[gaurav911]

Originally Posted by oxyzen

Congratulations on a sensible choice.
Vento is definitely the most fun to drive sedan in its segment. It has a superb engine which feels much more powerful and responsive than the Verna. I guess German horses are much stronger. Fiesta is not even in question. On the ride and handling department it is ages ahead of Verna. The NFS handles better due to its stiffer suspension but at low speeds the ride is comparatively harsh. The space in Vento is also much better than its competitors. The only grouse I have against Vento is the refinement and the old school ICE.
I agree with you on the feature list. It has got the important ones. Airbags, ABS, ACC, Rear AC vents, MID and an unending list of small but useful ones that SouravC is right now compiling. Practically speaking you dont need cruise control, voice activated controls, Foldable ORVM etc. What I would have liked is the extra 6th gear and 16" alloys.
Another myth is the steering is rubbish. I say the myth is rubbish. It just takes a few minutes to get accustomed to it. Although it is by no means as feelsome as a Fiat but more importantly it is quick and it is direct.
You are already an owner of Fiesta. How do you rate the ride of handling of Vento compared to it?

Thanks oxyzen.
Yup, the refinement was irritating-expected better NVH levels. The ICE is something which i am already pondering over. If it is sound quality alone that matters then the only OEM ICE that is good is that of the Fiesta.
For the Vento i am already thinking whether to retain the HU or replace it with a touchscreen one which would take care of multiple missing features (BT, USB, Aux, Navigation).

Totally agree on the features front-there should have been 16" alloys on the highline and the 6th gear would be a boon on highways.
But since nothing's perfect, the Vento does enough to make us happy .

I have driven my Fiesta (now rechristened the Classic) for 4.5 years now, through all types of roads and conditions. It would be too early for me to compare the handling or ride with that of the Vento. But one thing is sure. I am definitely going to do a bit of my own comparo between the 2 cars once I get my hands on my Vento and take it for a long date !

[souravc]

Originally Posted by gaurav911

3. The Volkswagen Vento(Higline)

The decision for me has been made. The Vento is the clear winner. I have fallen in love with a car which i had not even considered till recently.

Kindly note: The observations made are strictly mine and there is no intention to offend any car owner or car lover.

Welcome to the excruciating wait and the rubbish dealer experience but thats the initiation to lots of heart pumping driving pleasure - I love the car and have got addicted to driving because of it . Congrats on the most sensible choice. Once you have driven it enough , you would love the noise and rationalise the high rev note as "sporty grunt" [ thats what my 9 year old son says ] You would enjoy the practical features and the sheer quality of the build. We have a pretty active bunch of Vento onwers out here , please do let us know if you need any help .

[miharbe]

As a Vento owner it felt great reading your post. I own a White TDI Highline bought in Dec '10 and am as happy with the car as i was on the first day (except the fact that i had a major accident which is a story for another day)

Even after 10k kms on the odo it still feels like brand new. I was sad about buying the Vento when i saw the features of the ANHV but post reading your thread i sort of fell in love once again with my car.

I was planning to get a tuning box but am sitting on the fence as sometimes i find the stock car pickup difficult to control in Mumbai traffic. However till date there hasnt been a traffic light from where I havent managed to leave cars way behind and it surely does feel planted at very high speeds (170 is the max i have managed)

Welcome to the club. What colour did you buy and what is the waiting time for the diesel Highline now (i got mine after 4 months even though i had booked it on the first day the bookings opened)

Congrats on your decision looking forward to a review soon!

[SCORPION]

Thanks for the superb report Gaurav. I really don't understand what Ford was thinking while pricing the new Fiesta. The Figo is VFM and all predictions from the experts lay in the region of 8-10 lakhs. But the final pricing shocked me.
Vento and the Verna had been in the market for quite some time before Ford announced their prices. They sure have a lot of confidence in their new car.
In that price range, I don't think mileage alone matters, especially a couple of kms up or down. What's the point in having a car that handles superbly when it doesn't have an engine to match!!
On the other hand, the Verna has the power but cannot handle it entirely. But I think it is priced superbly for the over all equipment and reliability that comes with it.
The Vento, just love that car. I wish it had a better dashboard quality. I havent seen anyone mentioning it, but I really felt the dashboard plastic could have been of a better quality. Apart from that,and the slightly noisy engine, its just fantastic.
Congrats Gaurav!!

