[na_agrawal]

Good Morning BHPians,

We are in the month of February in 2022, inches away from the end of this fiscal year and the end of Q1. Also, in the automotive sector, we have the all-new Skoda Slavia, VW Virtus, Toyota Belta, Kia Carens, and Citroen C3 up on the cards. This goes without mentioning, the onset of upcoming EV cars and petrol prices breaching the 100 INR mark. (Although, where I live currently, its still 96 ) Keeping the above in mind, let's take a step forward.

I come from a background wherein my family and my extended family members are fond of driving cars and will wake up at an ungodly hour if there's a road trip involved. So, we have had a fair share of all cars in our garages, ranging from a 1991 Padmini Premier to a 2022 Jeep Compass Model S.

But now the time has come for this BHPian to own a set of wheels just for himself. I will turn 26 this year and want to burn a hole in my wallet but as usual I am utterly confused.

I am hell-bent on a 2022 VW Vento Highline MT in Lapiz Blue but I am overwhelmed with the 10 year age of that car plus the fact that it'll be phased out in the next 3 months, courtesy Virtus. I would like to get some insights and guidance that if at all this will be a good decision or this might go south on me. Also, what else should I take a look at, my requirements are as below -

1. 9 - 11 L budget.
2. Fun to drive.
3. Spares and maintenance should not be a pain in the a..
4. Manual and petrol.
5. Should be decently kitted.

For reference, we have currently the below cars - (if this helps)

2017 i20 Active SX(o)
2009 Honda Civic V MT
2019 Kia Seltos HTK+
2021 Kia Seltos GTX+ DCT
2022 Jeep Compass Model S Petrol

Thanks,
NA

[Bibendum90949]

Vento is a little too long in the tooth now. Though the styling is timeless, you would start to get a dated feel with it in couple of years as the new car smell wanes and the initial new car euphoria dies down. Since you've two Seltoses in the family and after having enjoyed a wide array of features and creature comforts in it, Vento would appear plain vanilla for you. Mechanically, it's still a very good car though but lacks lot of nifty feel good elements vis-a-vis recently launched cars.

Do explore latest generation cars, Slavia and Virtus are worth a look. Since you like Vento, chances of you striking a chord with Virtus is very likely but would overshoot your budget. Good luck on the new car hunt.

cheers,
bibendum.

[sunikkat]

I would rather go for a Rapid over Vento. Though the underpinnings are same personally Rapid still looks good for me. Also since you already have other cars in garage, why not consider Polo? It will be more fun to drive too.
It might be a personal taste, but Vento looks really aged for me while Polo and Rapid are still good looking.

[hyper-VTEC]

Go ahead with the Vento. I am getting my HL MT next week. If it has aged well for last 10 years, it should not be an issue for next 5-6. Slavia and Virtus with alloys and other goodies which current Vento/Polo HL or HL+ gives would be at least 4-6 lakhs more expensive. And i don't have to tell you about the quality issues the Kushaq/Taigun are facing because of localisation. Expect the same issues to crop up in Slavia/Virtus.

Polo/Vento would be the last of the "made to last" cars from the german stable within this budget.

[EV NXT]

Originally Posted by na_agrawal

I am hell-bent on a 2022 VW Vento Highline MT

The quoted line seals it for you. Anything else will leave you with a “I should have stuck to my decision” feeling.

Buy the Vento or it’s clone the Rapid eyes closed. Manufacturers make parts available for a minimum of 10 years after discontinuation of a model.

The current crop of cars are getting substantially diluted in various areas - handling, internal quality, robustness, product failures etc. Plus they cost SUBSTANTIALLY more. Case in point - the Kushaq.

The Vento/ Rapid have a timeless design so they wouldn’t look dated and with that performance and handling on tap you will have a sleeper car too. It’s also the last of the robust and competent PQ 25 platform.

You’ve made a Sensible choice. Hope you don’t get confused now.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by na_agrawal

But now the time has come for this BHPian to own a set of wheels just for himself. I will turn 26 this year and want to burn a hole in my wallet but as usual I am utterly confused.

