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-   -   Volkswagen Vento : Test Drive & Review (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/official-new-car-reviews/94990-volkswagen-vento-test-drive-review-137.html)

I saw 4 Polo's at the VW showroom with JK Vectra's today. Hence the concern.

No such thing. The initial batch of Ventos had JK Vectras (@Sahil's AT included). Mine and several others that followed are shod with Appollo Aceleres. Which are good BTW. I had asked if I can place an option before my delivery but they flatly refused saying it could be either of JK, Appollo or Pirelli (wonder who got those!)

Actually that's one more reason I am happy with the petrol. Refinement is heavenly compared to diesel sibling. I TDed the Laura 2.0CRDi DSG as well and was appalled at how unrefined it sounded after my gentle Fraulein :D

@naveenraju- Stanley in full leather as described by @anilkalvani may be higher than what you've mentioned- I got a quote for 39K (seats only) in Pune for a similar set-up. Opted for unbranded leather instead, much cheaper, and you've seen the results!

My Vento TDi HL which came to dealers stockyard on 22-Mar-11 and was a March 2011 manufactured(decoded through VIN) too had JK Vectra's. So of late Vento are coming with either Apollo or JK's. Its your luck which brand of shoes your car gets. I have been using Michelin XM1+ on my Tata Indica and as such JK's are really not that bad or better tyres.
Vento has a bit louder TDi engine but inside the cabin when rev up upto 4000 rpm you really hear a lot of noise inside the cabin and another thing which other's have pointed out is that when you depress the clutch there is a sort grinding sound, which is normal according to VW.
I have driven the car upto 165 Kmph at Palm Beach Rd. Vashi Navi Mumbai and car just glides on the road and even if you make sudden lane change at that speed the car just doesnt wobble and you dont seem to lose control. Vento TDi especially is a true drivers car cant say the same about its petrol sibling.
Regarding suspension I find it perfect neither is it too soft and neither is too hard just perfect balance.:thumbs up

I dont currently own a Vento and so my argument can't be better than yours.
Anyway - Yes the diesel clatter is a bit high in Vento. From the inside it is approximately 20% more compared to segment standards. From the outside it is atleast 2X more. Feels like raw power (no refinement). A Tata 407 perhaps?;)
About Handling I see GTO's argument has been opposed not only by 1 or 2 but many. A rare occurance.
As far as my opinion is concerned, The Vento rides better than the T-Jet at low speeds and broken patches. The stiffer suspension of T-Jet coupled with low profile tyres take the toll. I never experienced any unwanted wobble. Maybe due to limitation of tracks. (2 test drives 20+20 minutes)
At higher speeds both remain fairly planted. No problems whatsoever.
On the handling part, Linea is marginally better, a little less roll and excellent grip. All in all nothing much to distinguish between the two.

The major drawback is the EPS that does not connect you to the tarmac.
Not a deal-breaker though.
More later: When I get my delivery. Biege Diesel HL.

But, trust me, driving an EPS in Urban Areas and our Traffic infested cities is a boon. A drive from my office to home is exactly 12.6kms but it takes me an hour and half to cover it. Changing lanes in start stop traffic with bikes, rickshaws, etc. on your case, it becomes absolutely essential & that's where HPS gaves you that pain. If I had a lot of highway driving to do, I would have given HPS cars a wee bit of thought. I hear a lot about the 'disconnected' feel, but sorry, its aint don't matter to me. I love driving my i10 AT to work & whether or not we decide on selling the Logan, the i10 will be my daily ride from Saturday.

:OTMay be it is because you are used to EPS.

Initially I used to drive Zen non PS. Then one day I drove Wagoner. I vowed never no drive it again. It felt insecure and you feel you are in a playstation rather than in a car.:deadhorse

Anyway like I said the one in Vento aint a deal breaker. And maybe I will get accustomed to it.

Folks , JK Tyres are really bad - I have suffered one tyre burst and one tyre shear with my Swift. For a heavier and a torquier car like Vento , you should change the JK tyres asap (within a year or 10K whichever is earlier) else I have reasons enough to believe that expressway kind of high friction concrete road drive maybe dangerous. Fortunately my Vento came with Apollo tyres

True. I noticed this too. Luckily for me too, got the Vento with Apollo.
Well, I see many tbhpians with both Swift and Vento here. I think it's high time we start a thread for "TBHPians with Vento and Swift" :D

I too currently drive a non-PS Zen. Though I like the heaviness of the steering on highways, in the city it is a big pain. I have to steer like a truck driver when making sharp turns. I even had an inflamed right shoulder muscle when I initially did one-hand driving. Had to change my habit since then. stupid:

But when I first test drove the Vento, it did feel like I am playing a game. But on the subsequent test drives, I got used to it. In fact, I found it perfect for city driving. By the time I reach the highways during the run-in, I should be comfortable with the light steering. It is not a big concern as you said.

The D day has arrived! Will be leaving from office for a bit at 12.30pm to take delivery. Just to confirm what i mentioned the other day, i re-checked with all the cars at the showroom. Most of the Polo's had JK Vectra's, Vento's had JK's as well as Apollo's (specifically in the IPL Variant). The Passat & the Beetle were the one's with Pirelli's. So that cleared my doubt. All the fittings, except for the Stanley's will be done & will be ready with the car. Will leave the car mid-next week for a day for the seat covers. Also had an opportunity to fiddle with the IPL HU albeit for a minute. The welcome screen has the VW + DLF IPL Logo's. The touchscreen was pretty responsive & sound quality with radio was average. Maps looked good too. Did not get to check anything else as there were a lot of people around. The overall fit & integration into the dash looks really fabulous, though can't say the same about the sound or video quality of the HU as i have not used it much & only owners will be able to give their true feedback. Imagine as a HL owner, you get the older outdated HU compared to a TL owner. :Frustrati

Can't wait though. Woohoo!

All the best Anil , we await to welcome you to the Vento family :)
Please do start your ownership thread as soon as possible


:thumbs up to your suggestion . Lets do it !! :) Is there a group functionality that TBHP allows ?

Congrats Anil. On my way into Mumbai today I was looking at every white petrol Vento thinking I may spot you. No idea what I would do if I did cuz I don't know what you look like :)
Have fun with the beauty! Do start an ownership thread!

Finally! I got delivery of my car, but late in the evening. Post 6.45pm. Long story, will write more tomorrow. And thankfully, I got Apollo Accelere, so I am not going for an upgrade/tyre modification. Clicked some pics from my BB9780 which has a decent 5MP camera. But will click some more in the days to come alongwith a comprehensive ownership report as & when I get time.

A collage of pictures clicked from last evening to this morning.

Hearty congratulations & what a relief it must have been to you after a long wait. Looking forward to hear from you @ your delivery experience.

Please do take loads of pictures. I know it would be a difficult task for you to get your hands off the steering wheel on to the key board, but then try your best to pen it down at the earliest.

Good collage, but what is the Logan doing there in the centre?