CAR OF THE WEEK: VW POLO

Car Review: Volkswagen Polo

Are you looking for a small, practical, everyday city car?

The all new 6th generation Volkswagen Polo might just be the perfect everyday city car. The VW polo has always been a well-built practical car and has gotten just a little better every generation.

The new Polo brings some interesting characteristics: The car is slightly longer, lower and larger on the inside than its predecessor.

The new range of Polos are available in three different models ranging from the Trendline, Comfortline and the top of the range model, the Highline. The 2018 Polo shares many features with the larger Volkswagen Golf, and is surprisingly similar to drive.

• Price and engine specs of the new Volkswagen Polo models

The bottom of the range, the Polo Trendline starts at around R235,900 including VAT, and comes with a surprisingly quick 1-litre turbocharged 70kW 175Nm TSI engine with a 5-speed manual transmition. This model has enough grunt to get the job done but if you catch the engine at low revs it will take some time for the car to pick its speed back up. The 5-speed transmation is smooth and is a short gear stick travel distance, which is handy for quick, snappy gear changes.

The mid-level range, the Polo Comfortline,starts at R264,700 including VAT. The Comfortline comes with the same engine as the Trendline but the optional extra 7-speed DSG makes it a pleasure to drive – and drives the cost up to R280,700 including VAT. The DSG gearbox is extremely smooth and you can barely feel the gear changes. The DSG gearbox makes the Polo a livelier car to drive, improving the overall performance.

The top of the range, the Polo Highline, starts at R286,200 including VAT, but also has an extended retail price of R302,200 with a 7-speed DSG. The Highline comes with a throatier and powerful 1-litre turbocharged 85Kw 200Nm TSI engine and has two gearbox options being a 6-Speed manual, which is just as nice to drive as the 5-speed Polo, and the top of the range 7-speed DSG, which is afavorite of most car enthusiasts.

The 1-litre turbocharged engine is standard for both the Trendline and Comfortline and offers outstanding fuel consumption of 4.5 liters/100km with fuel emissions of 103g/km.

• Infotainment system

The new Polo is the first Volkswagen to come with an active 11.7’’ info display, with a 133dpi / resolution1280 by 480 pixels.

• Driver Assistance systems

There are some new features that come in handy, such as the lane change system, blind spot monitor with rear traffic alert, semi-automated park assists and manoeuvre braking function. The car also comes with an optional keyless start.

• Exterior

The new Polo’s length has been increased 81mm to 4053mm and wheelbase lengthened as well by, 94mm to 2548mm. The hatchback is also wider by 69mm to 1751mm and even the height has increased 7mm to 1461mm. The new car’s boot capacity has increased from 280 to 351 liters.It’s safe to say that this Polo is generally a bigger car than its predecessor and starting to take on the shape of the bigger VW Golf. Fine details distinguish the exterior differences between the trendline and comfortline. The Highline, on the other hand, has a few extra chrome stripes on the lower ventilation grille, colour-coded mirrors and door handles.

• Convenience and comfort features

The all new Polo as also offers features such as high-intensity LED head and tail light clusters and alsoan optional panoramic sunroof (which is one of the biggest panoramic sunroofs in its class)

We can say for sure that if you want a small, practical, fuel efficient everyday car, the 2018 Volkswagen Polo will certainty do the job - possibly even better than most of its rivals. The Polo has always been a hard competitor to beat in its class and the new 2018 model hasn’t made it any easier.We won’t be surprised if it sells like hotcakes, just as previous generations of Polo have.