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Volkswagen Polo 2015 Review
Fashion doesn’t change drastically. There is always evolution and this how it is fresh always. All-new could mean not everyone will like it. That is how upgrades happen. Be it the fashion industry or even automobiles.
The Polo was launched in 2010, which become the smallest car in the Volkswagen India portfolio. The Polo and the Vento were the two affordable Volkswagens for the Indian car market, which were the sales number tickers for the German automaker. The Volkswagen Polo has been getting time-to-time update and recently we got our hands on the MY2015 Polo.
Appearance Exterior
The exterior styling of the Polo GT TSi isn’t very different from that of regular Polo. The changes are very minor and the easiest way to determine the difference is by spotting the GT and GT TSi badges around the car. The other difference on the GT TSi are the new alloy wheels, black-colours wing matters and the black-coloured spoiler. The Polo GT comes in multiple colours, though the best one is the red that has been retained from the first-launched Polo. That is the best colour we will recommend to get the Polo in. The Polo GT looks a lot more sporty than the regular Polo.
The Polo still looks fresh in design and with its new chrome additions, it still looks upmarket. The German automaker’s paint quality just makes the Polo look so good and adds to the premium-ness. The red colour that our GT TDI came in, is not available on the regular Polo. The Polo doesn’t fail to appeal to us. The regular Polo looks premium in styling, and looks best in the blue colour. The alloy wheels add some more styling to the Polo.
Appearance Interior
The Polo interiors also have got a minor upgrade too. These small changes that have been made from time-to-time have kept the interior styling fresh. The Polo’s interior dashboard quality is top notch. The Polo comes with features like integrated music system with bluetooth, aux and USB connectivity, reverse parking sensors, dual airbags and ABS, electrically folding ORVMs and even steering mounted audio controls. The new multi-information display on the instrument cluster and the steering wheel controls look premium. The interiors of the GT has black interiors and the regular one has black and beige interiors. Even the seats on the GT are black in colour instead of beige.
The Polo has just a cosmetic upgrade and hence there isn’t any change in its space. The front row seats are large and offer good support. The side support on the front seats is much better than most of the other hatchbacks. The rear seat space is very little. Two fully grown adults cannot sit behind one another in a Polo. The space will be a bit too tight. This is one downside of the Polo, however it fine for a family of a couple with small kids. The boot though is large enough to carry stuff for an entire weekend.
Performance Drive
The Polo comes with a range of engines on offer. One is the 1.2-litre petrol that churns about 75bhp of power and comes with a five-speed manual transmission. Then the second engine is the 1.2-litre turbo petrol, which produces about 103bhp of power and comes with a seven-speed DSG (dual clutch transmission). This engine is available on the GT TSI. The 1.5-litre diesel comes with a 90bhp engine and 103bhp, with the latter being the GT TDI. Both the diesels come only with a five-speed manual transmission.
The regular TDI and the GT TSI will be our picks if you are looking at getting one. The power that the regular TDI produces is sufficient and at the same time it is fuel-efficient too. The regular Polo TDI comes with a five-speed manual. the excessive power on the GT TDI, isn’t a lot when compared to the regular Polo. The GT TSI is a lot more convenient than the others because of the automatic and even the power it produces. It is power and the ease of driving.
The ride on the Polo is a tad stiff, so it is just fine on rough roads. But it is after a while that the ride tends to soften as to clock a few thousand kilometres. The Polo chase get take a lot more power than what is offered in India. The Polo’s handling prowess is excellent and the alacrity with which the chassis behaves is just phenomenal. Push it around a bend and it does perform well. It won’t disappoint you. The Polo is comfortable and good for long distance drives, unless you are using the rear seats.
The light steering wheel on the Polo makes the drives smooth and easy. Manoeuvring in tight lanes is a breeze and when driving on tight bends the steering feel is good and responsive. The Polo is certainly one of the new premium hatchbacks to consider if you like driving.
Tech Specs
| Make | Volkswagen |
| Model | Polo |
| Fuel | Diesel |
| Variant | 1.5 TDI Highline |
| Engine Capacity | 1.5-litre |
| Max. Power (bhp@rpm) | 89@4200 |
| Max. torque (Nm@rpm) | 230@1500 |
| Gears | Five |
| Length mm | 3971 |
| Width mm | 1682 |
| Height mm | 1469 |
| Wheelbase mm | 2469 |
| Fuel Capacity (in litres) | 45 |
| Tyre size | 185/60R15 |
Features
| Features | |
| Cooled glove box | Yes |
| Dual front airbags (driver and passenger side) | Yes |
| Galvanised body with 6-year anti-corrosion warranty | Yes |
| Body-coloured outside door handles and mirrors | Yes |
| Leather-wrapped steering wheel with chrome accents and Piano Black finish | Yes |
| Instrument cluster with tachometer, speedometer, odometer and trip meter | Yes |
| Monochrome Multi-Function Display (MFD) includes travelling time, distance travelled, digital speed display, average speed, fuel efficiency | Yes |
| Steering wheel with controls for audio, Bluetooth and Voice Command | Yes |
| Ticket holder in right-side sunvisor | Yes |
Competition All Specs
| Specifications | Volkswagen Polo |
Fiat Punto Evo |
| Fuel | Diesel | Diesel |
| Variant | 1.5 TDI Highline | 1.3 Emotion |
| Engine Capacity | 1.5-litre | 1.3-litre |
| Max. Power (bhp@rpm) | 89@4200 | 92@4000 |
| Max. torque (Nm@rpm) | 230@1500 | 209@2000 |
| Gears | Five | Five |
| Length mm | 3971 | 3987 |
| Width mm | 1682 | 1687 |
| Height mm | 1469 | 1495 |
| Wheelbase mm | 2469 | 2510 |
| Fuel Capacity (in litres) | 45 | 45 |
| Tyre size | 185/60R15 | 195/55R16 |
Conclusion
What advantage the Polo GT TSi has is that it isn’t just an automatic that is fuel-efficient but at the same time it is more powerful than the conventional automatics. This means you can take this hatchback for weekend drives and at the same time even use it as your daily city car. This is fun and convenient at the most affordable cost.
The German build quality, driving dynamics and the styling of the Polo makes it stand out of the crowd. The Polo is the oldest premium hatchback in its segment, but the German automaker has done a phenomenal job to keep it fresh in design and even features. The Polo is certainly a good option to consider.
