Myth Busters: 4 Truths about Volkswagen cars in the Philippines

With Ayala’s relaunching of Volkswagen in the Philippines, a lot of questions have been raised about the authenticity and long-term concerns of the German brand’s new portfolio of vehicles. Now focused on meeting the demands of a wider range of customers, Volkswagen Philippines has attributed much of its success to offering carefully selected products that hit the right notes in our local market.

We’ve reviewed a handful of Volkswagens since their launch, and we’ve walked away with good impressions and memorable driving experiences. In this article, we’ll be debunking a lot of the questions you may have about the brand, shedding some light on their products and the ownership experience.

MYTH: Volkswagens are pricey.

With a wide range of new vehicles in our local lineup, Volkswagen Philippines, under the automotive arm of the Ayala Corporation, has restructured their product portfolio to help meet the needs and price points of aspiring Volkswagen owners. From the Santana subcompact sedan that starts at below P700,000 to the Tiguan compact crossover at P1,648,000, or even the Lamando midsize sedan at P1,703,000, there’s a Volkswagen for everyone. With attractive price points and tried and true vehicles that are sold in markets the world over, Volkswagen in the Philippines has retraced its steps and have truly aspired to be the people’s car.

MYTH: Volkswagens are hard to maintain.

Purchasing any vehicle isn’t the end all, be all of anyone’s ownership experience; maintaining and making sure that the car serves you well for many years help extend its value. With Volkswagens, strict quality control and manufacturing processes allow their vehicles to keep on driving at top performance for longer, allowing you more stress-free time behind the wheel. In fact, the regular preventive maintenance of Volkswagen’s latest fleet of local products is just once a year or every 10,000 kilometers. You spend less money over a long time period and have more time doing things that matter to you the most instead of sitting in a service center every quarter.

MYTH: Volkswagens look bland and boring.

There is always an emotional aspect to every car purchase, and those who say that looks can sell a car alone are somewhat correct. Volkswagens have always been known for their mature and contemporary designs, evoking a sense of reliability and timelessness. These designs are pure, clear, and simple, with touches of smart design application in the smallest details, such as lighting or wheel design. These are the kinds of cars that won’t look out of place five to ten years from now, and chances are, they’ll still be turning heads for all the right reasons.

MYTH: Volkswagens sourced from China are not of the same quality.

Volkswagen has had a presence in China for almost 34 years now, and their partnership with local manufacturers such as Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) has catapulted the brand to be China’s number one automotive brand of choice. The sharing of resources and development of new platforms, infused with German engineering, state-of-the-art manufacturing, and strict quality control, mean that every Volkswagen that rolls off the production line and into markets all over the world adhere to the same levels of finish and reliability that the German brand is known for.