Volkswagen unveils Virtus sedan
The Volkswagen Virtus is the sibling to the Skoda Slavia, but gets distinct styling and a GT variant to differentiate itself. Underpinned by the same MQB-A0-IN platform, the Virtus will also get two petrol engine options and a sizeable feature list.
By Karan Singh
The prices for the Volkswagen Virtus will be announced at a later date.
The Volkswagen Virtus is the spiritual successor to the Vento and a sibling to Skoda’s Slavia. In fact, styling aside, the Virtus and Slavia are nearly identical under the skin and are underpinned by the MQB-A0-IN platform. And, like the Taigun, Volkswagen will offer the Virtus in standard and GT trims, with 1.0 TSI and 1.5 TSI engine options. In terms of dimensions, the Virtus is 4561mm long, 1752mm wide, and 1507mm tall, with a 521-litre boot. Let’s take a look at the styling, features, and powertrains of the Virtus.
Volkswagen Virtus: Styling
The Virtus looks sharp from every angle, with clean lines and a design that is typically Volkswagen. It does share more than a passing resemblance to the Skoda Slavia but carves its own identity with a slim horizontal grille at the front, which merges into the standard LED headlights, as well as the strong shoulder line down the side and the wide LED taillights.
The interior of the Virtus is similar to that of the Taigun, with a prominent horizontal element going across the dash, touch-sensitive HVAC controls, and aluminium details.
The GT Line variants will get a blacked-out roof and side-view mirrors, gloss black elements, a boot lip spoiler, darker rims, and a GT badge, both on the grille and at the rear. Inside, too, the GT Line variants will get red details and red ambient lighting to differentiate them from the standard variants.
Volkswagen Virtus: Features
The Virtus’ feature list includes an electronic sunroof, digital instrument cluster, a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging, an 8-speaker sound system, and connected car tech, thanks to the Volkswagen Connect suite.
Hill-hold control, ESC, TPMS, and an e-diff lock are standard safety features, while higher-spec models get up to six airbags.
Volkswagen Virtus: Powertrains
The Virtus will be offered with a 1.0 TSI engine, which produces 113bhp and 178Nm and will be offered with a six-speed manual or a six-speed torque-converter automatic. A more powerful 1.5 TSI engine is also on the list, producing 148bhp and 250Nm. The 1.5-litre TSI engine will be available with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard or a seven-speed DSG.
Volkswagen Virtus: Price and Rivals
While Volkswagen hasn’t unveiled prices for the Virtus, we expect it to be more or less in the same range as the Slavia, which starts at Rs 10.69 lakh and goes up to Rs 17.79 lakh. Pre-bookings for the Virtus are already open, and prices should be announced soon. In terms of rivals, the Virtus competes with other sedans like the Honda City, Hyundai Verna, and Slavia.
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