issues and things like that IIRC) have been sorted out.
• Creaking interiors of their recently launched compact SUVs don't inspire confidence.

Having said all that, I'll be closely observing the ownership reviews of the VW Virtus as a potential customer, though I'm not at all in a hurry.

[Jangra]

I own both Volkswagen and SKODA (not the 2.0). Will definitely consider them at the time of upgrading my Vento to most likely Virtus GT.
I know and have experienced the dip in quality of plastics etc, but the heart (engine and transmission) is still unmatched compared to competition. Compare the drive of 1.5 TSI DSG of VAG with 1.4 DCT from Hyundai /Kia. Between the feature and fun to drive element, I would always choose the latter.

[EV NXT]

If you remember reading this:

VW to stop combustion engine development only update existing ones

you know your VWs, and that it’s time to give them a pass.

All the “updates” mentioned that VW has done so far are actually for the worse - (1) a 2.0 TSI modified to a higher compression ratio, as a result, cannot be modified (2) a 1.5 TSI that does not like to be revved and shouts in protest at high RPMs and (3) a 1.0 TSI that has a turbo lag that makes it almost useless around town. All of this points to cost-cutting, hurried development, lack of attention to detail and end of life cycle shoddiness.

Ironically, if VW hadn’t done any updates to their engines, they would have actually been better. The discontinued 1.8 TSI is faster than their new 2.0 TSI!

Add to this the overall lack of quality, the rather sloppy handling and the abrupt discontinuation of diesel and you don’t have much reason not to say No.

[Benoit]

I have owned the Fiat Linea MJD in the past. I have experienced a fair bit of the European fun to drive factor and maintenance bitterness, and the unreliability. I would never buy an European car again. Also, VW 2.0 is overpriced.

There are(almost) equally fun to drive cars available in other brands (read altroz) that can be owned with much less headache. Also, VW group doesn't make diesels anymore. So, I am not buying a VW again.

[shancz]

Voted Yes.

Never owned but driven a few for longer periods.
Their cars used to resonate with my preferences, Golf was a bullseye.
With the perceivable downgrade in quality and aesthetics with India 2.0 notwithstanding, they still offer the ride and handling package that's hard to match in their segment.

Hence even after all the issues related to product and service I would still keep them in consideration.

Would I go and buy them without batting an eyelid? No, not anymore

[achyutaghosh]

Voted No. I have had the good fortune to have owned one of the best (if not THE best) Volkswagen ever in India- the 2014 Jetta TDI. It was the perfect car- performance, space, fuel efficiency, features, ride, handling, build quality- it had it all, and at a price that need not break the bank. That i bought it over the Audi A3 says a lot about how much i loved it.

Anything from Volkswagen that is short of the Jetta experience would make me feel shortchanged and i do not think the 2.0 cars can ever match up to it. So this is the end of my Volkswagen story.

[tsi_niks1989]

Votes-Yes. I have a 11 year old Polo TDI with more than 1.6L KMs on the ODO, the car is a looker still.

Reasons for sticking to the VAG group:

1. Build Quality- I know many have already experienced that these cars are nowhere close to earlier PQ25 cars but what you get in competition? Honda City with much inferior build-they have made to it close to Honda Amaze quality. Doors feel so light in the City, Virtus feels much better than this. Verna? Space like Polo at the rear and Hyundai recent crash tests have not helped in building up confidence towards the brand.

2. Performance- Guess no one would doubt that 1.5 TSI is the best petrol engine any car gets under 20L. It has performance close to a diesel, makes you feel why you are spending those extra 3L over the 1L TSI. 1L TSI is closer to the NA engines the competition gets and feels more engaging. In comparison, when I test drove the City 1.5 NA it felt so slow as if one can keep something heavy on the accelerator and come back after a small cup of tea then you will see it reach 100+ (just kidding). In short, that instant rush of power is missing in all the NA engines. High speed stability is still the best we are getting in these new platform cars.

3. Warranty- All 2.0 cars are coming with 4 years standard warranty along with an option to add 2 years of extended.

As a package these cars are placed at a better position than the ones which existed earlier. The facelift hopefully would be having lesser issues (eg: Virtus is better than Taigun in interior quality). We all want VAG to do good here otherwise similar to Ford, cars which atleast have some sense of drivability will be moving out of our market very soon.

[SPIKE ARRESTOR]

A colleague of mine has worked with the company from their Pune location. He was involved in this project for 2.5 years. He mentioned, for the Indian version, in the name of Value Engineering, the OEM has cut a lot of corners, the quality and durability is questionable. He hinted to stay away from these at least for the initial 02 years after launch.

