The Virtus has been a success for Volkswagen with over 5000 deliveries in two months and more, given the fact that sedans for a while went out of favour with SUVs being the trend. However, the Virtus has made the sedan once again feature in the buyers' minds.
We drove the 1.0 TSI automatic some time back but we wanted to spend some time with the manual version to see how good the entry-level Virtus is. Do note that Volkswagen offers the Virtus 1.0 TSI with a manual and an automatic while the Virtus 1.5 gets a DSG automatic only.
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While the engine is the same 115bhp 1.0 TSI, we were keen to try it with the 6-speed manual gearbox. Unlike the automatic, we like this gearbox more after using it for a day or two on the basis of being more fun-to-drive option. Sure, the automatic brings more convenience but the manual gearbox is not far behind being relatively slick to use and the clutch is not too heavy as well.
Gear shifts are smooth and since the engine has plenty of torque coming in early, you do not need to shift all the time or downshift to extract more power. It pulls well and save for a bit of lag at the start, you will have fun driving this in an aggressive manner when needed else, it is a comfortable commuter.
Compared to the automatic, this engine feels quicker and you are able to extract more power even in the worst of traffic, the clutch or the shifts are not heavy. In terms of efficiency, the manual is actually better than the automatic with timely shifts resulting in optimum efficiency figures.
The driving position is also very nice and as is the case with all Volkswagen cars, it feels well built but with a simple look to it. A big USP of the car though is the excellent ground clearance and the ride quality which tackles bad roads like an SUV.
It is basically a sedan with near SUV-like ground clearance. Of course, the huge boot and the legroom at the back further make it a more tempting buy over a comparable compact SUV.
The Virtus 1.0 TSI manual is available much cheaper at Rs 11.2 lakh and that is excellent value in terms of a fun-to-drive, big sedan for less than compact SUV money. Higher up as well, the Virtus Highline manual is Rs 1.3 lakh cheaper than the Highline AT at Rs 12.9 lakh. We feel, the manual is the better buy and as a fun-to-drive sedan, you cannot get more value than this.
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