The Virtus highlights how Volkswagen keeps its best-selling models relevant, especially alongside the Taigun under the same brand. With a manual transmission offered on 1.0-litre TSI variants, there’s a small but interesting reason for enthusiasts to stay curious.
Starting with the Taigun, my experience tracking Volkswagen India products shows a clear shift as the company has axed the manual transmission variants of both the Virtus and Taigun powered by the 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine in the Indian market. With this change now in place, the sedan and SUV are only offered with a seven-speed DSG transmission, whereas earlier the same engine came with the option of a six-speed manual transmission that made these cars more accessible in terms of pricing.
Before the removal of manual options from the lineup, I remember the entry price starting at Rs 17.09 lakh for the Virtus 1.5 TSI manual, while the Taigun was priced at Rs 17.04 lakh, making both appealing to keen drivers. Now, with the 6-speed manual transmission no longer an option, these variants exclusively feature a 7-speed DSG transmission, clearly changing how buyers look at value and choice.
Performance That Speaks Louder Than Numbers
Starting with the Taigun, my time around these cars shows how pricing and performance create real interest, as prices begin at Rs 18.80 lakh for the GT Plus Chrome DCT models, while the Virtus goes up to Rs 19 lakh, and the GT Plus Sport DCT reaches Rs 19.19 lakh, respectively. Across manual and DCT variants, both cars are powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 1.5 TSI tuning that produces 150 hp of power and 250 Nm of torque at peak performance, with the Taigun also priced at Rs 18.95 lakh, making these figures feel more alive than just data on paper.
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Manual Choices Still Matter
For customers who still prefer a hands-on drive, the manual transmission story isn’t fully over, even after Volkswagen decided to eliminate the manual option with the 1.5 TSI engine, a move that mirrors what Skoda did with the Slavia and Kushaq in September 2024. From my experience, the focus now shifts to the 1.0-litre TSI variants of the Virtus and Taigun, where buyers can choose between a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission, with the engine generating 115 hp and 178 Nm, and starting prices set at Rs 10.49 lakh and Rs 10.58 lakh, respectively.
