[OSH]

This is yet to be confirmed but a friend tells me that the Highline+ automatic variant was a blunder and its not coming in the Polo. This is the reason why dealers are only getting manual Highline+ variants as of now.

Highline+ variant will be available only with the 1.0 TSI & manual gearbox. The 1.0 TSI with the automatic gearbox is reserved for the GT variant.

[Xaos636]

Originally Posted by OSH

Highline+ variant will be available only with the 1.0 TSI & manual gearbox. The 1.0 TSI with the automatic gearbox is reserved for the GT variant.

It all makes sense actually. There is no point of GT otherwise with just cosmetic changes in it compared with highline plus AT variant. No one will buy GT if thats the case. Getting Highline plus AT(with rear AC vents as per brochures) and slapping the GT badges would give you a GT with more useable features. So lets wait till the official confirmation. 10 years later, VW still manages to confuse everyone if this is true. If this isnt true, then it has already confused themselves on the difference between the top 2 models.

[bipinbn]

Test drove the Polo Highline 1.0 TSI manual today.

Observations:

Exterior:

The only noticeable changes were the chrome strip on the front grill and heat insulating glass. Absolutely no changes in interiors.

Engine:

We have a 1.2 GT TSI in family, and I have driven it quite a bit. At idle the engine is quite silent and only a bit less refined than the 1.2. Only at around 2000-2500 rpm range in 3rd gear is where I could hear it clatter a bit.

Gearbox is short throw and reminded me of First gen swift. It did have some roughness shifting to 1st gear and might get better after the first service.

Engine pulls neatly in any gear and in any RPM. It never felt short of breath. What I missed was the meaty/heavy<for lack of better word> feeling of the 1.2 TSI .The car had close to 1000 kms on the ODO and the rep was ok when I asked if I could push it a bit hard.

Took it to ring road and drove it aggressively. The engine pulls well and never felt strained or felt like it was struggling to gain speed. Noticeable differences to the 1.2 TSI were engine note at higher speeds and the light front-end feeling.

Overall, if you have missed out on the 1.2 TSI then 1.0 TSI is not a bad choice. The question now is how the TC automatic will compare to DSG?

The sales rep told me that the Automatic will only be available in GT variant and he kept insisting that the engine will make 5 bhp more in GT . When asked about ESP and Hill-hold, he told that these features are only available in GT variant . I told that the VW website has no mention of these things for which he did not have any answer.

[professor.march]

I test drove the car today. I agree with the above test drive reviews. Engine is very quiet at idle and also quiet at normal driving speeds. Clutch was light, lighter than in my older Polo. Gear box felt solid. But I found it a little odd going from 5 to 6. If anyone remembers the older Polo with 5 speed, gear lever is spring loaded for the 5th gear. So I wasn't sure whether to go directly down from 5 to 6 or bring to neutral and go to 6.

But I got this thought while driving it. It's same but different. It's the same car that's been available since 2010. I could find no changes in the interior from my old car other than the entertainment screen. Couple of other features but the interior really shows its age. I booked the car but I am really not sure about what to do. Engine is the only reason to go for this car. Will I notice the interiors more or the engine more in my life with the car over the next few years?

[Abhi_Automobile]

Originally Posted by professor.march

I test drove the car today. I agree with the above test drive reviews. Engine is very quiet at idle and also quiet at normal driving speeds. Clutch was light, lighter than in my older Polo. Gear box felt solid. But I found it a little odd going from 5 to 6. If anyone remembers the older Polo with 5 speed, gear lever is spring loaded for the 5th gear. So I wasn't sure whether to go directly down from 5 to 6 or bring to neutral and go to 6.

But I got this thought while driving it. It's same but different. It's the same car that's been available since 2010. I could find no changes in the interior from my old car other than the entertainment screen. Couple of other features but the interior really shows its age. I booked the car but I am really not sure about what to do. Engine is the only reason to go for this car. Will I notice the interiors more or the engine more in my life with the car over the next few years?

Maybe you can wait for the i20? Hyundai interior and build quality is approaching that of VW fast, and the handling is fairly neutral these days. It also has 1.0 120PS en guy one with DCT...so, wdyt?

[professor.march]

Originally Posted by Abhi_Automobile

Maybe you can wait for the i20? Hyundai interior and build quality is approaching that of VW fast, and the handling is fairly neutral these days. It also has 1.0 120PS en guy one with DCT...so, wdyt?

