VW has plonked the Polo GT TSI’s 1.2-litre petrol engine and the same gearbox into the Vento. We take it for a quick spin.
The seven-speed DSG gearbox (DQ200) is a familiar VW unit, having done duty in the Skoda Superb (which gave it a dubious reputation for reliability) and more recently in the new Octavia. Like in the Polo GT TSI, you get ‘D’, ‘S’ and manual modes, but no paddle shifters. In regular ‘D’, the ’box is programmed to upshift at the earliest in the interests of fuel efficiency and relaxed driving. The ‘S’ mode was quite a revelation; not only did the ’box hang on in each gear till the redline, it would also sportily downshift on its own to give a bit of engine braking. If you want even more control, switch to manual, wherein the gearbox responds immediately to a prod of the chrome-finished gear lever. Again, downshifting even from high revs is possible, and we love the way the engine revs shoot up to the redline when you swap to a lower gear.
The Vento’s driving dynamics are unchanged - it still handles exactly how it used to. Ride, like in the earlier Vento, is good. It absorbs bumps and potholes well, but there’s a bit of suspension noise over sharp edges. And even though it doesn’t smother bumps with the prowess of an SUV, on bad roads it feels up to the task and is quite comfortable. The dashboard is set a bit high, so if you’re on the shorter side you’ll need to use the seat height adjust (standard on the Highline version) to crank yourself up for a better view.