Volkswagen recently unveiled the Lavida XR, the Chinese sibling of the Virtus which is already available in India and Brazil. Interestingly, a prototype of the sedan was caught testing on European soil, while wearing a heavy dose of camouflage.
The zebra-themed wrap can’t hide the origins of the budget sedan which was originally introduced in March 2022. The pattern on the lower bumper intake suggests that this is indeed the VW Lavida XR since the Virtus has more conventional horizontal slits. Another detail pointing out to the Chinese model is the full-LED headlights and the 16-inch alloy wheels which are market-specific features.
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The sedan is based on the MQB A0-IN platform and measures 4,561 mm (179.6 inches) long with a wheelbase of 2,651 mm (104.3 inches). The platform which is also utilized by the Indian-spec Skoda Slavia is compatible with the 1.0 TSI and 1.5 TSI powertrains which are widely used throughout VW Group’s portfolio.
Mainstream automakers have abandoned the compact and subcompact sedan segments in Europe, focusing on the hugely more popular SUVs. In that context, it sounds unlikely that VW would bring a new contestant to Europe, even if it would play without rivals. In fact, the only non-premium sedans currently available in Europe are the Toyota Corolla, and the larger Skoda Octavia, and Superb models. As for VW, the Jetta is long gone while the Passat will exclusively be offered in wagon form from the next generation that is set to debut later this year.
So why would VW test a camouflaged Lavida XR on European roads? The answer probably lies in last-minute development testing or benchmarking, ahead of the model’s market launch in China where it will be produced by the SAIC-VW joint venture. Remember that the mechanically-related Skoda Slavia which is exclusively produced and offered in India was also spied testing in Europe prior to its debut.
