Comparison: Volkswagen Virtus vs Honda City

In case you have not noticed already, the mid-size sedan segment has seen a bit of a renaissance of late, thanks to the efforts of Honda, Hyundai, and Volkswagen Group. The phase began with the arrival of Skoda Slavia, while the paradigm shift took place when the Volkswagen Virtus hit the market. Being the successor of the illustrious Vento, the Virtus had big shoes to fill and it is fair to say, the German mid-size sedan did not disappoint. While the exciting powertrains, premium passenger experience, and robust body shell make Virtus a magnetic proposition, the gorgeous looks add a cherry on top.

Whether it is the Virtus or any other sedan, if a carmaker competes in the mid-size sedan segment, the biggest challenger before them is the iconic Honda City. The Japanese sedan has been ruling the roost for more than 24 years and its dominance is not looking to fade off even in the far future. For its reliability and perennial durability, the Honda City is one of the few cars with the best resale value. Since the rising popularity of the Volkswagen Virtus became a matter of concern for Honda, a facelift was launched for the Honda City to offer a slightly refreshed product. A comparison between Honda City and Volkswagen Virtus is quite natural for those planning to buy a capable mid-size sedan. If you are one of them, this comparison of the Honda City vs the Volkswagen Virtus will educate you about the key differences and help you decide between the two.

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Honda City vs Volkswagen Virtus: Dimensions

As can be seen, the Volkswagen Virtus is significantly bigger than the Honda City despite being marginally shorter. Being wider, taller, and with a longer wheelbase, the Virtus offers more room in its cabin for 5 passengers, something most buyers look forward to. Even the 521 litres of boot space on the Virtus comes across as a better luggage carrier than the 506 litres offered in Honda City. All the same, it is worth mentioning that Honda City has never had any complaints as far as space is concerned.

In light of looks, sedans have always been considered classy vehicles and there is a regal feel that people generally associate with them. Both Honda City and Volkswagen Virtus are good-looking cars but differ in their overall appeals. On the Honda City, things are kept on the sophisticated side making the Japanese sedan look elegant with clean panels, finesse across the body, and a calm face.

On the other hand, the design of the Volkswagen Virtus is inspired by VW’s global flagships, the Jetta and the Passat, making the Vento successor nothing short of a feast for the eyes. Captivating from every angle, the Volkswagen Virtus has been aerodynamically designed, which largely indicates the sporty performance it has been built for.

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Honda City vs Volkswagen Virtus: Engine & Transmission

Just like the looks, the mechanicals of both sedans are very defining of their purposes. Though the 1-litre turbo petrol engine is slightly less powerful than the 1.5 litre petrol unit of the Honda City, it produces significantly more torque that translates to better acceleration. Also, both engines of the Volkswagen Virtus are slightly more fuel efficient than that of the Honda City. However, the legendary i-VTEC engine of Honda City has made a mark in India and is still unparalleled in terms of all-around performance. Honda also offers the City with a hybrid powertrain which has a significantly better mileage but competes in a different league altogether.

Coming to the bigger engine of Virtus, the 1.5-litre turbo petrol packs a lot of thrill for driving enthusiasts and the DSG automatic does a sterling job of keeping the shifts slick. This engine also comes with a cylinder-on-demand technology that shuts off two of its cylinders when the sedan is just cruising, resultantly increasing fuel efficiency. Like the DSG automatic, the system works so unobtrusively that you cannot realise it unless you look at the instrument cluster.

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Honda City vs Volkswagen Virtus: Features & Comfort

Inside the cabins, both sedans offer the premium feel expected of mid-size sedans. The 1-litre turbo variants of Virtus and all variants of Honda City have a black and beige colour scheme, while the top variant of Virtus gets an all-black interior with red stitching for a sporty feel. With the gloss black treatment on the dashboard that neatly houses the touchscreen, the front section of the Virtus feels a bit more modern than that of the City. Meanwhile, the cushioning of Honda City’s seats is softer and therefore comforts passengers a little better than Volkswagen Virtus.

Feature-wise, both cars are amply laden and check all the requirements for a premium passenger experience, such as auto climate control, premium sound system, sunroof, and others. However, the Volkswagen Virtus does have some advantages in the form of ventilated seats to enrich the ride of front passengers, a fully digital instrument cluster for driver’s convenience, and a 60:40 rear seat split. Moreover, the Virtus offers cruise control in all its variants, whereas the City offers adaptive cruise control which is altogether a different function, in all variants except the base one.

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Honda City vs Volkswagen Virtus: Safety Features

The safety standards of the Indian automobile industry have reached an all-time high. While Honda is catching up with rising safety bars, the build quality of Volkswagen cars has always been respected all around the world.

Honda has given all the safety essentials to the City, but it is the ADAS safety suite that makes this sedan an exceptionally safe Honda car. The Honda City’s ADAS safety suite consists of adaptive cruise control, auto high beam assist, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, and others.  

All said and done, the safety of a car predominantly starts with the bodyshell; this is where the Volkswagen Virtus has emerged as the safest car in India. Scoring a full 5-stars G-NCAP rating with the best scores, the Volkswagen Virtus has beaten its siblings Taigun and Kushaq.

On safety grounds, there is tight competition between both sedans. While a formidable bodyshell, rated 5-stars by G-NCAP or ASEAN NCAP strongly shields you in case of accidents, the ADAS safety suite mitigates the possibility of accidents and reduces their severity.

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Honda City vs Volkswagen Virtus: Price comparison

The prices of both sedans do not differ too much, except for the top GT Plus variant of Volkswagen Virtus, as that is where things become steep. Although, the Volkswagen Virtus GT Plus is almost similar priced as the base variant of the Honda City Hybrid. Also, the slightly higher price of Virtus very much reflects upon its bigger cabin and a few more features. Nevertheless, like the other variants of both cars, the Virtus GT variant seems well-deserving of its price for the thrill it packs in its 1.5-litre turbo petrol unit, DCT automatic, and cylinder-on-demand technology.  

Honda City vs Volkswagen Virtus: Summary

For buyers weighing these capable sedans against each other, it should not be a matter of price but a matter of preference. With oodles of comfort, tried and trusted powertrain, and sophisticated appeal, the Honda City is an impeccable family car to drive down the city roads as well as on the highways. All the same, if you want all this with a sporty performance, then the Volkswagen Virtus will have you all smiles.

Honda City vs Volkswagen Virtus: FAQs