I am hell-bent on a 2022 VW Vento Highline MT in Lapiz Blue but I am overwhelmed with the 10 year age of that car plus the fact that it'll be phased out in the next 3 months, courtesy Virtus.
NA

Can you help elaborate the reasons why you are very keen on the Vento? And which other options you have looked at? As you are well aware, it is pretty much on the way out and you should not be stuck with buyer's remorse 6 months down the line.

As a car, obviously you cannot go wrong with a Vento. It has been around for a long time, so service and spares should not be an issue. Also since you have mentioned a budget of 9-11L, I assume you are getting this Highline Vento in this range which sounds like a good deal considering the prices these days.

If you are keen on a full size sedan and have the fixed budget of 11L, there are not many choices. Worth looking at the Rapid also.

[GTO]

If you really love the car and are sold on it, then its age shouldn't matter. 3 of the 4 cars I own are discontinued models, but I still love them (the 4th might see a new generation soon too). In my books, the Vento / Rapid have aged well and are still the most fun-to-drive C2 sedans in the market.

That being said, do wait a month for the Slavia and see what it has to offer. Skoda might price it really well, after the Kushaq overpricing debacle. Speaking of which, take a spin in the Taigun / Kushaq as well. Never know what might "click" with your heart & mind.

I would buy a Taigun / Kushaq 1.0 over the Vento 1.0.

[travelwriter]

I was in a similar situation in August 2021 and was really keen on Rapid or Vento. I had my share of well-wishers telling me to go for a Hyundai or a Suzuki or a Honda but my mind was set of VW and its cousin.

I went for the Vento HL Plus AT and, believe me, it ticks all the boxes when it comes to driving.

The build quality is great.
Here in Hyderabad, I have had decent response from service centres (first service isn't done yet).
It is a great car to drive in city traffic or on the highway. The way the 1 litre engine effortlessly handles overtaking and cornering gives me a lot of confidence.

I never felt that phasing out of a car was a show-stopper. The car is great, service is available and it ticks all the boxes; I guess that is what matters to me most.

Yes, it does not come with a cinemascope screen, does not have a sunroof and does not have much of chrome. If these are in your must-have list, drop it by all means.

But if it is safety, driving and comfort you seek, this is the car you should stick to.

By the way, I paid just over 14.5L and bought the insurance on my own. I am certain you can get a good 80K off the list price if you are a glib talker (unlike me).

[AKSarkar1]

I would say go for it! Why? Let me explain as a Vento Owner, might be a bit long but do bear with me!

1) Safety: The Vento does tick all the requirements of safety that requires. However, for me safety is more a feeling. When I sit in my Vento the car feels like a tank and inspires confidence. When driving at triple digits the car feels planted and extremely confident in being able to handle it's own power. This feeling to date I have been able to get only in my Mercedes cars out of the other cars that I own in my garage.

2) Heritage: This car was essentially glocalized for the Indian market. When I was at uni in Germany the Polo 6R had recently launched and many of my friends had bought it then. Even a decade or so later, most of them still have that car. Essentially, these cars have an internationally proven record and image.

3) Driving Dynamics: Need not say anything about this, been proven and spoken about over the years. If you are a bit crazy like some of us BHPians, get a remap and watch the car fly.

4) Mod friendliness: Yes sure the car is over 10 years old but the sheer mod-friendliness nature of the car has allowed me to subside the new car itch over the years.

5) Slavia/Virtus dilemma: As GTO said, I would wait for the official prices of the Slavia to come out. If they are truly as crazy as what they are thought to be, VW will follow suit. That would automatically mean that the Virtus would be out of price range.

My Vento is a 2015 car and is due to complete 7 years in a couple of months. Given the direction of VAG in India and the pricing of the Slavia, I have ruled out the option of buying a new car from them. I would be hanging on to my Vento for at least 4-5 years more if things go as per plan. People buy into value and not marketing and IMHO the values of the brand have changed. I see countless new owners on our forum braving creaking, squeaking and mechanical failures of their Kushaqs after parting with over a million rupees. These things are something no extent of marketing can help change.

