Why I chose the Topline variant of the Virtus 1.0L MT: 10 pros & cons

The AC isn't as effective as that of the Honda City but the NVH levels are great.

BHPian Ishaankhndelwl recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello,

I own a Virtus 1.0 Topline manual. I purchased it last month alongside a 5th-generation Honda City.

I took a thorough test drive of the Virtus and the Hyundai Verna. We had initially planned on booking the Highline because it came with everything we needed alongside the same infotainment as the Topline. But after reading GTO's thread on always buying the highest-specced variant of the car of your choice, we immediately took the additional 4 more airbags seriously and went ahead with the Topline.

Pros

1. It handles very well and doesn't feel underpowered at all.
2. Fairly quick acceleration despite being a 1.0L.
3. Great NVH levels compared to our Honda City which gets noisy on rough roads and triple-digit speeds on the highway.
4. Ample amount of room in the back.
5. A very great sound system that comes standard from the comfort line variant, much better than the Honda City which came with 4 speakers.
6. The virtual cockpit is something that we really like a lot.

Cons

1. The HVAC controls are a nightmare while driving and the Air conditioner doesn't perform too well (a friend owns a 1.5 DSG and that doesn't seem to be a problem in her car). The AC doesn't cool the cabin like the AC in the City. I think it is a problem only in the 1.0L.
2. Gear shifts are a little jerky, especially from 1st-2nd but definitely get better after 3rd-4th.
3. The auto start-stop is extremely sudden and jerky.
4. Rear seats aren't as comfortable as the City due to the hard suspension setup.

Do get the additional warranties if you're planning on getting the 1.5 GT, you will need it. I would strongly suggest you to take a TD of the Hyundai Verna non-turbo variant mated to an automatic. It shall give you an ample amount of power. Kudos to Hyundai for making 6 airbags as standard.

Here's what BHPian raycers_honda had to say about the matter:

With regards to the HVAC not being effective, particularly on the 1.0, on the contrary, I have never felt the lack of it. I have a 2022 1.0 Highline manual version, and I literally keep it at the first level. The key thing to note is I opted for the manual rotary knobs at the time of purchase. I'm not sure if anyone with the same specced car faces the issue.

Just a quick tip: When I drive alone, I shut all the other vents off, including the rear. The two main ones are pointed towards my face, and the right-hand side one is pointed towards the seat.

On the topic of the auto start-stop, I wish I could change this for another feature, such as a woofer. Auto start-stop is the most useless feature for a car used in the city. The moment I step into the car, I switch it off.

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