The Volkswagen Polo has alway been one of our favourite small cars, but the car buying public in New Zealand seems less convinced.
To them, the Polo is pretty much their seventh favourite small car, as that is exactly where it sits in the sales charts.
But Volkswagen NZ is determined to change this situation and with the release of a newly-refreshed version, them are confident they have just the car to do it too.
We spend a day with all the new variants at the launch to see if we agree.
What is it?
The baby in the local VW range, seeing as we don’t get the brilliant little Up! here. But as babies go, the Polo is quite a grown-up one.
The new Polo gets a refreshed Golf-style look with a new radiator grille and new lower fascia that is more aggressively angled and features a new light module that integrates fog lights, cornering lights and daytime running lights.
At the rear, new taillights and a matching more angular and aggressive rear bumper are the main changes, along with new side reflectors.
Inside the Polo gains a new instrument cluster, new fabric designs, extra chrome, a new steering wheels and an upgraded, new-generation infotainment system.
But it is under the bonnet where the Polo comes in for the biggest changes with a 66kW/160Nm 1.2-litre petrol turbo four-cylinder engine replacing the old 63kW/132Nm 1.4-litre engine.
VW claims 19 percent improvement in fuel consumption (down by 1.1L/100km to 4.7) with a corresponding reduction in CO2 emissions (down 26g/km to 109g/km). The new engine also shaves 1.1 seconds off the Polo’s 0 to 100km/h sprint, with th elite VW now clocking in at 10.8 seconds.
The Polo also gains a few new safety features including VW’s fatigue detection “Rest Assist” system that monitors the driver for signs of drowsiness and alerts them to take a rest. Multi-collision breaking is also included as standard and is a system that, following a collision applies maximum braking in order to stop the car from hitting something else.
Also available as an option is automatic distance control and city emergency braking.
The new Polo line up also includes a raised CrossPolo model that will do double duty as the most powerful variant until the GTi arrives at a later date.
The CrossPolo also gets a new engine in the form of an 81kW/175Nm 1.2-lite tubo four-cylinder petrol that has consumption figures of 4.9L/100km and emissions of just 114g/km.
The Polo line up starts with the Comfortline model that comes standard with 15-inch alloy wheels, a flat tyre indicator, a leather wrapped ,multi-function steering wheel and a 5-inch touch screen. The Comfortline is available with a five-speed manual transmission for $22,990 or a seven-speed DSG transmission for $25,990.
The Highline model adds front and rear parking sensors, climate control, 16-inch alloy wheels, rain sensing wipers, an automatic rear view mirror, low beam assist, a front centre armrest with storage and sports front seats. It costs $27,990 and comes with the seven-speed DSG.
The CrossPolo adds not only its increased SUV-esque ride height and more powerful engine, but also different front and rear bumpers and side sills, as well as black wheel arch extensions, roof rails, silver door mirrors and 17-inch alloy wheels.
Inside it gets all the same spec as the Highline, but also adds a 6.5-inch touch screen, aluminium-look pedals, privacy glass and different seat fabric. The CrossPolo is also only available with the seven-speed DSG and costs $29,990.
What’s it like?
The new engines instantly improve the Polo, with a brisker feel to acceleration and a far more flexible and eager response to throttle inputs.
On the road the new Polo feels as good as it always has, with larger wheeled models proving more settled and responsive than the entry car on small wheels. Ride is impressive for such a small car and it is complimented nicely by the comfortable seats.
Interior quality, while not quite on par with the Golf, is leagues ahead of anything else in the segment, with a clean, logical layout to the controls that is instantly familiar to anyone who has driven another member of the VW family.
While interior upgrades are pretty much limited to the new infotainment head unit, steering wheel and instruments, the rest of the insides still feel very fresh and modern – the advantage of a clean, simple design to begin with, we guess.
What’s good about it?
On the big wheels, the Polo is still massive fun to throw around a winding road, while remaining a remarkably comfortable and refined car at lower speeds. Small and – to use an old person’s description of a car – nippy, the Polo is an absolute breeze to manoeuvre around town in.
The exceptional quality is a highlight, as is the amount of standard spec now jammed into it.
What’s not so good?
The entry-level model on smaller wheels is not as settled or confident through the corners as the others, which is a shame because it’s manual transmission is brilliant. Still, nothing an upgraded set of wheels wouldn’t sort out.
No satellite navigation is an era when even the Honda Jazz has it across the range is a slightly disappointing oversight as well.
First impressions?
The Volkswagen Polo is a remarkably impressive small car that now, more than ever, deserves to sell in far bigger numbers here than it currently does.
VW has acknowledged that dominating the private sector of the segment is the key town owning it, so is aggressively targeting the Polo at private buyers.
This is most obvious in the Golf-style approach to pricing the Polo.
A decent amount of spec, high build quality and a fun chassis makes the Polo a very appealing option in the segment indeed, and the impressive pricing, VW hopes, will be the icing on the cake.
Models/prices
VW Polo TSI Comfortline manual – $22,990
VW Polo TSI Comfortline DSG – $25,990
VW Polo TSI Highline DSG – $27,990
VW CrossPolo TSI DSG – $29,990
Powertrain: 1.2-litre inline 4-cylinder petrol turbo producing 66kW/180Nm; 5-speed manual transmission/7-speed DSG; front-wheel drive (Comfortline/Highline),1.2-litre inline 4-cylinder petrol turbo producing 81kW/175Nm; 7-speed DSG; front-wheel drive (CrossPolo)
Fuel consumption: 4.7L/100km (Polo manual/DSG), 4.9L/100km (CrossPolo)
CO2 emissions: 107g/km (Polo manual), 109g/km (Polo DSG), 114g/km (CrossPolo)
Safety
ANCAP/EuroNCAP rating: Five stars
Air bags: 6
Stability control: yes
Lap/diagonal belts: 5
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