[JoshMachine]

Thanks for sharing, some of your words are coming directly from the heart

Whenever I come across a Vento post, specially that of new owners, I feel nostalgic. Reminds me of my initial ownership days (from 2015) going through the same experience and emotions.

You have covered almost all the important points that a Vento owner prides upon - brilliant highway manners, good air-conditioning, confidence-inspiring braking, sorted handling and last but not the least - the wonderful DSG!
Your observation is spot-on regarding the differences between the 'D' and the 'S' mode. And your experience of the car giving strong feedback upon braking while in S-mode is again very correct, but you might know that its the inherent nature of the gearbox to hold on that much longer while in that mode and hence braking or coming to a stand-still while in S-mode can be bit uncomfortable if the deceleration is not gradual.
If you are interested to know more about DSG and how it works, you may want to peruse this thread. It has a fair bit of both - tech and actual user experiences, that should give you an idea of what to expect from your Vento in the time to come.

Your Vento's FE of 19kmpl on the highway is very good.

Enjoy the car and keep sharing your experiences and keep posting pictures. And yes, do buy that extended warranty quickly if not already done.

[travelwriter]

Originally Posted by JoshMachine

Thanks for sharing, some of your words are coming directly from the heart

. extended warranty quickly if not already done.

Thanks for the feedback.

Just one thing, though. My Vento does not come with a DSG. I really wanted it but could not wait for a year before Virtus came along and, at that time, I did not know if Virtus would get the DSG or be within my price range. I did consider T-Roc but dropped it since I wanted a sedan and the price was too high for me.

Thanks also for pointing out to the interesting thread. I will subscribe to that too.

Travelwriter

[pranav__ram]

Originally Posted by travelwriter

I have just completed 15,000 kms on my Vento after 1 year and 3 months. I felt it time for me to share my experiences and overall impression about the car with all.

Let me start with the parameter I consider most important - the drive.
In the city
Here is what I look for while driving in the city (not in any specific order).
1. Quick pick up
2. Easy handling - no arm aches and fatigue
3. Confidence-inspiring braking
4. Burst of speed when required
5. Comfortable AC
6. Space and the other things.

My Vento does not score well on the quick pick up part in the D-mode. There is an irritating lag and I can feel the downshifts quite strongly. The story is entirely different on the S-mode. It is a great pleasure to drive in that mode and it looks like the engine has its ears peeled to any foot input and immediately responds. But during downshifts, when I brake to slow down, the S-mode shakes up the vehicle as if protesting vehemently. Overall, I would score this aspect 4 out of 5.

Handling is the best I have experienced in any can of this variety. I can compare this with the Passat I owned earlier. I can negotiate bends, curves and corners easily and with great confidence. I do not have to guess the position of the steering wheel while going around corners without braking. While driving, I do not notice any body roll and so far, the family has not complained about that either. My daughter has motion sickness problem and even a little body roll results in her stomach contents decorating the inside of my car or a paper bag. Driving around potholes gives a video game feeling (like Road Rash or such). Ground clearance is quite sufficient; so far I have not found any reason to crib on that front. Handling and related delivery deserves a 5 out of 5.

Braking is really good. No spongy feel, never felt insufficient and certainly never felt unsafe. One small irritant is that when moving the car without throttle input, like you do in a bumper-to-bumper traffic, if you brake, the passengers are thrown forward. It took me some time to manage that aspect but then since I drive and do not feel that, I just let is slide. A strong 4 out of 5, I would say.

Burst of speed is where I feel the money I paid was worth it. This is also when I forget that this is a 1-litre, 3-cylinder engine. This is also when I wonder how great it would be to drive a bigger engine. But then, that is a wish at the moment. My Vento gives me all the power I need and when I need it. It can take off like a tiger that has been lurking and has found it's prey. If I am the first at a traffic signal, I am certain my Vento will leave almost everyone behind. The pick up great in D-mode but takes me to Nirvana on S-mode. The added fun is the sound it produces. It even elicited a 'WOW' from a co-passenger once. In peak traffic, this power delivery gives me the confidence to execute overtaking manoevuers. The pleasure of it all results in a smug smile on my face which has elicited snide remarks from my wife once a while. Scoring? Well a 7 out of 5 (my review, my rules, I say!)