[bala80]

Congratulations on your decision. Read from the "new car" thread that you had already made the booking and the waiting period quoted is 1 month now. You wouldn't regret your decision one bit and as oxyzen has commented above, the steering feels just fine and pretty direct and you will get used to it very quickly.

OT - Just noticed - Vento delivery delays thread doesnt have too many recent posts, good signs, me thinks

[Poitive]

Originally Posted by oxyzen

Another myth is the steering is rubbish. I say the myth is rubbish. It just takes a few minutes to get accustomed to it.

Originally Posted by bala80

You wouldn't regret your decision one bit and as oxyzen has commented above, the steering feels just fine and pretty direct and you will get used to it very quickly.

It usually takes a while getting used to a new steering and how it weighs. Most cars tend to feel fine after prolonged use and initial opinions may change. The extremes one felt were with :

Linea : Besides suitable weight, this one also told you about the undulations the wheels were encountering. Didn't feel it in the others.

Fluidic Verna : This one felt so very light that it seemed that even after prolonged use, one may not feel at ease with this one.

The Vento should feel fine, after being accustomed to it. Didn't feel anything as extreme as is reported by some people.

A lot really depends on what one is used to using. A Linea user may find most others rubbish, to start with.

[bala80]

Well said. I think what you have been used to plays an very important role, My earlier cars were ford ikon and swift VDI and it took about a couple of hours for me to get used to the Vento steering though it is definitely on the lighter side compared to the other mentioned ones.

Talking along the same lines, for someone who is used to i20, moving to verna should not be a concern at all as far as steering feel and feedback is concerned.

Originally Posted by Poitive

A lot really depends on what one is used to using. A Linea user may find most others rubbish, to start with.

[oxyzen]

Originally Posted by gaurav911

Thanks oxyzen.
For the Vento i am already thinking whether to retain the HU or replace it with a touchscreen one which would take care of multiple missing features (BT, USB, Aux, Navigation).

I could have done it with a simple tablet, if the HU had atleast a freaking AUX-in. MP3/GPS/Video etc evrything just at a mere 15K. I don't want to spend 35K just for a good HU. So only change in speakers is in plan.

Originally Posted by SCORPION

What's the point in having a car that handles superbly when it doesn't have an engine to match!!
On the other hand, the Verna has the power but cannot handle it entirely. But I think it is priced superbly for the over all equipment and reliability that comes with it.

I can live with a car with below par performance & good handling. But never the other way round. Well if you have both then there is nothing like it.

Originally Posted by SCORPION

The Vento, just love that car. I wish it had a better dashboard quality. I havent seen anyone mentioning it, but I really felt the dashboard plastic could have been of a better quality. Apart from that,and the slightly noisy engine, its just fantastic.

Dashboard quality is pretty decent. Although the soft touch plastics in laura/Yeti is better. But then it is a segment higher.

Originally Posted by Poitive

A lot really depends on what one is used to using. A Linea user may find most others rubbish, to start with.

I am a Palio user not Linea (both are similar) and a fan of my Zen non PS. But it was only a matter of few minutes I got accustomed to it.

On the other hand I am still not comfortable with the one on Beat. Not that it does not provide enough feedback (it provides more than vento) but the one on Beat is not that direct and quick. It feels like driving with a schoolbag tied at the back. May be due to puny tyres, maybe due to high polar moment of inertia, may be due to lag in steering. But after all I am still not satisfied.

For me the agility matters more than feedback. Thats why I always love hatches. And I have already mentioned it several times I would happily pick a Polo 1.6TDi over a Vento any-day. Even at the same price I would have given it a thought.

[bala80]

@Oxyzen - Can you confirm and tell me of the stock unit of Vento has any pre-outs if you had an opportunity to check it out?

