Updated Volkswagen Virtus and Taigun with RDE compliant engine and new features launched

Almost a year after its launch, the Volkswagen Virtus has received its first update. The new Virtus will now come with auto headlamps and auto coming/leaving home lights starting from its Highline variant. In addition to this feature, the entire Virtus lineup is also offered with rear fog lamps.

With the addition of auto headlamps and rear fog lamps, the safety of the Volkswagen Virtus has been enhanced. Both these features intend to increase visibility in night and low-light conditions. Even the Taigun GT with the 1.5-litre petrol engine has received auto headlamps and auto coming/leaving home lights.

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Apart from adding new features to the Virtus and Taigun, Volkswagen has updated the powertrain options of both these India 2.0 offerings with RDE and E20 norms-compliant powertrains. With this new compliance, these engines are now cleaner, more efficient, and compatible with ethanol mixtures up to 20 per cent.

The new Volkswagen Virtus was launched in 2022 as a replacement for the ageing Vento sedan. The Virtus is larger and more premium than the Vento it replaced. It features a new sleeker design with contemporary features like a 7-inch virtual cockpit instrument console and a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system. It also gets new-age features like a push start-stop button, ventilated front seats, and a wireless charger, which were not offered in its predecessor, the Vento.

RDE-Compliant engine

Both these made-in-India cars from Volkswagen, Virtus, and Taigun, are offered with two petrol engines. The smaller 1.0-litre three-cylinder TSI petrol engine, which makes 115 PS of power and 175 Nm of torque, is available with a 6-speed manual and 6-speed torque converter in both offerings. There is also a 1.5-litre four-cylinder TSI petrol engine on offer in both cars. The engine produces 150 PS of power and 250 Nm of torque and is offered with a 7-speed DCT gearbox as standard in both cars. However, this engine is also offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox in the Taigun lineup.

The updates to the new Volkswagen Virtus come at a time when it has witnessed the arrival of fresher competition in the form of the all-new Hyundai Verna and facelifted Honda City. The City has received a nip-and-tuck job with minute exterior tweaks and a few new additional features. On the other hand, the Hyundai Verna has gone through a massive transformation and generational change, receiving a radical design inside-out, new features, and a new 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine option.

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