As for the new car itch, I am thinking of buying a pre-owned A4 for myself instead of a Slavia/Virtus. The VAG group truly butchered a great opportunity to make a car that would have continued giving them a cult following.

All the best and I look forward to welcoming a new Vento owner into the Team-BHP family!

[bhavik.1991]

If you're in love with the way the car drives, you won't mind lack of features at all.
I am so content with 2014 Jetta highline that I don't want to replace it for next 5-8 years despite the lack of many features which are fairly common in 20-30L car now a days.

[thebengalee]

Originally Posted by na_agrawal

1. 9 - 11 L budget.
2. Fun to drive.
3. Spares and maintenance should not be a pain in the a..
4. Manual and petrol.
5. Should be decently kitted.

Save for point number 4, a Jetta might have fit the bill, provided you're open to buying pre-owned. I'm on the lookout for a decent example from MY2015-onwards myself, so I've spent a fair bit of time on these forums researching. It's a great combination of quality, reliability, and driving dynamics (the 2.0 TDI, the 1.4 TSI is somewhat lacklustre).

[na_agrawal]

Originally Posted by Bibendum90949

Since you've two Seltoses in the family and after having enjoyed a wide array of features and creature comforts in it, Vento would appear plain vanilla for you. Mechanically, it's still a very good car though but lacks lot of nifty feel good elements vis-a-vis recently launched cars.

Though you're right on the fact that Vento is not as feature loaded as let's say a Seltos or Verna or even City. But that is not something what I want from this purchase. I want a affordable car which is easy to live with and gives me a wide grin when I want to have some fun. The Seltos in GTX+ DCT at home, has good punch and acceleration but the ride and handling limits the fun factor. This is where the Vento is superior and half the money.

Originally Posted by hyper-VTEC

Go ahead with the Vento. I am getting my HL MT next week. If it has aged well for last 10 years, it should not be an issue for next 5-6. Slavia and Virtus with alloys and other goodies which current Vento/Polo HL or HL+ gives would be at least 4-6 lakhs more expensive. And i don't have to tell you about the quality issues the Kushaq/Taigun are facing because of localisation. Expect the same issues to crop up in Slavia/Virtus.

Polo/Vento would be the last of the "made to last" cars from the german stable within this budget.

This is probably the best reason I can give to anyone who is in the market for a 10-12L car. I checked out the Slavia. It was a 1.0 Style AT variant. Yes, it was fully loaded but the quality of materials didn't feel like a proper Skoda. The doors had heft, bonnet was heavy, but, step in, you'll be reminded with every touch that this is a Skoda built with Hyundai/Honda level of robustness.

Originally Posted by sunikkat

I would rather go for a Rapid over Vento. Though the underpinnings are same personally Rapid still looks good for me. .

Originally Posted by EV NXT

The quoted line seals it for you. Anything else will leave you with a “I should have stuck to my decision” feeling.

Buy the Vento or it’s clone the Rapid eyes closed.

Unfortunately the Rapid is now available only in the Matte Edition version. That too is very very limited and costs 13.85L on road for the MT variant. I don't have that kind of moolah right now.

Originally Posted by GTO

If you really love the car and are sold on it, then its age shouldn't matter. 3 of the 4 cars I own are discontinued models, but I still love them (the 4th might see a new generation soon too). In my books, the Vento / Rapid have aged well and are still the most fun-to-drive C2 sedans in the market.

I test drove the Polo, Vento & Taigun. In my budget, I can only go for the 1.0 Taigun, had it been a 1.5 TSi, I would have waited for Slavia or Virtus. I am not a sucker for features, I believe the Highline or Highline + variants have all the required features, but not the aspirational ones. What matters to me is the time spent behind the wheel. Also, though the VW twins look old, but not bad/ugly.

Originally Posted by AKSarkar1

I would say go for it! Why? Let me explain as a Vento Owner, might be a bit long but do bear with me!

