New Volkswagen Polo

The new Polo has a tough act to follow, how does it fare?

 
 
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STRONGEST FEATURE:

More mature styling, composed manners and good build quality

WEAKEST FEATURE:

Rear-end styling looks a little dated

The Volkswagen Polo has been a sales success locally since its arrival on our market in Classic guise, back in 1996. The hatchback versions that followed soon after also proved to be a hit with the buying public, and now in its fifth generation, the new Polo has high expectations to meet. Does it have what it takes?

The front end of the Polo clearly follows the new design direction of the company that started with the sporty Scirocco and also emerged on the Golf 6. The overall impression when looking at the vehicle front is that it is more sophisticated and perhaps more grown up than the model it replaces. However, on this sleeker package, the rear end looks a bit dated with its geometrical tail lamps. The increase in length (now at 3 970 mm), width (1 682 mm), and reduced height (1 453 mm), also gives the new Polo a more dynamic and purposeful stance.

Climbing inside, it was clear that a lot of attention has been paid to the quality, fit and finish of the materials used. The soft-touch facia is a welcome feature, while the ancillary controls and functions basically mirror that of many other VW products, making the new car easy to get acquainted with. The seats feature a good degree of adjustment and this, teamed with a rake and reach adjustable steering wheel, means that finding a comfortable driving position is easy.

There were three models available for test on the day of the launch. The 1,4-litre petrol was my first taste of the new Polo. Uphill proved to be a slight struggle for the 63 kW unit, but it felt more at home during highway and about town driving. I also got to pilot the spirited 1,6 TDI unit. This 77 kW engine has a maximum torque of 250 N.m that it available between 1 500 and 2 500 r/min. Mated with a five-speed manual transmission, this TDI unit felt quite quick and fast overtaking manoeuvres proved to be no problem at all.

The launch route provided quite a few challenging roads for the Polo to tackle, including the twisty Chapmans Peak in Cape Town. The 1,6 TDI tackled the bends with ease and even tight corners didn't manage to unsettle its composure. Screeching tyres and all, the Polo felt very tractable.

Thanks to the uneven farm roads on the launch route, the ride quality of the Polo was well tested. At moderate speeds, the uneven surfaces could barely be felt inside the cabin, but the ride was a bit harsher at higher speeds. Even so, the Polo never felt uncomfortable or unsettling.

VWSA is clear in its ambition to aim its new model at those interested in vehicles such as the popular Ford Fiesta. Can the more "mature" Polo take on the likes of the funky Fiesta? Only time will tell. View a gallery of the new Polo to see what it has to offer.

View the Volkswagen Polo gallery and specifications

 

Topics In This Article

Company: Ford ,   Volkswagen

Comments

As much as the new Polo is a classier package all round i'm worried about its price as it has a middle man"s starter pack
Posted by: yongama matutu
The new Polo will be the best-seller , just watch how well they will sell. It is a big step up from the previous Polo, and I thought the new Fiesta was great, no, the new Polo is a classier package all round, it is not much more expensive than any competitor, but one gets a quality car..
Posted by: rodney van niekerk
New Polo 1.6 tdi - a definite buy 11 kw more than the Fiesta diesel 1.6 50 Nm plus on torque 3.6 l/100km on fuel 10.5 sec 0-100 NCAP 5 star safety rating ESP It will age better than its competition Better value retention than its competition I bought a 1.4 Polo in 2004 and it gave me trouble free motoring and only lost R 700 per month in value. R 104 000 in 2004, value now R 57 000 and 140 000 km on the clock. So why change???
Posted by: Pierre J
@WillieL - Ofcourse they'll look different... they are different cars :P I think the Polo has one fugly rear end, front facia I can live with, but this car is really over priced and over rated...
Posted by: Gareth
i'm disappointed. expected more at that price. you have to look at the i20. much better package for a better price.
Posted by: ROD
not just 5 gears why ,why,why!!! It is expensive and skimpy!!!
Posted by: hennie
Although the look is not as dynamic and new as the Fiesta, I believe the Polo will age better. Looks targeted at more premium entry level market. Just put the picture next to a Fiesta. Can almost not compare them, they look so different.
Posted by: WillieL

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