Spied - VW Vento facelift starts testing in India

Gets the 2014 Polo's new headlight clusters. 

Seen here is the first image of the VW Vento facelift due to launch in India by the year-end. More so, VW India will introduce the updated model in the festive season months, as told to Indian Autos Blog by company sources.

At first, this may look like a regular Vento with protective covers to prevent minor damages during dealer dispatch. However, the headlights of the car which are the same as that of the refreshed Polo give it away as a facelift. The dual-barrel headlights also get a darker tint.

Also, the alloy wheels on the prototype look different, and resemble that of the refreshed Polo's. Apart from these changes, the Vento facelift may also get a modified bumper with redesigned foglight enclosures, and a new body color. Inside, the sedan could carry over the updated steering wheel, instrument cluster and center console from the new Polo, but the Polo's U-Shaped rear headrest that reduces the rear blindspot area has not made it to the Vento.

Also read: Our review of the refreshed VW Polo 1.5 TDI

However, the major change will lie under the hood, as the Vento too would benefit from the new 1.5-liter diesel engine. Top Gear reports that this particular test mule featured a DSG gearbox, lending more credence to previous reports that the Vento diesel would indeed come with an automatic gearbox as an option.

Competitors: Honda City, Hyundai Verna, Skoda Rapid, Ford Fiesta, Nissan Sunny

Expected Price: INR 7.5 - 11 lakhs, ex-Showroom

Launch date: Late 2014

[Spy image from Top Gear]