2020 Volkswagen Vento TSI Engine & Performance

As mentioned earlier, the Vento gets the new 1.0 litre 3 cylinder TSI engine that replaces the earlier 1.2 four cylinder TSI. While this 999cc motor is less on outright capacity, it gets 110 horsepower that is 5 hp more than outgoing engine. Torque figures remain the same as before at 175 Nm. The fact that is a direct injection unit, translates to better performance on road. The three pots do make their presence felt at idling, but things get better on the go. This is lag initially once you start off, but pass 2000 rpm and there is a nice surge of power. The mid range is strong and there is no dearth of performance even as you touch the redline. The six speed manual gearbox has short throws and is a joy to use. The engine also has a nice throaty humm and you put it through its paces. If you are a driving enthusiast, the Vento TSI is sure to plaster a smile across your face for the performance it offers. VW is also offering the TSI engine with a 6 speed torque convertor automatic gearbox. This replaces the 7 speed DSG that came with the 1.2 engine earlier. A review on that that will follow.

2020 Volkswagen Vento TSI Ride & Handling

The Vento’s strengths have been its ride quality and driving dynamics. It goes over bad roads and undulations with ease, even at low speeds. The steering is precise and you feel confident putting it through corners. High speed stability is excellent and the Vento feels extremely planted on the road.

2020 Volkswagen Vento TSI Verdict

The Volkswagen Vento is a decade old and the age shows. It misses out on a load of features like a sunroof, wireless charging, cooled seats, additional airbags and even push button start. So it clearly loses out in terms of feature and equipment to its rivals, who have taken the game to the next level in the segment with connected car tech and the works. Considering all these factors, why should you still buy a Vento? Well, if you are a sucker for build quality and old school Europeanness, then yes. Plus that TSI petrol engine is a joy to drive with fantastic performance and matured dynamics. If outright driving pleasure means more to you than features and a long equipment list, the Volkswagen Vento is still worth a look even today.

2020 Volkswagen Vento TSI photo gallery: