Ahead of its launch in May, we compare the new VW Virtus with its peers in terms of specifications.
The new Volkswagen Virtus made its debut recently ahead of its India launch scheduled for May 2022. The Virtus replaces the ageing Vento sedan in VW’s India range and will compete in the midsize sedan segment here.
Once launched, the Virtus will face competition from its Skoda sibling – the Slavia – the Honda City, Hyundai Verna and Maruti Suzuki Ciaz. Read on to see how the all-new sedan compares with its rivals in terms of specifications.
- Virtus is the largest sedan in size
- 1.5 TSI makes the VW and Skoda the most powerful sedans
- Verna is the only other rival with a turbo-petrol engine
Volkswagen Virtus vs rivals: dimensions
| Virtus vs rivals: dimensions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen Virtus | Skoda Slavia | Honda City | Hyundai Verna | Maruti Ciaz | |
| Length | 4561mm | 4541mm | 4549mm | 4440mm | 4490mm |
| Width | 1752mm | 1752mm | 1748mm | 1729mm | 1730mm |
| Height | 1507mm | 1507mm | 1489mm | 1475mm | 1485mm |
| Wheelbase | 2651mm | 2651mm | 2600mm | 2600mm | 2650mm |
| Boot space | 521 litres | 521 litres | 506 litres | 480 litres | 510 litres |
| Tyre size | 16-inch | 16-inch | 16-inch | 16-inch | 16-inch |
The VW Group sedans are the largest overall in this comparison. Being based on the same MQB A0-IN platform, the Virtus and the Slavia are near identical as far as dimensions go. The Volkswagen and Skoda measure the same in width, height, wheelbase, boot space and tyre size. But, the Virtus is slightly longer overall (20mm), which could simply be down to the difference in both models’ bumpers.
Honda City is the next biggest sedan here, being only 12mm shorter in length and 4mm slimmer than the Virtus. The Verna is the smallest competitor here, in terms of overall length, width, height and boot space. The Ciaz has the second longest wheelbase and the second largest boot space. Meanwhile, all models here ride on 16-inch alloy wheels in their top-spec form.
Volkswagen Virtus vs rivals: engine and gearbox
| Virtus vs rivals: powertrains | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen Virtus | Skoda Slavia | Honda City | Hyundai Verna | Maruti Ciaz | |
| Type | 3 cyls, turbo-petrol/4 cyls, turbo-petrol | 3 cyls, turbo-petrol/4 cyls, turbo-petrol | 4 cyls, naturally aspirated | 4 cyls, NA/3 cyls, turbo-petrol | 4 cyls, naturally aspirated |
| Displacement | 999cc/1498cc | 999cc/1498cc | 1498cc | 1497cc/998cc | 1462cc |
| Power | 115hp/150hp | 115hp/150hp | 121hp | 115hp/120hp | 105hp |
| Torque | 175Nm/250Nm | 175Nm/250Nm | 145Nm | 144Nm/172Nm | 138Nm |
| Manual gearbox | 6-speed | 6-speed | 6-speed | 6-speed | 5-speed |
| Auto gearbox | 6-speed Torque converter/7-speed dual-clutch | 6-speed Torque converter/7-speed dual-clutch | 7-step CVT | 8-step CVT/7-speed dual-clutch | 4-speed Torque converter |
Since the Virtus is a petrol-only model, we’ll be considering just the petrol engine options of all the competitors here. However, it’s worth noting that the Honda City and Hyundai Verna do come in diesel variants.
The new Volkswagen Virtus comes with two turbo-petrol engine options, which it shares with the Skoda Slavia. The Virtus’ Dynamic Line variants will come with the 1.0-litre, three-cylinder TSI unit which makes 115hp and 175Nm and will be available with either a 6-speed manual or torque converter automatic gearbox.
Enthusiasts will be glad to know that the Virtus will also come with a larger 1.5-litre, four-cylinder TSI unit that puts out 150hp and 250Nm in its Performance Line variants. This engine makes the Virtus, along with the Slavia, the most powerful midsize sedan on sale. The 1.5 TSI features fuel-saving cylinder deactivation tech as well and it can be optioned with either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.
The next most powerful sedan is the City, with its 121hp, 1.5-litre naturally aspirated motor. The Honda can be had with a 6-speed manual or a 7-step CVT automatic gearbox. Like the City, the Ciaz is also available with just a naturally aspirated petrol engine. The Maruti Suzuki is the oldest model in this comparison and you can tell that by just the engine and gearboxes it offers. The Ciaz’s 1.5 unit puts out 105hp and 138Nm (the lowest output here) and is available with either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed torque converter.
Other than the Virtus and Slavia, it’s Hyundai’s Verna that offers two petrol engine options. The entry-level engine is the naturally aspirated 1.5-litre unit that makes 115hp and 144Nm and comes with 6-speed manual and 8-step CVT gearbox options. The Verna is also the only other car to come with a turbo-petrol option, featuring a 1.0-litre three-cylinder unit putting out 120hp and 172Nm. The Verna Turbo can only be had with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox though.
The new Volkswagen Virtus seems to be a promising package on paper, seeing as it is the largest and most powerful sedan in the segment. However, it can only be crowned king of the segment once we’ve compared it to the others on the road. Stay tuned.
Would the upcoming Volkswagen Virtus be your midsize sedan of choice? Let us know in the comments.
Also See:
VW Polo could return as an import in GTI form
Skoda Slavia price, variants explained
As Slavia, Virtus debut, India a priority for VW in chip allocations
