The German automaker’s debutant Made-for-India vehicle has benefited a lot from its elder-sibling – the Vento
The compact sedan or the sub-4m sedan segment is one of the most crowded auto spaces within the country. Volkswagen’s Polo-based product – the Ameo is the latest entrant in the coveted segment . Every year we witness a new automaker carving its way into this competitive segment, which was started by Tata with the Indigo eCS. Last year, Ford introduced the second-gen Figo based compact sedan - the Aspire and soon there will two aggressively priced products - the Chevy Beat Essentia and the Tata Kite 5.
Every new entrant brings something exclusive to the table. Let us see five features that the new VW Ameo will be flaunting to keep buyers off its rivals' radar.
Torquiest Diesel Engine
Volkswagen’s latest 1.5-litre diesel is a cracker of a motor powering the Polo and the Vento. This same oil burner will be available with the Ameo as well. In the Ameo, the engine tune will be similar to that of the Polo, thereby making it the torquiest of the lot. The engine in the Polo chucks out a massive 230 Nm of max torque. The closest one is the Ford Figo Aspire with 215 Nm of peak torque, while the rest of the rivals are below or at 200 Nm.
1.5-litre Diesel with Dual-Clutch Auto (7-Speed DSG)
Diesel continues to be the forefront of a model’s sales and a diesel with automatic option is gradually getting popular amongst buyers. Connecting all the dots, the VW Ameo will be the first car in the segment to offers a proper automatic option juxtaposed to its AMT peers. It is the same unit which is also available in the Vento and the Rapid diesel – a 7-speed DSG.
Cruise Control with Flat-Bottom Steering Wheel
The dashboard, as well as the flat-bottom steering wheel, have been lifted from the Polo and the Vento. The Ameo has also borrowed the cruise control option from the Vento. None of its competitors offer cruise control or the flat-bottom steering wheel.
Standard ABS along with Dual-Front Airbags
A few have criticised the Ford Figo Aspire, courtesy the lack of ABS (Anti-Lock Brakes) except for in the top-end Titanium models. However, it was the first car in the segment to come with standard dual-front airbags. The Ameo, on the other hand, comes standard with ABS along with dual-front airbags.
Touchscreen with MirrorLink Connectivity
Like the 2016 Polo and the Vento, the Ameo comes with a touchscreen infotainment system. Most of its rivals such as the Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire, the Honda Amaze, and the Hyundai Xcent do not offer a touchscreen unit. The system also comes with MirrorLink connectivity, which mirrors your smartphone screen onto the vehicle's infotainment screen. Moreover, the Ameo will also come with Apple CarPlay support, which is another segment first feature.
All in all, the Ameo is a Volkswagen Vento in a small economical package and will be priced in the vicinity of the Polo due to its sub-4m dimensions.
Also Read: Volkswagen Ameo Variants Detailed
Source : CarDekho
