IT has the looks, that’s for sure. That rugged, readyfor- action appearance that we see in 4x4s and lesser-able SUVs. Instead of the 15-inch wheels of the 2,0-litre Polo model or the 16-inch offerings of the GTI, the CrossPolo sports 17-inch BBS alloys to nicely fill the wheelarches. But, before you start thinking of heading for the hills or tackling soft sand, note that this macho-looker is basically a standard, front-wheel drive Polo with the addition of a black and aluminium-coloured body kit, and with the suspension tweaked to add 15 mm to the ride height.
VW decided to mate this styling exercise with its popular 1,9-litre cooking turbodiesel, which delivers 74 kW and offers 240 N.m of torque at 1 800 r/min. A five-speed gearbox is ideally suited to this flexible engine.
It’s not all plain sailing, though. The engine is still noisy at idle, and typical diesel vibes make their presence felt through the clutch and gearlever. This is noticeable up to about 2 000 r/min, above which smoothness returns. Turbodiesels are sometimes prone to stalling, but this easygoing TDI engine is quite forgiving at very low revs.
The seats are sporty, comfy and well-shaped, but it all falls apart when you take in our test vehicle’s magma orange interior colour scheme. At least it is tastefully executed, with orange stitching carried through to the steering wheel and gearlever surround. And you don’t have to opt for the orange theme: there are five other colours to choose from…
VW is considerate about driver comfort. The four-spoke, leather-bound steering wheel is adjustable for reach and height, and both the driver’s and the front passenger’s seats are height adjustable – a nice touch. Drilled aluminium pedals with rubber inserts are set high in the footwell, so the seat needs to be moved back to achieve sufficient legroom. There is just enough space for the left foot to rest next to the clutch.
VW’s excellent instrumentation includes a fuel consumption read-out, but the central display panel is not active, presumably there for navigational information should this option be fitted. Ice blue backlighting still looks super cool. The indicator and windscreen wiper stalks are cheap in feel and operation, which is a pity considering the other controls are of such high quality. An adjustable drinkholder pops out from the facia, which is a nice feature in light of the fact that most manufacturers now provide only rudimentary items.
Rear passenger space is acceptable, and the split rear seats fold to allow a reasonable utility space of 848 dm3. If this isn’t enough, the CrossPolo provides a set of roof rails to carry the really big stuff. Due to the size of the wheels, there isn’t enough room for a full-size spare, so a tyre mobility kit is stashed in the boot, consisting of puncture sealant and a mini compressor.
Feel from the electro-hydraulic assisted steering is close to that of a full hydraulic system’s. The gearshift action is a shade on the heavy side, but nevertheless positive and precise.
Although the wheels look really great, with a highly polished sheen, and are shod with wide 215/40 R17 tyres, they are of a lower profile than the CrossPolo’s siblings. The suspension copes well with poor quality tar roads, but the lack of sidewall flex means that you have to put up with a harsh ride. Otherwise, handling is predictable, and the ride on decent roads is smooth and comfy. As one tester put it “a good cruiser”. Of course, on gravel roads the reverse is true, which is disappointing considering its adventure- targeted market.
You might expect performance to be quite strong with a largish turbodiesel under the bonnet, but, these days, 74 kW is not that much, even in a fairly small package. So a sprint time from 0 to 100 km/h of 10,94 seconds might not blow your hair back, but it feels reasonable in general driving, and overtaking acceleration in third and fourth gears is strong. At 120 km/h the engine is only spinning at 2 400 r/min, so it would be in its element doing long trips at the national speed limit.
The fuel tank capacity is rather small at 45 litres, but with the TDI’s amazing economy – our fuel index works out at 6,0 litres/ 100 km – you can nevertheless eke out 750 km from a tankful, which is more than most small cars can manage.
TEST SUMMARY
There are two main reasons to appreciate this oddball. The first is the well-known TDI diesel engine, which is easy-going, lusty and super-economical. The second is the overall driver comfort expected from VW, which doesn’t disappoint here. Most thought that the CrossPolo was not worth the R15 000 premium over the 1,9 TDI Highline, but it was liked by all, and it does allow you to stand apart from the thousands of other Polos on the roads.