Originally Posted by oxyzen

So only change in speakers is in plan.

[Poitive]

Originally Posted by oxyzen

I could have done it with a simple tablet, if the HU had atleast a freaking AUX-in. MP3/GPS/Video etc evrything just at a mere 15K. I don't want to spend 35K just for a good HU. So only change in speakers is in plan.

How about adding an amp? Does it have pre-outs?

I can live with a car with below par performance & good handling. But never the other way round. Well if you have both then there is nothing like it.

Handing is a very interesting word. Don't know about the text-book definations, but it seems to have very different connotations to different people; also depending on the context.

Overall control and composure of the car is what is important to me. That too across various speeds. My Magnum (gosh! strange to say that now, after all these months of talking about 'a' Magnum!) may not feel like the best car while turning it very hard at low speeds, as compared to some competition, however, it feels very very composed across various speeds.

Even if a car doesn't do so well around corners but feels composed over different road surfaces, if it has performance, it can be a lot of fun to drive.

One which handles well, but never really manages to reach any good speed may not feel as much fun.

But these things are personal. People enjoy different things

Dashboard quality is pretty decent. Although the soft touch plastics in laura/Yeti is better. But then it is a segment higher.

In the little time I spent with the car, this was rather disappointing. The Verna (for all it's disappointment in handling) was way way better.

I am a Palio user not Linea (both are similar) and a fan of my Zen non PS. But it was only a matter of few minutes I got accustomed to it.

Mate, you are quick!

On the other hand I am still not comfortable with the one on Beat. Not that it does not provide enough feedback (it provides more than vento) but the one on Beat is not that direct and quick. It feels like driving with a schoolbag tied at the back. May be due to puny tyres, maybe due to high polar moment of inertia, may be due to lag in steering. But after all I am still not satisfied.

From the little I understand, a car being quick may be due to many factors. Including suspension, wheelbase, steering setup itself, tyres, tyre pressure, weight distribution, weight itself etc. How powerful the engine is would also play a role at times, I guess.

For me the agility matters more than feedback. Thats why I always love hatches. And I have already mentioned it several times I would happily pick a Polo 1.6TDi over a Vento any-day. Even at the same price I would have given it a thought.

A rare guy! To prefer the Polo over the Vento, I mean. With the given engines, at the same speed, which one feels more composed and sure footed, between the Polo and Vento, mate?

[gaurav911]

Originally Posted by souravc

Welcome to the excruciating wait and the rubbish dealer experience but thats the initiation to lots of heart pumping driving pleasure - I love the car and have got addicted to driving because of it . Congrats on the most sensible choice. Once you have driven it enough , you would love the noise and rationalise the high rev note as "sporty grunt" [ thats what my 9 year old son says ] You would enjoy the practical features and the sheer quality of the build. We have a pretty active bunch of Vento onwers out here , please do let us know if you need any help .

Thanks souravc. I am glad that the vento owners discuss and constantly update the Vento thread. Heard that you are compiling a list of features-checklist of the vento; appreciate the effort. I guess vento is one such car- has so many subtle unadvertised features -you keep discovering them!
Thankfully, have a reasonably good experience with the dealer out here- lets see what lies ahead!

Originally Posted by miharbe

As a Vento owner it felt great reading your post. I own a White TDI Highline bought in Dec '10 and am as happy with the car as i was on the first day (except the fact that i had a major accident which is a story for another day)

Even after 10k kms on the odo it still feels like brand new. I was sad about buying the Vento when i saw the features of the ANHV but post reading your thread i sort of fell in love once again with my car.

I was planning to get a tuning box but am sitting on the fence as sometimes i find the stock car pickup difficult to control in Mumbai traffic. However till date there hasnt been a traffic light from where I havent managed to leave cars way behind and it surely does feel planted at very high speeds (170 is the max i have managed)

Its reassuring to get feedback of the Vento from owners like you- regarding the high speed capabilities and drivability of the car.
Sorry to hear about the accident-hope that the car and people involved are fit & fine now.
Ah the features- a little bit of compromise is what Vento owners have to get used to. You get more car in the Vento whereas you get more add-ons or frills in the Verna.

