[revintup]

Originally Posted by PPS

You pay 10 lakh rupees and don't even get power windows on any of the doors!:Shocked:

The base variants do come with power windows but not with the 'one touch' operation.

[deetjohn]

A real dumb move by VW since they had all the time to get this right. Why didn't they equip the CL with ABS/ Airbags?

Why would anyone not pick a Rapid Ambition instead of the Vento CL? It's cheaper as well.

[noopster]

You guys are cribbing for no reason: it is after all the Comfortline and not the Safeline

Bad miss- as someone pointed out, the Rapid mid-variant offers the ABS/airbag option and so do all the Honda City variants. Trust me: you won't miss Climatronic as log as your regular AC works fine. And most discerning customers get their own ICE anyway.

[flyingkolors]

What a wasted opportunity. I know many people opting Rapid over Vento because of lack of mid variant. And now, when they offer one, it has more paint jobs and chrome stuff than the real stuff that matters.

When do they learn that the customers willing to spend 9-10lacs are also looking for the safety as their top priority. Not even an optional package? C'mon!

Honda and Ford (for the new Fiesta) should be lauded in this area. We do not want the bling blang. We need safety!!

[vvijay]

Originally Posted by deetjohn

Why would anyone not pick a Rapid Ambition instead of the Vento CL? It's cheaper as well.

This is only going to make the confused car-buyers clearer of the fact that Rapid is better in many ways. Looks like VW has only taken a step to ramp up the sales of Rapid

[drmohitg]

The Vento has always been a much praised car on the Forum and the official TD thread still is active which speaks volumes about the car. But the amount of interest ( or lack of it) this thread is generating just shows that everyone expected much more from VW with the launch of the Comfortline. More so since the Rapid carried all that extra equipment at a much cheaper price point.
Definitely a lost opportunity IMHO.

[Ford5]

This is a sales ploy. You get an indentical Skoda rapid with good safety at a lesser price and more often than not pathetic service, which IMHO VW india knows bloody damn well.

But hey, you can buy a premium rapid (stripped w/o abs & airbag) in the form of a Vento.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

The Vento has always been a much praised car on the Forum and the official TD thread still is active which speaks volumes about the car. But the amount of interest ( or lack of it) this thread is generating just shows that everyone expected much more from VW with the launch of the Comfortline. More so since the Rapid carried all that extra equipment at a much cheaper price point.
Definitely a lost opportunity IMHO.

Yes! Ideally, they should have made the current highline as comfort line, and brought a feature-loaded new highline variant. That would have really justified the premium commanded over the Rapid.

[bala80]

Well said drmohitg and vb-san. VW gives a music system in place of ABS, driver airbag in the skoda rapid TDI, Am I missing something?

I wouldn't have cribbed so much if they had atleast offered ABS in the comfortline variant, this is totally rubbish. Who in their right mind will go for this over rapid ambition? t-bhpian or not. I feel it is better to take a chance with skoda after sales compared to paying up for this comfortline variant. On top of everything, it doesnt come any cheap than the skoda, does it?

VW's strategy seems to be to push the sales of Rapid at the cost of Vento, and they are half-way there with this move.

[GTO]

The Rapid, unsurprisingly, overtook the Vento in sales last month. And the fact that the VW Vento never had a mid-variant was a glaring omission. Remember, it's the mid-variants that are usually the best selling for most Indian cars.

Now, they come up with this lame Comfortline! No alloy wheels or ABS in a car that will cost nearly 10 lakhs on the road in Mumbai! When VW entered India, they were mighty miffed that Skoda enjoyed such a "premium" image. Well, park the mid-variant Rapid and the mid-variant Vento next to each other, and they'll know why.

Big thumbs down. If you're going to buy the Vento, stretch your budget to the Highline.

On a related note, I'd like to meet the clueless VW dude who decides on equipment. My brother just got a Jetta Comfortline last week. His ~18 lakh rupee car doesn't have a USB! For heaven's sake, the Beat & Figo that cost 1/4 as $$$ get a USB port.

[drmohitg]

I totally agree with you. Although its off-topic discussion here but there should be certain level of standards maintained in the auto sector. Certain equipment should come up at a price point beyond which it should be made standard. An Eon or an Alto can vary different variants based on ORVMs and ICE etc. But when you go and buy a 10L/15L Rs car and it lacks USB, Arm rests, Electrical Orvms etc it just becomes annoying. And VW is really mastering this trend as of now. Kudos to Honda for providing such good equipment level on both City and Jazz.

[bluevolt]

I don't want gadgets or useless features. What I want is safety which means I want ABS + Airbags.

Earlier people thought ABS + Airbags are mere gadgetry stuff but they are indeed life savers!

A Known European car brand should have provided ABS + Airbag at least as option.

Cost cutting can be done somewhere else like Honda did by not providing ACC. But this comfortline even don't offer that.

Honda Can easily slash price of CE variant by at least 30-50K by removing ABS + Airbags. Imagine Honda City CE at 6.5 lakhs only but deprived of much needed safety features.

I sincerely request all manufacturers to provide safety features in the lower variant at least as option pack.

[bansal98]

Originally Posted by GTO

The Rapid, unsurprisingly, overtook the Vento in sales last month. And the fact that the VW Vento never had a mid-variant was a glaring omission. Remember, it's the mid-variants that are usually the best selling for most Indian cars.

If this move by VW ends up steering people towards Rapid, it's all good for VW as they belong to the same parent group anyway.

[saurabhdadhichi]

Originally Posted by bansal98

If this move by VW ends up steering people towards Rapid, it's all good for VW as they belong to the same parent group anyway.

That is what I feel as well, I think VW wants potential buyers to compare the two cars and chose what's best for them. Other cars in the same segment are Verna fluidic ( comparing only diesel here) Which is fully loaded but high speed stability as we know has not been great thereby not at all a bench mark in Handling department. Option since is limited Fiat ( Linea) missing on the after sales service is not inspiring either.

All in all option which ever we chose out of Rapid or Vento its VW gaining at the end of the day.

[flyingkolors]

Originally Posted by bluevolt

I don't want gadgets or useless features. What I want is safety which means I want ABS + Airbags.

Earlier people thought ABS + Airbags are mere gadgetry stuff but they are indeed life savers!

A Known European car brand should have provided ABS + Airbag at least as option.

Cost cutting can be done somewhere else like Honda did by not providing ACC. But this comfortline even don't offer that.

Honda Can easily slash price of CE variant by at least 30-50K by removing ABS + Airbags. Imagine Honda City CE at 6.5 lakhs only but deprived of much needed safety features.

I sincerely request all manufacturers to provide safety features in the lower variant at least as option pack.

+1 to what you said.

We had the VW Downtown guys put up a stall in my office premises yesterday and they had a Comfortline on display. The on road price in Bangalore comes to 10.83lacs for the diesel variant.

I inquired about the lack of safety features on a car costing close to 11lacs. The VW guy said, that is because its an imported engine and good built quality

When I further told him that the City base model also has both ABS and dual air bags he was annoyed. He banged the door of the car very hard and the kicked the rear bumper and said, can you do this with a City?

I was shocked and laughed at the ignorance and walked away.