Vehicle Tested: Volkswagen Polo 1.6 TDI Comfortline
Okay, who left the Golf in the tumble dryer?
Has the Polo lost what made it unique, and become more Golf 6 light? Let’s see.
South Africa loves the Volkswagen Polo, and it shows in its sales figures. The question that now remains is will South Africa love the new one? I believe the answer is yes, I sure do.
The Polo has grown up. I was half expecting a friendly face, but instead I got an expression that was all business. The new Polo is both longer and wider than the model it replaces and the styling is sharper. A lady passing by described the Polo as ‘sexy’, and I concur.
Just like with the Golf 6, VW haven’t gone overboard with the new car in terms of redefining it, they have simply made a really good car even better.
The interior is best described as clean cut, and I’ll even go as far as calling it classy.
The instrument cluster is made up of an analog rev counter and speedometer with the on-board computer smack in the center. The on-board computer gives read outs on average fuel consumption, fuel range, exterior temperature, distance travelled, and so on, as well as housing the digital fuel gauge, and a gizmo that tells you when to change gears for optimum fuel consumption.
The seats are comfortable, but supportive at the same time. There is a decent amount of rear leg room, and the boot is anything but shy. The overall build and feel of the new Polo is one of solidity, but then again, it’s nothing short of what you’d expect from a Volkswagen.
Then again, this is all sort of standard check list stuff. Where the Polo really stands out for me is the drive. The test unit was powered by an all new 1.6 liter common-rail diesel, which to be perfectly frank, is superb! The little TDI produces a not so little 77 kW and 250 Nm. The bundle of Torque means that up hills are no challenge and cruising along in this little wonder-machine is a fun experience. Volkswagen claims an average fuel consumption of 4.2 liters per 100km.
Another thing I really love about the Polo TDI is it only produces 109g of CO2 per kilometer driven. No, I’m not really a tree hugger, but bear with me here. From September 2010, the Government will impose a “Green Tax” on all new vehicles bought. For every gram of CO2 over 120grams that a new car produces per kilometer, you will have to pay R75 extra. So, if you buy a new car that produces 130g of CO2 per kilometer, you will have to pay an extra R750 for that car. I know that this doesn’t make such a huge difference on the small car market, but it means that owning the TDI will get you into the “Greenies” good books.
On the safety front, the Polo TDI comes standard with ABS, EBD and ESP. ESP is an optional extra on other models in the range. There are four airbags, namely driver, passenger and side. Front and rear curtain airbags are an optional extra across the entire range. The Polo also has a five star Euro NCAP safety rating, and comes with a 3 year/120 000 km warranty.
Some might say that the Polo is still a car in its own right; others might argue that it’s become a watered down Golf; I’m just saying that…it’s great!
Thank you to Ermelo Volkswagen for allowing me the opportunity to test the new Polo, it was a blast.
Okay, who left the Golf in the tumble dryer?
Has the Polo lost what made it unique, and become more Golf 6 light? Let’s see.
South Africa loves the Volkswagen Polo, and it shows in its sales figures. The question that now remains is will South Africa love the new one? I believe the answer is yes, I sure do.
The Polo has grown up. I was half expecting a friendly face, but instead I got an expression that was all business. The new Polo is both longer and wider than the model it replaces and the styling is sharper. A lady passing by described the Polo as ‘sexy’, and I concur.
Just like with the Golf 6, VW haven’t gone overboard with the new car in terms of redefining it, they have simply made a really good car even better.
The interior is best described as clean cut, and I’ll even go as far as calling it classy.
The instrument cluster is made up of an analog rev counter and speedometer with the on-board computer smack in the center. The on-board computer gives read outs on average fuel consumption, fuel range, exterior temperature, distance travelled, and so on, as well as housing the digital fuel gauge, and a gizmo that tells you when to change gears for optimum fuel consumption.
The seats are comfortable, but supportive at the same time. There is a decent amount of rear leg room, and the boot is anything but shy. The overall build and feel of the new Polo is one of solidity, but then again, it’s nothing short of what you’d expect from a Volkswagen.
Then again, this is all sort of standard check list stuff. Where the Polo really stands out for me is the drive. The test unit was powered by an all new 1.6 liter common-rail diesel, which to be perfectly frank, is superb! The little TDI produces a not so little 77 kW and 250 Nm. The bundle of Torque means that up hills are no challenge and cruising along in this little wonder-machine is a fun experience. Volkswagen claims an average fuel consumption of 4.2 liters per 100km.Another thing I really love about the Polo TDI is it only produces 109g of CO2 per kilometer driven. No, I’m not really a tree hugger, but bear with me here. From September 2010, the Government will impose a “Green Tax” on all new vehicles bought. For every gram of CO2 over 120grams that a new car produces per kilometer, you will have to pay R75 extra. So, if you buy a new car that produces 130g of CO2 per kilometer, you will have to pay an extra R750 for that car. I know that this doesn’t make such a huge difference on the small car market, but it means that owning the TDI will get you into the “Greenies” good books.
On the safety front, the Polo TDI comes standard with ABS, EBD and ESP. ESP is an optional extra on other models in the range. There are four airbags, namely driver, passenger and side. Front and rear curtain airbags are an optional extra across the entire range. The Polo also has a five star Euro NCAP safety rating, and comes with a 3 year/120 000 km warranty.
Some might say that the Polo is still a car in its own right; others might argue that it’s become a watered down Golf; I’m just saying that…it’s great!
Thank you to Ermelo Volkswagen for allowing me the opportunity to test the new Polo, it was a blast.
No comments:
Post a Comment