It’s quite an eye-opener poring through the narratives of members of car clubs on social media, especially of groups of the less popular car brands. I may not be an owner of such cars, but the admins of these clubs have been an open and accepting lot, such that I’ve been allowed into their private groups (as a “saling pusa” in local slang) for “research purposes”; part of the “tropa” if you want to call it that.
One such group I’ve been a member of for some time now is the Volkswagen Lavida Club Philippines Facebook Page. There, members share observations on their German-branded rides (almost all of which are favorable to the model). A common denominator I’ve found among the members is that they remain practical- minded motorists who, despite fulfilling their wish to own a prestigious European marque, still mind very much their fuel consumption. Another thing, these owners do know the inner workings of their cars, and are very much aware that beneath the hood of their Lavida is a compact yet powerful turbo engine packaged in a conservative body design that blends in with the modern automotive landscape.
Most observations posted on the page assess no major issues with their sedan, with the exact word used being that the Lavida is a “steal” of a deal. As expected, many praised the Lavida for its great acceleration and engine performance. Some owners also made in-brand comparisons with the T-Cross, saying they didn’t regret choosing the sedan over the compact SUV, reasoning out that the Lavida already offered ample legroom for back passengers, and a cavernous trunk space.
“I was choosing between the T-Cross and this car, and despite the more ‘technological’ features of the T-Cross, decided to buy this one. Sobrang ganda ng acceleration and makina. I would recommend you test drive,” said an owner who responded to another member who was also eyeing a brand-new Lavida. “The lack of a touchscreen head unit might be a downside, but for me, I don’t need it because I mainly use the sound system for music. The built-in sound system is very good, by the way.”
“Still happy with mine, three years after purchase,” said another.
“I got mine last December, and have around 4,000 km on it so far. Apart from the quick acceleration, super tipid pa. I had to bring it in once for minor repairs (for the rear door handle) but no major issues. It’s definitely a good buy,” said another Lavida owner.
Anton Gumiran, Volkswagen Club Philippines’ FB page administrator, and Dex Castro, one of the Volkswagen Lavida Club Philippines’ moderators, were also kind enough to share their stories.
“It’s my fourth year of ownership of the Lavida. There have been no issues so far, aside from a broken door handle and a replaced battery this year. It has never let me down, basta alagaan lang din sa maintenance (just be faithful to the maintenance schedules). It handles very confidently on the road, and it’s quick,” Anton posted.
Anton is a software developer for a bank, and owns a 2018 red Lavida. He disclosed he got his car pre-owned at 6,000 km. “So, it was practically new and so much cheaper,” he quipped. His Lavida has now run over 36,000 km.
Dex, on the other hand, is a 40-year-old manager at a service contracting company. He owns a 2018 Lavida acquired in 2019. It now has logged over 22,000 km.
“I like the clean and straightforward exterior. It’s the same thing inside, very neat and classy,” Dex said. “That punchy little 1.4-liter turbocharged engine is what I like most.”
Anton added: “The Lavida might not have all the bells and whistles of its competition, but all the materials used feel durable, especially the interior trims. We have other cars here and while it’s not as luxurious aesthetically, the way materials feel like they can last a long time. The confidence at the wheel in highway speeds and smoothness of the ride is great.”
Wish list
Dex, however, has something to say about Lavida’s suspension. “I think it’s on the stiffer side or it could be because of those 18-inch wheels.”
For his part, Anton said, “The base Lavida doesn’t have smart infotainment. It should be standard and not a P60,000 option.”
A full tank goes a long way
Dex says: “I can’t recall what I get on highway drives. For the city, I think it’s between 9 and 10 km/liter. You really wouldn’t care much since a full tank would take you to a lot of places. That’s a common feedback among Lavida owners.”
Anton shares: “Back when I worked in Manila I got around 11km per liter for combined city and highway use. Around 8 km per liter on heavy traffic and around 16km cruising. Now in the province I get around 14 around the city and up to 21 km on the highway.”
Dex concludes: “It’s the perfect car for today’s outrageous fuel prices. It’s really fuel efficient and it’s always an enjoyable experience driving it around, and that’s what matters. That maximizes my car and every peso paid for that gas.”
Anton has a slightly different take on his Lavida’s fuel efficiency: “I wish the Lavida was a little more fuel efficient, but I can’t really fault it since the Lavida is a bit heavy compared to others in its class due to the choice of materials.”
As for myself, my repeated runs on the expressway consistently came out with a personal best of 20 km/liter, and a combined city and highway fuel mileage of 10.5 km/liter. Not bad for a “saling pusa.” Anton’s red Lavida runs confident in highway speeds Dex delights in the Lavida’s ‘punchy little’ 1.4 turbo engine.
MAIN PHOTO: Dex Castro delights in the Lavida’s ‘punchy little’ 1.4 turbo engine