Air conditioning is good. Hyderabad does not have a sweltering hot summer but still does get quite hot. The AC is quickly able to settle to a comfortable fan speed and cooling level based on the temperature I set. Incidentally, my perception of auto AC was that the temperature and fan speed will set itself automatically (like in my earlier Passat) but that is not the case. Temperature has to be set manually and the fan speed is automatic. Overall, I would give it 5 out of 5.

Other aspects that matter to me.
Storage is quite sufficient. Door space for bottles, huge glove box, arm rest storage (though small but quite functional), space for smaller items behind the gear lever. The design flaw is that using the handbrake with the armrest put down is a pain. If I want to use the handbrake, I have to life the arm rest up. I have never used the boss lever to move the seat. Never had to, actually. Seating position is not hard to find although I seem to struggle to find the right way to sit. Should I move closer to the steering wheel? Should my elbows be locked or bent? Should I raise the height of the seat? I have never found the right answers to these. Back seat has enough leg space. My son is over 6 ft and he finds my Vento offering him enough space to be comfortable.

Now, the highway drives. The real reason why I bought a car in the first place.
I have had multiple out-station drives from Hyderabad. I have driven to Pune, Lonavla, Chennai, Trichy, Indore and Bangalore. In a nutshell, after finishing each trip, I am already looking forward to and planning my next one.

The boot space is great for luggage of a 5-member group. The best part is, even my wife's shopping can be easily accommodated after all the luggage has been put in. (That this advantage has resulted in my wife shopping more is a mere side effect). It would have been great if there were nets or straps for smaller items but that's fine; I don't miss them.

The drive. If there was ever a reason to be and feel alive, this is it. It is a pleasure to drive my Vento on long journeys. No fatigue or exhaustion, absolutely safe, fast when you want it to be and an able cruiser on good roads.

I can drive at 110kmph without having to brake or change speeds for a long time. The cruise control works quite well although the buttons are too small to operate while driving and looking at the road. My Passat had a separate lever which was great to use. My Vento reaches speeds of 80 within 4 or 5 seconds (no, I did not time it) and settles at around 1900 RPM when I am at 100kmph. It does not feel like I am driving at 100. My wife, kids manage to easily catch their forty winks at 110 speeds as well. The engine is barely audible at these speeds. Going fast around twisted roads is another remarkable experience. Longer corners can easily be done at 3-digit speeds while hilly bends can be managed at 60 or sometimes at 80 depending on the sharpness of the curve. Nevertheless, there has never been an instance where I felt a bit nervous or apprehensive while taking a curve head on.

Braking is absolutely fabulous. I experienced this when a woman was leisurely strolling across the road while talking on her mobile. I had to brake hard and my Vento did not sweat. No screeching sounds or lateral movements. I had to honk to bring the woman to her senses and help her scurry back to the corner of the road.

Smaller speed bumps, road undulations are easily handled. You can hear a rumble but there are no violent shakes and side-way movement like I experienced in an i20 I drove once. I came across many 'road work' situations where I had to drive my Vento on rubble for a couple of miles, especially in Maharashtra. No problem there although I felt quite guilty and apologised to the car for that inviting rolling of eyes from my wife.

As for mileage, I consistently get a 10kmpl in the city while on the highway, my Vento has returned 19kmpl once when I restricted myself to max 90 kms per hour. But, honestly, this requires all the will power that one can muster. I have tried my best to be sensible and mileage-conscious but somehow I keep failing consistently. As a result, if I drive at speeds excess of 110, the mileage drops to 15. I did Hyderabad to Pune in three quarters of a tank. Same with Bangalore. Both are about 600 kms from Hyderabad, give or take a few depending on where your final city destination is.

So there it is. My Vento is built for the highway and pleases in the city, too. Score? Now, that is a challenge. Let me just say that all the cognitive dissonance I experienced after spending Rs.14.3 lakhs just disappeared. All those who said an i20 would have been better have been responded to in performance terms. I am really glad I listened to my heart and went for a Vento instead of a Tigor, Honda City or even a Rapid.

