The Volkswagen Polo is a South African favourite, to the point that we account for Volkswagen AG’s third largest market of Polo buyers after China and Russia. In 2013, South Africans purchased over 23 500 Polo and Polo Vivos, so a new model of this little ‘People’s Wagon’ is potentially quite exciting.
First impressions may leave you wondering if anything has in fact changed on the 2014 Volkswagen Polo, but while the exterior changes are somewhat illusive, changes beneath the sheet metal are more than appreciable.
The exterior lines of the Polo have always been ‘clean’ and remain largely unchanged save for their enhancement thanks to newly designed headlights, tail lights and trim elements. The face of the new Polo implies a wider stance, with a new chrome trim that connects the two front fog lights. The Comfort and Highline specification models receive an additional chrome line that joins the centres of the headlights with the horizontal alignment of the radiator grille.
The changes are less apparent at the rear, where the license plate cut-out has been made a little wider and the reflectors have been embedded on the outer edges of the bumper. New 15- and 16-inch alloy wheel designs set the profiles of the Comfortline and Highline models apart, with a new 17-inch design for the CrossPolo.
The interior of the new Polo has been updated with inspiration from the larger Golf and feels significantly more sophisticated as a result. To start with, there is a new three-spoke steering wheel with gloss black inserts. The driver’s instrument dials have been set within 3-D ‘tubes’ to draw one’s attention, but it’s the new touchscreen infotainment system that dominates the centre console. The Bluetooth system has been upgraded, and can now pair two phones at once. This will allow drivers to make calls on one, and play music through the second, for example. In addition, the car’s mobile phone system also boosts call reception by using the radio aerial.
Future plans are to introduce the Mirrorlink system to the Polo, which allows the display of mobile phone apps on the car’s touchscreen. In theory, games, internet radio and social media apps can all be shown, provided they have been certified as safe to use while the car is in motion. The system already works with Android and Symbian devices, but is pending release based on whether Apple approves it for use with its iOS operating system.
In the meantime two versions of the touchscreen infotainment system are available: the ‘Composition Touch’ model is standard equipment on the Polo Trendline and features a 5-inch monochrome screen coupled with four speakers, SD-card, as well as Aux-In interfaces; the ‘Composition Colour’ also offers a 5-inch colour display, but adds two rear loudspeakers, CD/MP3-player, SD-card input, as well as USB and Bluetooth connectivity. Below the infotainment system sits a revised set of controls for the climate settings and adding the final touches to the more sophisticated feeling cabin are chrome accents on the door panels, the air vents and around the gear shift console.
A significant change has taken place beneath the Polo’s bonnet where a new 1.2-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engine is to be found. The 1.2 TSI is available in two states of tune and replaces both the naturally aspirated 1.4- and 1.6-litre engines of old. In addition, Volkswagen’s 7-speed DSG transmission is no longer reserved for the Polo GTI (expected in the 2nd quarter of 2015 along with the diesel-powered TDI) and is now available as an option for the Polo Highline.
In the Polo Trendline and Polo Comfortline, the 1.2 TSI is paired with a 5-speed manual transmission and produces 66 kW at 4 800 r/min. Peak torque of 160 Nm is delivered between 1 400 and 3 500 r/min. Volkswagen claim average fuel consumption of 4.6 l/100km and 117 g/km of CO2, while the performance numbers are 184 km/h for maximum speed and 10.8 seconds for the 0 – 100 km/h sprint. The modest amount of torque is spread over a useful rev range and meant this engine performed adequately in the thinner air of the Highveld.
A more powerful version of the same 1.2 TSI is found in the Polo Highline and CrossPolo, where it produces 81 kW at 5 000 r/min and 175 Nm of torque between 1 500 and 4 000 r/min. A 6-speed manual transmission is standard (7-speed DSG optional) and offers a positive shift action that will see the car reach 100 km/h in 9.3 seconds and run on to a top speed of 196 km/h. CO2 emissions remain within the tax exempt range of 120 g/km and average fuel consumption as claimed by VW is 5.1 l/100 km.
The 1.2 TSI and its available transmissions appears to be another superbly executed drivetrain from VW, offering adequate performance, excellent efficiency and superior levels of refinement.
In terms of ride and handling, the new Polo retains its McPherson front axle and twist beam rear suspension, however, first impressions suggest a more compliant ride and improved insulation of the cabin from wind and road noise. The majority of the launch route was a matter of chewing through a few hundred kilometres, but the few corners that did pass beneath the Polo’s front wheels seem to suggest a lighter front-end as a result of the smaller engine beneath the bonnet. This could be construed as a lack of front-end ‘bite’, but if anything, it’s a characteristic that’s likely to be favoured during the daily commute.
Standard safety equipment on the 2014 Volkswagen Polo has been expanded to include VW’s Automatic Post-Collision Braking System. The system automatically applies the brakes after a collision to avoid secondary collisions or reduce their severity. The driver can override and deactivate the Automatic Post-Collision Braking System at any time by applying harder braking than the system itself, or pressing the accelerator.
Further features include Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), electronic stabilisation programme (ESC), hill-hold assist, front and side airbags for front passengers and Isofix fittings for child seats. A Driver Alert System is standard in Highline derivatives and detects waning concentration of the driver before sounding a 5 second warning together with a message on the on-board computer suggesting a rest stop. Ignoring the warning for another 15 minutes will result in a final repeat warning and alert.
Apart from the increased refinement, technology, performance, efficiency and safety, many will be pleased to learn that the new VW Polo is now sold with a 3-year/45 000km service plan.
| Prices | |
| Volkswagen Polo 1.2 TSI Trendline (66 kW) | R188 300 |
| Volkswagen Polo 1.2 TSI Comfortline (66 kW) | R209 700 |
| Volkswagen Polo 1.2 TSI Highline (81 kW) | R233 300 |
| Volkswagen Polo 1.2 TSI Highline DSG (81 kW) | R247 800 |
| Volkswagen Polo 1.2 TSI CrossPolo (81 kW) | R241 000 |
Prices include a 3-year/120 000km warranty and 3-year/45 000km service plan.
