THERE are a number of manufacturers that have gone the route of bulking up their smaller cars, raising ride heights and then selling them to Joe Public as lifestyle crossovers. Volkswagen did this some years ago when it gave its Polo added muscle and created the CrossPolo.
This vehicle, which is now in its second generation, has achieved moderate success (on average, VW sells 110 units a month), but it is quite pricey.
Since the original CrossPolo’s launch, many new contenders have entered the market and the ones that seem to have the biggest impact are cheapies such as the Renault Sandero Stepway (230 units a month).
It’s a vehicle that offers the best elements of a crossover at the price of an entry-level hatchback. VW decided to take a page out of Renault’s book and emulate the formula with the budget-oriented bestseller Polo Vivo (in excess of 2 500 Vivos leave VW dealers each month).
Enter the Maxx. Based on the Vivo 1,6 Trendline, the Maxx looks funky with its raised suspension that has increased the ground clearance from 115 to 141 mm, unique 17-inch alloy wheels, colour-coded exterior mirrors, aluminium roof rails, sporty decals along the bottom of the doors and dual exhaust tailpipes. Inside, the Maxx gets a titanium-look facia.
This beefed-up Vivo boasts a similar driving feel to the Vivo GT, which we praised for its old-fashioned fun factor (see the February 2012 issue).
The 1,6-litre engine delivers
77 kW at 5 250 r/min and 155 N.m at 3 500 r/min. It won’t raise your blood pressure but it certainly has charm. It’s the perfectly judged gearing of the five-speed manual transmission that makes this Maxx shine; drivers can make full use of the rev range and wring as much out of this engine as possible.
This translates into healthy acceleration times, so overtaking is not a laborious process. Adding to this is the well-weighted steering and slick five-speed manual transmission. Even the handling is impressive. Put all of this together and it’s pretty easy to forget that you’re driving a humble 1,6 litre.
In the GT, we noted that the ride felt stiffer than the standard Vivo’s and that it felt slightly uncomfortable on uneven surfaces. We put this down to the lower-profile tyres and lowered ride height. In this instance, while the rubber remains the same, the ride height has changed and, as a result, the Vivo Maxx has a more forgiving ride but more roll in the bends.
Seeing as most Maxx owners will more than likely be young up-and-comers, VWSA has given it a healthy entertainment, comfort and safety specification.
For those who want to sing along to their favourite tunes, the Maxx comes with an MP3-compatible audio system with USB and SD connections as well as Bluetooth connectivity.
Standard creature comforts include electric front windows, manual air-conditioner and a three-spoke leather-covered steering wheel. In terms of safety, the Maxx is equipped with driver and front passenger airbags, an immobiliser, central locking and ABS with EBD. This braking system helped the Vivo achieve an average 100 to 0 km/h stopping time of 3,1 seconds, which earns it a “good” rating according to our scale.
Test Summary
The Maxx isn’t as cheap as some of its rivals and a service plan is optional. However, if you have your eyes on the CrossPolo but it’s out of your budget, the Maxx should be worth consideration. It’s a beefy looking hatchback that offers a fun driving experience and a generous amount of standard specification. In our opinion, it’s a lot more solid than it’s rivals and looks a great deal better, too.