Last few points.
My Vento does command respect; it looks quite premium.
The VW service centre in Kompally, Hyderabad is quite good. Responsive, attentive and satisfactory.
A big shout out to the Government for the excellent highway roads south of Bhopal and Indore. Maharashtra has some way to go but roads in Karnataka, Telangana, TN and MP are really great. Especially, MP. Really great roads. I would just ask the authorities to get rid of the speed breakers and the needless barricades which are dangerously placed in AP and Telangana.

I hope you find this piece useful. My writing capability comes with its limitations; I am unable to do full justice to the capabilities of my Vento but still, I tried my best.

Drive well and drive safe.

Travelwriter

I just completed around 13k kms on my 2021 Vento Highline plus TSI AT too. I truly agree with all the aspects you mentioned here. I just wanted to add few observations on top of this,

1. Faced an EPC error once, the car refused to start, gear lever failed to move also. but after turning ON/OFF ignition twice the error is gone and the car went back to normal. I drove around 3k kms after this incident, but the EPC error never came back. note:- I was using XP95 from Indian oil every time as the user manual suggests to fill in 95 octane fuel. since that issue never came back I didn't visit the VW Service center.
   
2. Rear left passenger side power window buttons unit came off. It was one rare used item.
   
3. Cars wheel alignment keeps on misaligning, even after fixing it using wheel alignment & balancing. ( the roads around my apartment in Bangalore are too bad, maybe this could be a reason )
   
4. I used to service my car from Volkswagen Banglore, Singasandra. The service experience is just about okay. definitely needs improvement.

But still, I don't regret my buying decision over a 5th gen Honda City ( The car I shortlisted before buying Vento ). I really enjoyed the 1L 3cylinder (coincidently my 2nd 3cylinder vehicle in my garage- the other one just had 2 wheels ) unit with torque converter more than a CVT, at any single day.

[pranayy]

Originally Posted by Chitta Pradhan

You are spot on. I got it checked & replaced one speed sensor, the rear left one. ..

Where did you source the abs sensor from. Was it through a local shop or online portal.

[Chitta Pradhan]

Originally Posted by pranayy

Where did you source the abs sensor from. Was it through a local shop or online portal.

ABS sensor was available with the local workshop @ 2500/- a piece. I had not tried to shop online or to source from anywhere else.

[Auto_guy_101]

Hey, I’m not sure if this is the right thread but I’m having issues with a couple of minor parts in my Vento

Intro: 8 yr, 38K km Vento 1.6 Petrol MT. Was previously VW serviced but I’m now getting all the work done at Pete’s automotive, Kochi

1. The fuel tanks outer lid lock is not working.
VW gave me a 5500 quote some time back. Is there a cheaper or more reliable option? Pete’s doesn’t know if there’s a better option.
Currently, I’m just leaving it semi-open (with a 3-4 m gap by wedging a piece of paper into the lock)

2. The beading between the side view mirror and bonnet is worn out and broken (picture attached). Where can I get this and is it a diy job?

Thanks in advance and happy motoring!

[salilpawar1]

Originally Posted by Auto_guy_101

Hey, I’m not sure if this is the right thread but I’m having issues with a couple of minor parts in my Vento

Intro: 8 yr, 38K km Vento 1.6 Petrol MT. Was previously VW serviced but I’m now getting all the work done at Pete’s automotive, Kochi

1. The fuel tanks outer lid lock is not working.
VW gave me a 5500 quote some time back. Is there a cheaper or more reliable option? Pete’s doesn’t know if there’s a better option.
Currently, I’m just leaving it semi-open (with a 3-4 m gap by wedging a piece of paper into the lock)

2. The beading between the side view mirror and bonnet is worn out and broken (picture attached). Where can I get this and is it a diy job?

Thanks in advance and happy motoring!

1. Try taking it to a local garage to find the exact root cause of the problem. You can salvage a used piece from the local scrapyard, perhaps. Sometimes dismantling the piece and a thorough clean-up can also do the job.

