It is the perfect car for the newbie driver
I was a sophomore in college when I first took the wheel of the Volkawagen Polo–one of the first vehicles VW Philippines launched when it was revitalized by the Ayala Group in 2013.
The Polo was for me an amazing car. I recall my test driving it with glee for its unadulterated performance, compact size and most important, its excellent fuel economy. It also mattered that back then the brand had just returned (for a second time) and people were very curious about the un-round, un-Bettle car that had a VW badge. Will the Santana live up to its predecessor?
2023 started with a test drive of the latest version of the Volkswagen Santana, this one the 180 MPI AT S. priced at P805K, making it one of the most affordable, well-decked out, reliable, most rugal sedans in the Philippines.
In China, where the car is built, the Santana is a workhorse–employed in almost every field requiring robustness and reliability. The Santana nameplate, in fact, has been in that country since 1983 and is up to this day a staple car in terms of production and consumption.
VW’s positioning of the Santana as a newbie car, or for me, as an introduction to the basics of what owning a Volkswagen is, encapsulates the essence of the vehicle. The look is immediately premium, the stance is visibly solid, the way the doors open with a reassuring “click” and close with an even more reassuring “chug” gives a feeling of confidence, something new car owners like.
Then settling into the car, the firm seats and the warm feel of the fabric, the pronounced attention to detail with the restrained use of chrome, as well as the red lettering on the dashboard and various information sources, these are all indications of the unique simplicity of the Santana.
The Santana sedan’s side profile looks like a two-and-a-half box, instead of the normal three-box configuration. The rear trunk lid is short (in keeping, I guess, the profile that made the Santana what it is when it first came out–a notchback) but reveals massive space when opened. That space is large and the bottom trunk lip low, that I used it to carry four 25-kilo sacks of rice.
This happened when, one early January morning on a drive to Candelaria in Quezon, the opportunity for P800 per sack high-quality dinorado rice comes upon me as I drove across the various road links in the province that would eventually be off-ramps and connectors to new South Luzon expressway extension. I didn’t want to pass off the deal because it was good only for that day. The 100-kilo load proved easy for the Santana.
The Santana replaces the Polo, at least in the Philippines. That is an important footnote because, VW positions the Santana as “your first Volkswagen” taking over that duty from the VW Beetle, another reliable, live-almost-forever car. By doing so, VW PH clearly makes the Santana as a base jump for brand intenders, and thus it needs to make the experience both exacting and exhilarating.
And my own experience tells me they are doing a good job. Though I have not experienced the entry level 1.4-liter with a manual transmission, the automatic variant is very satisfying, with a 1.5L engine mill and rather simple 6-speed automatic transmission delivers power with no delay. It isn’t a tire burner but it gets the job done extremely well. The numbers say it clearly, 111PS at 6,100 rpm and 145 Nm of torque at a mere 4,000 rpm.
VW calls it BlueMotion, and that is that automatic transmission that sort of learns a driver’s driving style or habits. It not only reduces strain on the engine and transmission in stop-start traffic but also reduces stress on the driver.
Now how does that work as a first dib into a VW?
Well first, it is a very basic car. One that a first time drive would like to have because there is so much space and opportunity to personalize. Second, it is a VW which has successfully positioned itself as a premier brand, throughout its model line-up. Third, this premium-ness that fancies the newbie car owner who now is offered (until the end of January) the biggest possible cash discounts.
In its latest promo, VW offers the Santana MPI MT with a P136K discount cutting down its price to a mere P550,000. The Santana 180 MPI AT gets a P70K price off for a net SRP of P735K for the S version while P878K for the SE. This makes the Santana sedan, the most affordable VW to date.
When glanced upon by the un-initiated, the Santana grabs one to be the Jetta. The front lines, the way the bumper is sculpted match the headlights and chrome-accented grille with uncanny similarity. The Jetta is currently not in VW’s stable anymore and the Santana is not the replacement. The resemblance however, is comforting and reassuring because the Jetta not only excellent genetic material in terms of design, the build philosophy carried out in the Santana. All business, no bling bling.
I’d like to compare my driving experience with the Santana to a Nokia feature phone. This vehicle is designed to rival other subcompacts like the Honda City and the Toyota Vios, but with a decidedly German, and very Volkswagen feel. When I say feature phone, I meant that it does not have all the goodies but the essentials are well-executed. For example, a feature phone has to two-day battery life akin to the Santana’s excellent fuel economy numbers. I traveled a total of 541 kilometers on a half tank of petrol. Imagine that. That is about 20 kilometers per liter, 80 percent highway driving. Not bad at all–and will a full load of passengers (not sacks of rice). This is the kind of refinement a newbie buyer will appreciate from a basic car.
The Santana is also all together, a different definition of basic.
One would think basic meant cheap fabrics and plastics, the Santana provides the driver and passenger with a more select experience. This means well chosen, breathable, robust seat fabrics, a height adjustment feature for the driver’s side, textured finishes and just the right amount of chrome, a sunroof and a Blaupunkt audio system (which in as option for the entry model). The straight-forward three-spoke steering mounted on an adjustable steering column wheel isn’t fancy but isn’t distracting either. There are no USB ports but the horizontally positioned power socket on the front console is as good as any. It also has a pollen filter in the air-conditioning system as standard.
Handling-wise, the A/T Santana is easy to drive and pretty straightforward. The smallish (by today’s standards) tires and wheels isolate a lot of the minor road imperfections but also transmit the hum of the rubber and the jarring vibrations of the road–say certain stretches of the South Luzon Arterial Road (STAR) which is cracked and pockmarked in a long section just before the Batangas exit. It is very easy-to-maneuver when driven within the city and despite a lack of fancy driver aids, brings out the skills when parking and getting into tight spots.
And one last thing, Volkswagen dealers are compelled to stock at least 3-months worth of fast-moving parts, along with the highest levels of service through its extensively-trained and qualified technicians. The dealerships have you covered even outside their premises, as they offer free 24/7 Emergency Roadside Assistance (ERA). This makes the Santana sedan (or any VW) a car with a tour-of-duty. Once tried, it should spur own its owner to upgrade to the next VW experience. — with Raymond B. Tribdino