Spike

[GTO]

Voted Yes.

Sure, the 2.0 cars have cost-cutting, but they are still the most fun-to-drive in their respective segments. The Slavia 1.5L has more power on tap than any other sedan in the price range and is family-friendly too (ride, space, boot). Similarly, the Kushaq / Taigun 1.5s are a blast to drive on the open road (however, the Creta & Seltos are close in terms of driving pleasure). Even the 1.0 turbo-petrol is fun to drive.

Importantly, I trust the VW-Skoda group on the safety parameter.

More than the cost-cutting, what would really bother me is the DQ200 gearbox. It can fail, and it will fail. This is a pain-point for me as I usually go for the best engine available (hence no 1.0L), and am an AT convert. Would mentally resign myself to two DSG failures in my typical 10-year ownership period, one within warranty and one out of warranty.

As other BHPians said, I would give them another year to sort out all the niggling issues we're seeing owners reporting, before buying.

[lapis_lazuli]

One of the few polls where the opinion is almost uniformly divided. At least at the time of writing this. I have voted yes. I am owning one although it's a CKD. I have had no reasons to complain. The overall package and performance at the respective price point is unmatched. The way the cars would age has also to be considered. For example the chrome bits and badges would still shine after 3 years, not so with many other brands. With careful usage, and I emphasize using these cars with empathy, and regular maintenance, the overall ownership experience would be far better. Yes you'll have a day of anxiety each year at the ASS, but that's it. As BHPians it never hurts to be a little more tech savvy to navigate through the murky waters of the ASS

[AKSarkar1]

Voted a BIG No.

I have been a patron of this this brand for close to 12 years now and have owned numerous VW models in this span. Over these 12 years I have realized that by no ways does VW make perfect cars, each car has their own hits and misses but the fundamentals of VW cars have always been solid (good performance + unmatchable safety + quality and brand equity at a price that common folks can afford).

With the new India 2.0 project, there seems to be a tweaking of the fundamentals in a way that is not ideal. Cost cutting is evident everywhere and as an old VW owner, I can live without features but can't stand the basics being wrong i.e. the roofliner quality, cars being plagued with rattles etc. I don't even want to imagine how these cars will age on the Indian roads. If you have friends or a good relation at the service centres you already know the inner stories.

Will I still buy a Volkswagen? Absolutely, yes! But it definitely won't be from the India 2.0 project's main attractions. I will stick to my guts with purchasing a model that has been internationally proven like the Tiguan over models that are yet dealing with teething problems and are yet to prove themselves on local/regional level.

P.S.- No offense to any of the BHPians with cars from the VW 2.0 Project. I would still praise your decision of purchasing a car from a proven brand like VAG.

[Floyd de Souza]

Voted no for 2.0 having owned a Vento from the original batch of cars. Have seen a steady deterioration in quality since then which is down to cost cutting.

[bullitt1]

Voted No. Never owned one from this group but driven well Vento/Rapid. The first turn off was the steering feel, felt dead. Recently test drove Kushaq, it was the same and being a non owner before, immediately felt the cost cutting.

[varun.petro]

I own a Kushaq, didn't own any VW-Skoda car before. However, from my experience driving 3 months in Kushaq, I can clearly make out that the 2.0 cars were put on sale without proper testing. There are issues which are present in nearly every manufactured car and still they were not caught beforehand.

Unbearable door rattling, problem with automatic power windows, poor AC, brake noise are some common ones. Quality of interiors is poor, press anywhere and every plastic reaks. Door rattle can be corrected but on less than perfect roads, you hear squeaks and rattles from lot of other places also. For the premium pricing, poor interior quality is not acceptable.

Rear seat space is limited. AC controls are fancy but not very practical. You have to take eyes off the road every time you need to adjust.

The redeeming bit is solid handling, good engine and suspension, desirable exteriors and the brilliant infotainment system. 4 year standard warranty, 2 year additional purchasable warranty, 4 year service packages have taken care of any concerns regarding ownership costs. You can have 6 year complete peace of mind.

Would I again but their 2.0 cars. Answer is NO. Taking Indians customers for fool is not OK. Launching products without proper testing and not giving proper redressal to valid concerns doesn't go in their favor. They put tape for door rattling issues rather than having some permanent fix.

However, overall I am very happy with the car because of solid handling and dynamics.