Originally Posted by miharbe

Welcome to the club. What colour did you buy and what is the waiting time for the diesel Highline now (i got mine after 4 months even though i had booked it on the first day the bookings opened)

Congrats on your decision looking forward to a review soon!

Thanks miharbe ! I have booked it in Silver (though a bit confused between the Silver & Shadow Blue). The wait time is around 1-1.5 months

Originally Posted by SCORPION

Thanks for the superb report Gaurav. I really don't understand what Ford was thinking while pricing the new Fiesta. The Figo is VFM and all predictions from the experts lay in the region of 8-10 lakhs. But the final pricing shocked me.
Vento and the Verna had been in the market for quite some time before Ford announced their prices. They sure have a lot of confidence in their new car.
In that price range, I don't think mileage alone matters, especially a couple of kms up or down. What's the point in having a car that handles superbly when it doesn't have an engine to match!!
On the other hand, the Verna has the power but cannot handle it entirely. But I think it is priced superbly for the over all equipment and reliability that comes with it.
The Vento, just love that car. I wish it had a better dashboard quality. I havent seen anyone mentioning it, but I really felt the dashboard plastic could have been of a better quality. Apart from that,and the slightly noisy engine, its just fantastic.
Congrats Gaurav!!

Thanks, Scorpion. Totally agree with what you have said about these cars! Ford has a seriously messed up Strategy department. After the success of the Figo, they had a chance to make their presence felt and become a serious player in the market. Guess Hyundai and VW are having a hearty laugh.

Originally Posted by Poitive

Handing is a very interesting word. Don't know about the text-book definations, but it seems to have very different connotations to different people; also depending on the context.

Overall control and composure of the car is what is important to me. That too across various speeds. My Magnum (gosh! strange to say that now, after all these months of talking about 'a' Magnum!) may not feel like the best car while turning it very hard at low speeds, as compared to some competition, however, it feels very very composed across various speeds.

Even if a car doesn't do so well around corners but feels composed over different road surfaces, if it has performance, it can be a lot of fun to drive.

One which handles well, but never really manages to reach any good speed may not feel as much fun.

But these things are personal. People enjoy different things


In the little time I spent with the car, this was rather disappointing. The Verna (for all it's disappointment in handling) was way way better.


From the little I understand, a car being quick may be due to many factors. Including suspension, wheelbase, steering setup itself, tyres, tyre pressure, weight distribution, weight itself etc. How powerful the engine is would also play a role at times, I guess.

No idea about the text definitions but when I use the word handling, it would be to indicate the vehicle's abilities to obey the drivers command; corner effectively; change motion/ direction as per the wishes of the driver based on the inputs on the steering.
For me high speed composure is the Stability of the vehicle.

I found the dashboard plastics to be way better than those used in the ANHV but that's me - everyone has their preferences. Somehow i couldn't stand the plastics in the Fiesta but i have heard people appreciating the soft top grey dash. No harm- thats why no two cars are the same!

Originally Posted by bala80

Congratulations on your decision. Read from the "new car" thread that you had already made the booking and the waiting period quoted is 1 month now. You wouldn't regret your decision one bit and as oxyzen has commented above, the steering feels just fine and pretty direct and you will get used to it very quickly.

OT - Just noticed - Vento delivery delays thread doesnt have too many recent posts, good signs, me thinks

Thanks bala. Hopefully i wouldn't face delivery issues ! Keeping my fingers crossed

[miharbe]

Originally Posted by gaurav911

Sorry to hear about the accident-hope that the car and people involved are fit & fine now.

My mother suffered a crevical fracture but she is fine now. The car took 7 weeks to be repaired mainly because of the lack of availability of parts (the whole rear axle had to be changed). the good part though and i hope you never get to find out is that they repaired the car very well so much so that i cannot feel that this car has been in a very bad accident.

