After selling over 172 000 units of the Polo hatchback in South Africa since its market introduction in 2002, Volkswagen is keen to tighten its grip on the A0 segment with the launch of the all-new car. Word is that the best brains from VW were seconded into the Polo project, including SA-born designer Oona Scheepers, Chief of Design Walter de Silva and board chairman / CEO Martin Winterkorn.
Evident from this is first off, is how much quality has been achieved with the Polo from an interior point of view. Before getting there we can examine some of the finer exterior design aspects. Dimensions are almost all increased (3.9 metres long, 1.68m wide, 1.45m high – which is actually lower than the previous car) and with luggage space of up to 952 litres.
De Silva believes in simplicity; if a line is not needed or doesn’t serve a particular purpose then that line will be erased. This language is evident in the Golf, Scirocco and now Polo where the front grille features a single-line style crossing the mid-section and the headlights are accentuated by sharp kinks on the edges. The bumper separates the front end in a big way such that without it a gaping grille would scare off oncoming traffic. A line going from the front side all the way to the rear lights cluster, creating a hip just above the C pillar. Simplicity is absolutely personified on the rear end where, apart from the lights, no real excitement can be seen.
Depending on the trim level (Trendline or Comfortline) the Polo could feature front foglights and 6Jx15 wheels with 185/60 R15 tyres. Eight exterior colours are offered including names like Pepper Grey, Shadow Blue, Flash Red and Candy White.
Inside materials have been improved vastly; the new dash features a soft “slush” material that feels good to the human touch. No longer can you crack a skull when banging on it, for whatever reason. I knocked on it a few times and not once did I hurt my knuckles. Equipment levels are quite high and include plenty of storage bins, a foldable rear seat and tinted windows. The options menu lists such things as a radio/ CD/ MP3 player, six speakers, rear park distance control and a multi-function steering wheel on the higher trim Comfortline.
The safety of the Polo is proven by a 5-star rating on the Euro NCAP programme where it scored particularly well in the pedestrian protection section. Electronic Stability Control or ESP is standard with hill hold on the turbo diesel and it works with ABS, EDS and anti-slip regulation.
For now three engine choices are available; a baseline 1.4-litre making 63kW at 5000rpm and 132Nm of torque, plus a 1.6-litre worth 77kW at 5250rpm and 155Nm at 3500rpm. Escorting the 1.4 around some curvy Cape Town roads I realised that at Gauteng altitudes it would suffer considerable performance anxiety. Smooth and surefooted it is, but powerful and confident it certainly isn’t. The 1.6 fared slightly better but not by much. The real buzz so far will be courtesy of the 1.6 TDI with 77kW and a peak torque figure of 250Nm achieved between 1500rpm and 2500rpm. Disappointingly VW has stayed clear of its excellent TSI technology when it comes to the Polo, and therefore no 1.2 TSI or 1.4 TSI motors are on the short-term horizon.
Fuel consumption numbers are listed as 6.1 litres per 100km for the 1.4, 6.4 litres per 100km for the 1.6 and a recession-busting 4.2 litres per 100km for the 1.6 TDI. The 1.4 promises to go from 0 – 100km/h in 12.5 seconds and attain a top speed of 177km/h. Better numbers naturally come from the 1.6 TDI; 0 – 100km/h in 10.4 seconds and top speed is 189km/h. The corresponding C02 emissions are said to be 109 g/km.
VW SA has already geared up to produce the Polo at its Uitenhage plant in the Eastern Cape. The company will be the sole 5-door, right-hand-drive global supplier, exporting to markets such as Japan and the UK. For the domestic market about 17 500 units are planned. While the number may seem paltry in world terms – Winterkorn wants to sell well over 7 million cars per year and overtake Toyota by 2018 - , here it means about 1 400 a month, which would make it the market leader.
VW offers a 3-year/ 120 000km warranty as standard. A 5 year/60 000km maintenance plan and service plan are sold as options to keep the list price as low as possible.
Volkswagen Polo hatch pricing
1.4 Trendline (R144 900)
1.4 Comfortline (R161 900)
1.6 Trendline (R166 900)
1.6 Comfortline (R183 800)
1.6 Comfortline Tiptronic (R197 900)
1.6 TDI Trendline (R209 900)
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