Volkswagen Philippines' lineup has indeed a wide range of affordable selection which is set to cater the local mass market. The Lamando is Volkswagen's entry to the compact sedan category, provided with generous amount of equipment solidly built for the market. Exterior-wise, it was cleanly executed. Typical Volkswagen fashion, semi-boxy design with clean lines well planted on different section of the car’s body. Synonymous to its exterior design, the interior of the Lamando is clean and crisp from its overall execution. Accented with such high-quality materials along with a premium touch of leather upholstered seats for that upmarket feel. Equipment-wise, the Lamando could either have an eight-inch or 9.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with tuner, CD, MP3, Aux-in, USB, SD card, Bluetooth, and App Connect capability. Comfort features of the Lamando include Cruise Control, Keyless-Go, and one-touch up and down for all four windows. Volkswagen's compact sedan also boasts in terms of safety, with multiple airbags installed (Front driver, passenger, side, head curtain), ISOFIX child seat anchor points, immobilizer, rear camera, and many more. The Lamando is consists of two variants: the Comfortline and the Highline. Color options of the Lamando include: Mangangrey, Polar White, Misano Red exclusive for the Highline, and the Comfortline-exclusive Dark Bronze and Coriandolo.
Launch
The Volkswagen Lamando was launched in 2019 with two variants available. Both variants share the same engine and transmission. The Lamando is powered by a turbocharged gasoline engine attached to a 7-speed DSG gearbox. It serves as the European brand’s entry into the competitive mid-size car segment.
Platform, Chassis and Powertrain
The Volkswagen Lamando is powered by a 1.4-liter turbocharged gasoline engine. The engine produces 148hp and 250 Nm of torque. The engine is attached to a 7-speed DSG gearbox which is the only transmission option for the mid-size sedan. The Lamando is capable of doing 0-100kph in 8.5 seconds and has a top speed of 210km/h. Power is sent exclusively to the front wheels. The vehicle’s steering system comes electrically assisted. Suspension comes in the form of independent MacPherson struts at the front and an independent four-link suspension at the rear. Braking power comes from ventilated discs all around.
Chassis
Class
Compact Car
Body Style
4-door sedan
Platform
Layout
Front-engine, front-wheel-drive
Platform
VW Group’s MBQ Evo architecture
Powertrain
Engine
1.4 liter four cylinder gasoline engine
Power Output
148 horsepower
240 newton-meter torque
Transmission
7-Speed DSG
Driving Performance
When it comes to traffic the Volkswagen Lamando and its 7-speed DSG transmission seem hesitant to move from a standstill. The turbo lag doesn’t help either especially at lower RPMs. These characteristics will negatively affect your drive through city traffic. When it comes to faster traffic the Lamando’s dynamics change. The vehicle becomes spritely and quick to respond with accelerator inputs and composed. Manual shifting through the gear level has minimal lag. The electronically assisted steering is dynamic. Its light in slow maneuvers and tight in higher speed runs. The vehicle has the cornering ability of a sporty sedan. It corners nearly flat with negligible body roll.
Technology Features
For infotainment, the Volkswagen Lamando comes with either an 8-inch or 9.2-inch touchscreen head unit. Sound is sent through an 8-speaker sound system. Both head units come with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, CD, Aux-in, USB, SD card, Bluetooth, and MP3 capabilities. The mid-size sedan also comes with a 2-one climatronic airconditioning system with a pollen filter. The mid-size sedan comes with a tire pressure monitoring system, a start-stop system, adaptive cruise control, front parking sensors, rear parking sensors, push start button, and electronically adjustable seats. Climate controls come in the form of 2-zone climatronic airconditioning. This means that both the driver’s side and front passenger’s side get their own heating and cooling.
Exterior
The Volkswagen Lamando comes with a sunroof, LED daytime running lights, LED headlights, and LED taillights. The vehicle also comes with 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 225/50 series tires.
Interior
The interior of the Volkswagen Lamando comes in a beige and black color scheme with a plastic garnish down the middle. The only available seating material for the mid-size sedan is leather that comes in a black color.
Safety
For Safety, the Volkswagen Lamando comes with a suite of airbags for the driver and passengers. Other locations for the airbags are for the sides and curtain areas of the vehicle Additional safety features include park distance control with an acoustic warning signal, electronic stability control, and ISOFIX anchors.
Pros & Cons
What you might like about the Volkswagen Lamando is that it has exceptional ride quality and NVH insulation. It also has a plethora of tech and safety features. The vehicle’s handling is also pleasant and easy to manage
What you might not like is the tall dashboard that hampers forward driving visibility. The DSG transmission isn’t carved for heavy city traffic. Uphill starts will require a bit more throttle input then the usual. The vehicle also has extensive amounts of piano black plastics which are scratch magnets.
Connect with the top Volkswagen sales agents in the Philippines. These agents have good reply speeds, process transactions quickly and have good customer reviews
One word to describe the Volkswagen Lamando? Underrated. Familiarity has nothing to do with it, it's a great car to drive. Equipped with a 1.4-liter turbocharged motor, it makes quick work of city streets or Philippine highways. Comfortable enough for long drives or short journeys. Here's our review of it on this episode of Behind the Wheel.
