CONFIRMED! VW Virtus 1.5-litre TSI Will Skimp On A Manual Transmission

• Virtus’s 150PS 1.5-litre TSI to get a 7-speed DCT only.
• This powertrain will be limited to the GT trim.
• Buyers looking at 1.5-litre TSI MT sedan have no choice, but to pick Slavia.
• Virtus gets an option of a 115PS 1-litre TSI, paired with 6-speed MT and 6-speed AT.
• The sedan will go on sale in May.

Volkswagen India has confirmed the Virtus will not get a manual gearbox with the 1.5-litre TSI engine. This news might come across as a disappointment for enthu cutlets as its sibling, the Skoda Slavia, gets this option. And the dampening fact is that the Skoda Slavia 1.5-litre TSI MT offers a joyable driving experience, and we were expecting the same from VW. 

This means the Volkswagen Virtus’s 150PS 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine will be offered with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission only. While enthusiasts might be disappointed, this move makes sense in the sales point of view as only a handful of buyers tend to opt for a manual transmission at this price point. 

Another well known example with a similar move is the Hyundai Creta. Its sibling, the Seltos, gets the option of a 6-speed manual transmission, while the Hyundai gets only a 7-speed DCT. 

In our opinion, Volkswagen should have offered the manual transmission in a lower-spec trim, like the Taigun. The 1.5-litre TSI MT in the SUV is offered in the second-to-top GT trim, while the DCT is limited to the top-spec GT+. Not only does it give buyers two options, it drops down the entry-level pricing of the 1.5-litre TSI engine. That is until and unless VW decides to offer the Virtus DCT in two trims, which only time will tell us. 

Also Read: All Details About The VW Virtus In 10 Images

Volkswagen can always offer the 1.5-litre TSI MT in the Virtus at a later date as this powertrain does duty in other Group cars like the Skoda Kushaq/Slavia and VW Taigun. Apart from this engine, the Virtus will get the 115PS 1-litre TSI, paired with a 6-speed manual and 6-speed automatic transmission. 

Now that the Virtus will only get the DCT in the GT trim, we expect it to be priced around Rs 17.5 lakh (ex-showroom) when launched in May. It will lock horns with the Skoda Slavia and the upcoming Honda City Hybrid, which is expected to be priced around the same range.