Originally Posted by bhavik.1991

If you're in love with the way the car drives, you won't mind lack of features at all.
I am so content with 2014 Jetta highline that I don't want to replace it for next 5-8 years despite the lack of many features which are fairly common in 20-30L car now a days.

This was super assuring to read!!
Thank you for sharing.

I have visited all the dealers and test driven the cars that I wanted to, except the Slavia. Will definitely go for a Polo/ Vento. The reason for rejecting all other cars are way too simple. For Kushaq/Taigun the pricing starts at 16+L for the 1.5 Tsi, so they are out of my range. For the 1.0 Tsi, I will get the lowest variant in 12.5L. So, basically I pay more for less bells and whistles (due to the lowest trim) and cheaper build quality by VW/Skoda standards just for a "newer" "more premium" FACE!? than the VW twins? I don't see the point in that.

Rejected the Verna/ City because I felt they are more of a family man's car than a driver's car. Verna is super effortless to drive, too easy even for a first time car buyer and lacks any feel. City, although has a superbly refined engine and 119 BHP on paper, just doesn't feel exciting.

Thank you everyone for your inputs, next week will see the finalizing of the car and I hope I get a VW without any waiting.

Cheers,
~NA

[igemini]

Originally Posted by na_agrawal

next week will see the finalizing of the car and I hope I get a VW without any waiting.

Personally, I feel the Vento is a great car even today. But it's certainly not for everyone. Especially if you are concerned about modern day features and gizmos. Considering the modern day cars, Vento is almost half the price that too with the explosive 1.0 TSI. Moreover, the car is really built to last unlike the gizmo filled cars these days. Even the VW Skoda cars these days in this price brackets are not as good build when compared to these.

Spare parts won't be a big issue for sure. What I can foresee, the biggest problem that you are going to face shall be to procure a brand new car. As long as you can get one from the VW dealer and really like the car, then go for it.

If you have any second thoughts, then look around for Slavia/Virtus or even the Taigun.
Those who own a VW knows better that, regardless of the shortcomings of the VW cars including frustrations with after sales and dealers, you tend to forget everything once you start experiencing the drive every single time.

[akshathmithal]

Originally Posted by na_agrawal

I am hell-bent on a 2022 VW Vento Highline MT in Lapiz Blue but I am overwhelmed with the 10 year age of that car plus the fact that it'll be phased out in the next 3 months, courtesy Virtus.

Hey, while I fully agree with the others here on going ahead for the Vento even today - would just suggest that you recheck on the availability of Lapiz Blue before fully making up your mind. I believe it was discontinued late year for both the Polo and the Vento (which is a shame) .

Nonetheless, look forward to you joining the club!

[na_agrawal]

Originally Posted by igemini

What I can foresee, the biggest problem that you are going to face shall be to procure a brand new car. As long as you can get one from the VW dealer and really like the car, then go for it.

If you have any second thoughts, then look around for Slavia/Virtus or even the Taigun.

Fortunately, the dealer is confident in getting me a brand new Vento. The model and color might not be as per my choice exactly though.

I am a no-no for Slavia/ Taigun/ Kushaq for now. If I ever was interested in them, it was for 1.5 Tsi, but that's a huge 60% increase on my budget. Also, I don't think 16-17L (minimum) for the first car for me is financially justifiable.

Originally Posted by akshathmithal

Hey, while I fully agree with the others here on going ahead for the Vento even today - would just suggest that you recheck on the availability of Lapiz Blue before fully making up your mind. I believe it was discontinued late year for both the Polo and the Vento (which is a shame) .

Nonetheless, look forward to you joining the club!

Thanks for inviting me to the club in advance. I will visit the dealership today to finalize on Polo/Vento, whichever strikes my heart and mind the best.

Polo is available in all colors for now. (as per dealership)
Vento is not available in Lapiz Blue, Sunset Red, and Coffee Brown from Oct 2021 onwards. White is on a waiting period of approx 2 months. Silver and Grey should be available in less than a month's time.

*Fingers Crossed* Let's find out tonight.