Originally Posted by gaurav911

Thanks miharbe ! I have booked it in Silver (though a bit confused between the Silver & Shadow Blue). The wait time is around 1-1.5 months

I loved the white but i soon realised that its not the best colour for our conditions as they amount of dust gravel and tar it attracts is unbelievable especially in mumbai and expecially in the rains. my uncle bought a silver and its another colour i like a lot post the white. havent seen many blue ventos in fact i dont recollect seeing any on the road yet! Nonetheless as the other owners have already mentioned you will not regret this decision.


just to give you a very lay mans perspective and i may be crucified on this forum for saying this but before the vento i used to drive a zen estilo. at the same time i got to ride a friends 320d and i was totally blown away by experiencing turbo for the first. fast forward to 2011 this same friend also purchased a 520d and by this time i was driving the vento for my daily commutes and i got a chance to sample the 520d, mind you i am still reeling under a trance after driving the 5 but the wow factor was definately not as much as when i had driven the 3 for the first time simply because i was used to turbo kick by now to a certain extent. yet to drive a car below 10 lakhs with the driving pleasure of the vento (i havent driven many nonetheless)

[Poitive]

Originally Posted by gaurav911

No idea about the text definitions but when I use the word handling, it would be to indicate the vehicle's abilities to obey the drivers command; corner effectively; change motion/ direction as per the wishes of the driver based on the inputs on the steering.
For me high speed composure is the Stability of the vehicle.

Now consider handling at high speed. If it handles well at a high speed, it adds significantly to what I call composure; especially if it is across various surfaces. Composure could also refer to straight line feeling of stability, which is what you were referring to, I guess.

[oxyzen]

Originally Posted by bala80

@Oxyzen - Can you confirm and tell me of the stock unit of Vento has any pre-outs if you had an opportunity to check it out?

Originally Posted by Poitive

How about adding an amp? Does it have pre-outs?

Not any pre-out I am aware of. But it is not impossible to fabricate a pre out for any music system. From the power amp you need to channel out an output with a suitable impedance.

I am no hardcore audiophile. At least not inside a car.
So question of amp is out. I feel the high frequency is a bit less. It can be solved easily bu a pair of tweeters but ALAS no place for it.

Originally Posted by Poitive

Even if a car doesn't do so well around corners but feels composed over different road surfaces, if it has performance, it can be a lot of fun to drive.

One which handles well, but never really manages to reach any good speed may not feel as much fun.

Call it an exaggeration which one do you think more fun to drive the Sluggish Linea MJD or the Verna. For me it is the MJD.

Originally Posted by Poitive

In the little time I spent with the car, this was rather disappointing. The Verna (for all it's disappointment in handling) was way way better.

I am not a fan of Verna's interior design but the quality of plastics in most areas are up to the mark. I dont think it is out of Vento's league. Again this is my personal perception.

Originally Posted by Poitive

From the little I understand, a car being quick may be due to many factors. Including suspension, wheelbase, steering setup itself, tyres, tyre pressure, weight distribution, weight itself etc. How powerful the engine is would also play a role at times, I guess.

Wheel base is a very intersting topic. More the wheel base better is the stability and less is the agility. Different people like different things. I like wheelbase to be short. But then the overhang of boot is a nuisance. So I love that to be shaved off as well.

Originally Posted by Poitive

A rare guy! To prefer the Polo over the Vento, I mean. With the given engines, at the same speed, which one feels more composed and sure footed, between the Polo and Vento, mate?

Logically Polo. 4 wheels at 4 corners of the car. What else do you want?
The wheelbase is also shorter, and yes the polo is Quicker in changing directions by a margin.

Originally Posted by gaurav911

No idea about the text definitions but when I use the word handling, it would be to indicate the vehicle's abilities to obey the drivers command; corner effectively; change motion/ direction as per the wishes of the driver based on the inputs on the steering.
For me high speed composure is the Stability of the vehicle.

Oh you stole my words.

[hossdoc]

Your assessment is spot on. The Vento is the only one of the three that you will feel good in after the initial new car excitement dies down, and that is what matters. It is a QUALITY car unlike the other two, which have garnered a lot of hype for all the (gimmicky imo) features thrown in.
All the best mate. You WILL love every single moment in this awesome car!