The Volkswagen Gran Lavida has been launched on the China car market. Price starts at 115.900 yuan and ends at 163.900 yuan. The Gran Lavida is a new China-only sporty wagonhatchback based on the China-only Volkswagen Lavida sedan. The Gran Lavida debuted on the Shanghai Auto Show last month.

The Lavida sedan and Gran Lavida are made in China by the Shanghai-Volkswagen joint venture. The Gran Lavida is slightly shorter than the Lavida sedan, 4454 against 4605, wheelbase is the same 2610. Engines as in the sedan: a 130hp 1.4 turbo and a 104hp 1.6.

The Gran Lavida sits in a segment of its own. There aren’t any other small hatchbackwagons on the market today. Volkswagen seems to like the concept an rumors say a Gran Santana is on the way.

No ‘Gran’, just ‘Lavida’.

For the dog. Dogs are fast becoming fashionable in China. Up until five years ago a dog was for farmers only, or for diners, or for lonely old women who had a Pekinese. Now all those young people suddenly need a dog as well! Shitting all over the place and barking through my dreams at night. Horrible. But the Gran Lavida can take at least four.

Not bad in red. More a wagon than a hatch to me, but most Chinese media call it a hatchback.