2016 Volkswagen Ameo petrol review, test drive

What’s it like to drive?

You'll be able to buy the Ameo with VW's improved 110hp 1.5-litre diesel engine by Diwali, with either a manual or a seven-speed DSG automatic no less, but for now, it's just the petrol with a manual gearbox. It's the Polo's 1.2-litre naturally aspirated three-cylinder motor that makes 74hp and 110Nm, and unfortunately, this is the Ameo's weak link. For a start, it's not refined, and it fires to life with a distinct three-cylinder thrum. It settles down at low revs, but the moment you open it up even slightly, the engine is quite audible. Then there's the performance itself. It feels good enough for this 1,069kg car, but that's about it. It isn't particularly strong at the bottom end or mid range and it doesn't enjoy being revved - feeling strained after 4,500rpm. In truth, it's good enough for ambling around town, and for many that will be enough, but the moment you ask any more of it, it feels out of its comfort zone. The 240kph max-speed reading on the speedo feels a bit redundant when it's given all it's got at just over 140kph.

It does, however, redeem itself in the ride department, with a suspension set up that feels as solid and sophisticated as it should on a German car. A good mix of compliance and firmness, the Ameo, on its 15-inch wheels, makes short work of most poor Indian roads, with only the occasional hard thunk coming in if you hit a sharp bump a little too fast.

As with the Polo and Vento, the handing isn't incredibly rewarding, but it's safe and predictable. The steering is not sharp like a Ford or a Honda, but it's not as limp as some recent Marutis either. It only feels a little loose at high expressway speeds, but that's forgivable considering how flat and securely the Ameo rides.