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Launched in the Philippines in May of 2018 and aimed at making waves and raising brows in the subcompact category
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It is named after the hot desert blast across the Sea of Cortez better known as the Gulf of Mexico
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Now this may sound like a lot of hot air but it's the truth
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Meet the Santana
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Know the Volkswagen set back
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No drama, that's easily the first thing that comes to mind when you look at it. It's not boring. Not a mod
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It's just not dramatic. It means more towards
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simple for instance two lines down front
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Halogen headlamps on either side and a grill nothing more nothing less
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Down the side. You've got two more lines body colored side mirrors with repeaters and 14-inch wheels
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Which are just about right for its engine size now looking at it from the side
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It's definitely not a snazzy as its Japanese counterparts found locally
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it means more towards simple neat really like like a cold Pilsner or a crisp white shirt, you know, I mean, oh,
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I've knit thick in the past and I'll probably nitpick again in the future
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But this time it's for the greater good plastic covers on these wheels
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Not a fan as much as a submarine captain is about screen doors on his boat. Yeah, those have to go
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Now on our recent drive at Volkswagen
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I put Nico our hosts four on the saddle inside the trunk of the Santana to prove a point
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That's his auto auto but more importantly to show what 480 litres of space looks like an affair a car of this size
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That's a lot. Wait. Let me see that again
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Every time
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There is one more thing
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I want to point out on the Santana and it's found underneath the tow hook not really the previous thing on the planet
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But when the car is full and you're approaching an incline that thing is heaven-sent now
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There are no toys to speak of back here. Absolutely. Zip zilch zero. No not even bottle holders on the door
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You do have one cup holder in the center
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Which you probably will fight for like meat loaf in an episode of The Brady Bunch
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But the seats are comfortable and roomy too good enough for two average-sized adults three seatbelts in the back suggest three passengers
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but really
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better for two now Vincent that I did notice that even on a warm summer's day with no tent in this car and it is
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Black as you've seen the air is actually pretty darn good
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Now inside the interior is neat as well
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Everything is simple from your analog speedometer and tachometer to your very simple trip digital display
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Dear no fuss radio your air controls, even the seats are innocent
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What does have a bit of a maturity in here is the steering wheel and it's flat bottom necessary
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probably not what it's nice and it feels good to the touch and
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The second would be these plastic actions that you can find on the dash and on the door
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You know sort of like a diamond pattern in a fall carbon fiber plastic kind of material
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Which I'm still trying to figure out what the call
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Kluber
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plot thick
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rubber
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Powering the Santana is a 1.4 liter 5-speed manual transmission
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That produces 132 Newton meters of torque and only 89 horses a little bit low on power. You might think and you'd be right
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See, I've noticed that when you're trying to go uphill
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when the car is a little bit full you will have to make your foot a little bit more on the
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Led-based side and put a little more grunt into it to get the car going
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But I've also noticed in the other side of it is that in traffic. This thing is actually very good
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In fact, it's a pleasure to drive in traffic actually
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Now when your right foot turns to lit and you want to try to ring all 89 horses out of the car
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You will notice that the revs will go up pretty fast what you won't notice
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It's exactly how noisy it can get outside because it's pretty quiet inside for instance right now
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We're on 4th and we're at 2,000 and about 500 rpm. I'm gonna bring it down to third
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Now we're at 3,500 rpm now there is a hum, but it's just amazing how quiet the cabin is
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Considering that the tires on this guy are economical tires. It's just so quiet in here. It's pretty cool
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Now there might be folks out there with reservations about the Santana simply because of where it's built granted
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It's designed and engineered in Germany, but it is built in China and there's that stigma
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well
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Let's flip it around shall be there is a product that you might actually already own that is also built in China
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but design in cupertino
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Your iPhone you wouldn't have reservations about that now would you?
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This 2018 Santana
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Is available at six hundred and eighty six thousand Philippine pesos now before the end of 2018
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Volkswagen Philippines will release the automatic version of
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This car with we figure a small bump in price now whether you get the automatic or the manual transmission
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We figure that this will still be the most affordable German car in the Philippines and that is music to our ears
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Tick-borne
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car fin
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Plus aa car bird and that doesn't make any sense
