LET’s not beat about the bush. The most eyebrowraising piece of information on the new Polo BlueMotion’s specification sheet is its claimed fuel economy figure of 3,4 litres/100 km, making it easily the most economical car on sale in South Africa – if proven accurate. And just in case you’re unfamiliar with Volkswagen’s BlueMotion programme – that economy figure is not the result of a hybrid drivetrain or electrickery: this Polo is a fairly straightforward motorcar.
How has the impressive claimed economy been achieved, then? Well, at the heart of the car’s fuel-sipping talents is a common-rail direct injection, turbocharged and intercooled 1,2-litre three-cylinder engine. Notable differences between this engine and other TDI units within the VW group is a lower idling speed and modified engine management software that puts the focus squarely on economy. That said, the power and torque figures are not to be sniffed at. Peak power of 55 kW is developed at 4 200 r/min and the maximum torque figure of 180 N.m arrives at 2 000 r/min. However, there’s noticeable lag before that torque peak, enough to demand concentration from driver or he/she will be rewarded with a stall.
The engine is mated with a fivespeed manual transmission. A gearshift indicator on the instrument panel advises the driver of the most economical gear for a particular driving situation. But that’s not all. BlueMotion also brings regenerative braking, a stop/start system, low rolling resistance tyres, special lightweight and aero-tuned wheels, a 15 mm drop in ride height and a few aerodynamic tweaks to the exterior (grille and bumpers) and underneath the body. In effect, then, BlueMotion is about fine-tuning what is already available.
And it works. Though the 3,4 litres/100 km figure is extremely hard to achieve, one could theoretically reach our calculated fuel index of 4,1 litres/100 km should conditions and driving style permit. A more likely daily figure, however, is around 5,0 litres/100 km, especially if fast highway cruising is part of your routine. Which ever, the Polo is capable of travelling around 1 000 km between fill-ups.
The really good news is that the economy-focused tuning hasn’t spoilt what remains a typically nice-to-drive Polo package. Lowering the ride height has probably firmed-up the ride somewhat, and as a result the Polo feels sporty on the road. The only negative is that it doesn’t like transverse ridges, which really get transmitted through the steering wheel and into the palms of the driver with a hefty thud.
The steering does have nice weighting though (particularly when considering this is an electrically assisted system) and the engine, once spinning over the 2 000 r/min mark, delivers enough power to give the driver that typical turbodiesel “surge” that is so addictive. Overall, we’d say the achieved performance figures don’t tell the full story – the Polo BlueMotion is more fun to drive than a 14,49 seconds 0-100 km/h time suggests.
For your R175 000 you may only be getting a three-cylinder car, but at least it comes well packaged. Standard features include funky “Power Up” light blue trim inserts, cruise control, a tyre pressure indicator, a radio/CD player with MP3 functionality and a leather-trimmed steering wheel with remote audio controls (See sidebox, Features). Inside the cabin you’re faced with the same pros and cons of any other new-generation Polo. Perceived build quality is excellent with the kind of soft-touch facia plastic usually reserved for vehicles in the Golf class, as well as elegant, restrained detailing.
Seating comfort is excellent in front (both seats feature heightadjustment), and the steering wheel offers generous rake and reach adjustment. There’s also a folding centre armrest and an oddments stowage tray under the driver’s seat. Sadly, the situation is not as rosy for the rear seat passengers – legroom is quite limited. Then again, for a typical family of two adults and two young kids, it should be acceptable, particularly because the boot is decently shaped and sized for the class of car.
TEST SUMMARY
Though ultimately not as economical as Volkswagen claims, we’re quite confident that this is the most economical car on sale at the moment. But its frugality isn’t its only talent. Fun to drive and well-equipped, the Polo BlueMotion is a very good allround package at a reasonable price – though we’d have liked to see at least a service plan thrown into the deal as well.
