Volkswagen officially unveiled the facelifted Virtus in India, a global sedan that will be offered in over 25 countries. Styling-wise, the Virtus doesn’t look like a Polo sedan anymore thanks to the redesigned face. The bumper is more pronounced with sportier intakes featuring glossy black and chrome elements. The grille is better integrated with the simpler LED headlights, while the rear end gets new LED graphics for the taillights and a slightly updated rear bumper with faux exhaust pipes and diffuser.
Besides the new wheel designs, the side
view remains virtually unchanged, sharing the greenhouse and the doors with the
Skoda Slavia. In terms of dimensions, the facelifted Virtus measures 4,561 mm long, 1,752 mm wide, and 1,507 mm tall
with a wheelbase of 2,651 mm. This makes it 79 mm longer than the pre-facelifted model and slightly longer and taller than the
Skoda.
Inside, the dashboard gets new trim
options, a multi-function steering wheel, an 8-inch digital instrument cluster,
and a larger 10-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system. Other available
features include auto climate control with touch-sensitive sliders, ventilated
front seats, a wireless charging pad, a sunroof, an eight-speaker sound system,
a reversing camera, and up to six airbags. Boot space has a capacity of 521 lt, which is identical to the Skoda Slavia.
The VW Virtus is available with two engine
options – the Dynamic Line with a 1.0 TSI three-cylinder producing 113 hp, and the GT-badged Performance Line with a 1.5 TSI EVO
four-cylinder producing 148 hp. Power is sent to the front
wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox as standard. The 1.0 TSI is
optionally available with a six-speed torque converter automatic, and the 1.5
TSI can be had with a seven-speed DSG.
India will be the first market to get the
updated Virtus in May 2022, with other
markets following in the near future. The model is already available to
pre-order in India where it will compete with the likes of the Skoda Slavia,
the Honda City, the Hyundai Verna, and the Suzuki Ciaz.
