Volkswagen Santana GTS

The Volkswagen Santana GTS maintains its clean and fuss-free attitude of exterior design within the cabin as well. While the car has unquestionable fit and finish of more expensive cars than it, the interior design clearly feels as if it belongs to a car from the previous generation.

The flat-bottom steering wheel, as well as instrument console, look a bit staid for a car of this price in terms of layout, however, the piano black inserts on the spokes of steering wheel definitely is a premium touch. The rectangular AC vents in the sleek upper layer of dashboard looks nice, while the centre console looks simple with a touchscreen infotainment system and automatic climate control buttons encased within a large trapezoidal housing.

Where the Volkswagen Santana GTS clearly excels is the immense amount of space it offers at both front and rear, which only gets better with the presence of large windows and sunroof above. While the car is decently kitted with essentials like cruise control, multifunctional steering wheel, automatic climate control, touchscreen infotainment system, heated rear windows, leather upholstery, and sunroof, it still could have done with more features.

Volkswagens are usually known to have a no-nonsense design with sharp and taut lines, and the Santana GTS is no different. Though the Santana GTS looks sharp but considering the fact that it is based on previous generation Volkswagens, it doesn’t look as fresh or contemporary as other hatchbacks in the market right now.

The front end of the Volkswagen Santana GTS looks neat with a sleek rectangular grille with thin chrome slats and boxy headlamps, with sleek design for fog lamps and lower grille housing. While it is a clean design with no fuss about it, it lacks modern amenities like DRLs and projectors which have become a sort of necessity rather than an option.

From the side, the Volkswagen Santana GTS has a wagon-like profile, thanks to the stretched length and angular rear profile. The large side windows and door panels do make it look big, which is only amplified by the presence of large 15-inch alloy wheels and roof rails. The angular rear windshield does make it look athletic, while the rectangular tail lamps go well with the design.

The Volkswagen Santana GTS has been fitted with Macpherson independent suspension at the front and composite torsion beam semi-independent suspension at the rear, which feels rock-solid and makes the car a brilliant handler. However, a set of larger 16-inch alloy wheels would have been better, given the fairly large size of the Santana GTS.

The only engine which powers the Volkswagen Santana GTS as the standard mill is the 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol-powered engine. Mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox as standard, the engine is capable of producing a maximum power output of 110 PS and a peak torque output of 150 Nm. 

The strong build quality of the Volkswagen Santana GTS is assisted with the presence of all the essential safety features like front and side airbags, ABS, rear park distance control, ISOFIX mounts for child seats, electronic stability program and anti-slip regulation.

For an entry-level car, the Volkswagen Santana GTS is a fairly large-sized vehicle, with large proportions giving it a big car feel and a spacious cabin on the inside, thus making it a very practical option. It scores fairly in all parameters, from performance to ride quality as well as sufficiently loaded feature set list, making it a perfect option for large families.