2. It's a trim piece. Search for VW VENTO TRIM BOODMO on Google and you will find listings. It costs Rs.250 / piece and can be DIYed or replaced at a local garage.

[vishy76]

Originally Posted by Auto_guy_101

Hey, I’m not sure if this is the right thread but I’m having issues with a couple of minor parts in my Vento

Intro: 8 yr, 38K km Vento 1.6 Petrol MT. Was previously VW serviced but I’m now getting all the work done at Pete’s automotive, Kochi

1. The fuel tanks outer lid lock is not working.
VW gave me a 5500 quote some time back. Is there a cheaper or more reliable option? Pete’s doesn’t know if there’s a better option.
Currently, I’m just leaving it semi-open (with a 3-4 m gap by wedging a piece of paper into the lock)

Thanks in advance and happy motoring!

This is a known issue on many VAG group cars. The solution is to change the fuel lid actuator which locks and unlocks the lid based on the central locking input and also holds it in place.

Here's the link

Costs some 3000 bucks and needs 15 minutes worth of labour.

[Auto_guy_101]

Originally Posted by vishy76

Costs some 3000 bucks and needs 15 minutes worth of labour.

Thanks a lot. I'll have this replaced.

Originally Posted by salilpawar1

It's a trim piece. Search for VW VENTO TRIM BOODMO on Google and you will find listings.

Thanks! I'll get this done ASAP. 250 is a very reasonable price too.

[pranayy]

The fuel lid actuator needs to be changed. This would solve the issue. I would recommend to replace it from a authorized service center. For the second part you can check Saral Trading too. But you would also need the clips. There are plastic screws or clips which may break while removing the old one. Check this with the mechanic.

[@PetrolheadASH]

South Delhi. Reliable Mechanic suggestions for Vento AT.
Hi Folks- need some help urgently. I have a 2013 Vento 1.6 AT Highline Petrol. Done 75000 km. Need a good mechanic who can fix the suspension and other issues. I am in South Delhi and would really appreciate contacts of good reliable mechanics. Dont want to go to the company service centre as not worth spending so much. Very very grateful.

[travelwriter]

Hello All Vento owners,
I wanted to know if there are any dashcams that I can install without voiding the warranty. Anyone know of such equipment that I can use front and rear? I recently met with a minor mishap on the highway. Thankfully, the damage was quite small and the truck driver (finally) acknowledged his mistake and paid for it.

I would like to be more at peace in case a dashcam can be installed.

Looking forward,
Travelwriter

[adityarobb]

Originally Posted by travelwriter

Hello All Vento owners,
I wanted to know if there are any dashcams that I can install without voiding the warranty.
Travelwriter

You can install any dual channel dashcam and plug it into the 12V socket provided, hardwiring the dashcam might void the warranty which also depends on the ASC and other factors. I suggest going for a dashcam from a reputed brand for a hassle free experience.

[travelwriter]

Originally Posted by adityarobb

You can install any dual channel dashcam and plug it into the 12V socket provided, hardwiring the dashcam might void the warranty which also depends on the ASC and other factors. I suggest going for a dashcam from a reputed brand for a hassle free experience.

Thanks for this.
I will check on web and Youtube to find the right kind of product. I believe all will be China made and hence the quality will be iffy. But let me give it a check.

Edit: I see you are located in Hyderabad as well. Any shops you know of?

[Auto_guy_101]

Originally Posted by pranayy

I would recommend to replace it from a authorized service center.

This got fixed thanks to a persistent fuel pump attendee who thought its a good idea to force close it a couple of days back. Now the locking mechanism works (some luck) and the plastic outer lids locking part is a bit broken - making it look closed. Even if it gets locked in the future, it can be preyed slightly to open

Originally Posted by pranayy

There are plastic screws or clips which may break while removing the old one. Check this with the mechanic.

The trims arrive tomorrow. I check under the old one there's some kind of a bush that holds it in place. Not sure if I can find the exact same bush. I was thinking of jerry-rigging it into place. Even glue might just do the job. Considering this part doesn't really have any functionality, I think this should be fine.