Arrival of the festive season has induced a sense of positivity in auto makers operating in the Indian car market. Conditions have not been kind to major players in the market, who have been suffering endlessly for about eight or nine months now. However, the festive season has invoked new hope and companies are trying to make the best out of what they have got. Since the beginning of October, a number of cars have been launched, such as Bentley Flying Spur, new Skoda Octavia, BMW 5 Series facelift, Nissan Terrano and Tata Nano CNG emax. Volkswagen, the German car maker, has been pretty aggressive in the Indian car market in 2013. After launching the Cross Polo and Polo GT TDI, the German company introduced the Vento TSI in India at an ex-showroom price of Rs. 9.99 lakh.
The Vento TSI was launched amidst great hype, enthusiasm and the event was attended by top officials from the company. Arvind Saxena, Managing Director of Volkswagen Passenger Cars, was present at the event. With the new Vento TSI, Volkswagen takes the lead with producing cars that are high tech, powerful and fuel-efficient. With a turbocharged petrol engine and 7-speed DSG automatic gearbox, the Vento TSI provides excellent performance and fuel economy. With its class-leading build quality and high levels of fit and finish, the Vento TSI will be the car of choice for discerning buyers," he said.
Volkswagen Vento TSI is a mid-sized sedan that is a part of a series of performance-based vehicles from the world-known German brand. There are a lot of competitors in the mid-sized sedan segment, such as Honda City and Skoda Rapid. However, the biggest rival of the Vento TSI is going to be the Hyundai Verna Fluidic, which has performed exceptionally well in the Indian car market. The launch of Vento TSI has triggered a lot of comparisons between this sedan and Fluidic Verna as analysts have tried to figure out whether the former can give any competition to the latter.
Hyundai Verna Fluidic comes in four engine options, which includes two diesel and two petrol versions. There are two petrol variants of the Hyundai Verna Fluidic, wherein one runs on a 1.4-litre engine and the other is powered by a 1.6-litre drivetrain. The 1.4-litre version is capable of generating an output of around 106 bhp while the 1.6-litre variant delivers peak power of around 121 bhp. Diesel versions of the Verna Fluidic, powered by 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre engines, deliver output levels of 89 bhp and 126 bhp, respectively. Vento TSI, on the other hand, comes in just one variant, which is fitted with a 1.2-litre engine that produces a maximum power level of around 103 bhp and peak torque of 175 Nm. This engine is mated to a 7-speed dual-shift gearbox. It is likely that the 1.4-litre petrol version of Hyundai Verna Fluidic will compete with Vento TSI.
One of the main reasons why this version of the Verna sedan has done well is its Fluidic design architecture, which has been appreciated by critics and buyers alike. Verna Fluidic has two-tone interiors that symbolise class and comfort. In addition, the driveability of this sedan has been praised as well due to its suitability for city conditions. Vento TSI, industry experts feel, is going to attract a number of buyers due to its comfort and safety levels. Some of the main security features of the Verna Fluidic are Hill-Hold function, Electronic Stabilisation Program and Pinch guard for all power windows.
As of now, it would quite difficult to determine whether Vento TSI can give the Hyundai sedan a run for its money. Industry experts feel that Hyundai Verna Fluidic has cemented its place in the Indian car market and it would be really tough for Vento TSI to compete with the former in terms of sales. However, given the performance of previously launched Volkswagen models, it is certain that this car will create a niche for itself.
