Volkswagen Vento 1.6 TDi

The Vento’s primary objective is to be a comfortable saloon and the suspension is set up that way. At low speeds it rides with sophistication, absorbs bumps well except for some sharp ones which filter through. The Vento’s ride quality isn’t quite as accomplished as the Linea’s and its suspension can get clunky but the long-travel suspension soaks up bad roads pretty well. At high speed, the ride is again quite pliant and there’s a nice supple edge to the way it coasts over a bad patch. However, the front is a touch too soft and the nose bobs up and down on an uneven surface, particularly on the diesel which has a heavier nose.

Just like in the Polo, the Vento’s ride isn’t as flat or consistent as we would have liked. The electric steering too doesn’t exactly bristle with feel but it quietly does the job without much communication to the driver. The long wheelbase and wider rear track give the Vento stability through corners but it doesn’t like quick direction changes and on the limit the Vento understeers strongly.

In the city the Vento is a very user-friendly car, the light steering, soft clutch and easy gearshift make it a breeze to drive in traffic and in that sense the VW saloon demands little of the driver. To sum up, the Vento is a nicely judged mix of good ride and decent handling.