New i20 is a good option. But one of the reasons I ruled out i20 now was its price. It's the most expensive hatchback in its category and the new one is bound to be even more expensive. It was 9.7 OTR in Chennai and the new one will cross 10 is what I felt. Wasn't comfortable with the EMI amount. But I'm also thinking of saving up the money that I would have spent on EMI if I bought a car now and add that to down payment when I buy car later so my EMI burden stays the same. And one more thing about i20 is it's getting closer to the next segment. At what point will that start making more sense? Thank you for the advice, I might postpone purchase to December and look at the new models then. New i20, jazz and altroz turbo.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by professor.march

... ... But I got this thought while driving it. It's same but different. It's the same car that's been available since 2010. I could find no changes in the interior from my old car other than the entertainment screen. Couple of other features but the interior really shows its age. I booked the car but I am really not sure about what to do. Engine is the only reason to go for this car. Will I notice the interiors more or the engine more in my life with the car over the next few years?

When the Chennai flood took my Polo away, and I moved forward a few years in models, I sat in the car I was to buy, and said, "It's a Polo, I know where everything is, I am at home, I am totally comfortable." There were one or two new features, which was nice, and a very few things, like less roof and door damping, which were not so nice.

I'm OK with the essentially-unchanged interior. It's the five-blanks-two-switches (literally and metaphorically) thing that gets me. I suppose you could look at this as a VW feature: they are incredibly mean with, errm... features!

[McLaren Rulez]

What is astonishing is how competent the car is compared to its modern rivals! It looks good, has nice engines, good quality overall, great ride and handling, lots of features and a decent price.

There are plenty of old platforms still on sale in India. Not many manage to still stay this competitive.

[carfreak]

Originally Posted by buntee90

I am also eagerly waiting to Test drive it! How does it compare to Swift K12 in terms of engine ?

Hi, the last time I drove the Swift petrol was a long time back. But I can say this- the Swift engine is way more refined. As far as performance goes, the TSI will win easily, thanks to the strong pull after the 2000 rpm mark.

I want to see a comparison between the Nios and the Polo. The new kids on the block with the 1.0 litre turbo engines.

[84.monsoon]

Does anyone know if the refreshed Polo manual comes with the older MQ350 6-speed gearbox or the newer MQ281 6-speed? The MQ281 seems quite new (introduced last year globally) and seems set to supersede both the MQ250 (5 speed) and MQ350 (6-speed). It has a torque range from 200-340 NM and saves 5 gm of CO2 per km compared tot he earlier boxes. Must be pretty low cost to make, considering it is being put ijnto a car that costs less than 8500 pounds (Polo TSI edition)

https://www.volkswagenag.com/en/news/2019/07/MQ281.html
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/u...nual-gearboxes

[bipinbn]

Found this video on YouTube today where they have reviewed the new 1.0 TSI and also did a drag race with the 1.2 GT TSI at around 6 minute mark.

Interesting snippet from the video description:

The new VW Polo 1.0 TSI Manual is an insane little car to drive and we found it to be consistently better performing than the older Polo GT TSI with the 1.2 TSI and 7-Speed DSG transmission.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOsCFUoZYX4

[SLK]

Originally Posted by bipinbn

Found this video on YouTube today where they have reviewed the new 1.0 TSI and also did a drag race with the 1.2 GT TSI at around 6 minute mark.

Thanks for this. The presenter seems slightly over-excited about the car, but guess that's just part of the job.

I'm not sure, if and when I'll drive the 1.0 TSI, but I'm sure its really comparable to the 1.2 because 1.2 isn't an exceptionally fast car, nor is it consistent. The 1.2 is over-sensitive to outside temperature, air filter, fuel etc. therefore it is unlikely that you are ever driving it at its best. 1.2 isn't even very free revving and somehow most 3 pot engines are much more free revving, even if slightly harsher. My guess is that the overall driving experience with the TC will improve compared to the DSG, which is a bit of a pain in slow moving traffic.

[varunswnt]

There is one more video review posted albeit in Malayalam language. No, I don't understand even one word of it, can someone translate and summarize in few lines?

https://youtu.be/QghVmrJR3EQ

[Night Raven]

Originally Posted by varunswnt

can someone translate and summarize in few lines?

I will try to summarize his review in a few relevant points.
1. Design hasn't changed much in the past 10 years. This time also it looks same except for minor changes in bumper, grill and headlight which he finds inspired from the GTI.
2. Engine has been downsized from 1.2 to 1 litre, but the power has gone up by about 5ps.
3. New option of 6 speed manual with TSI engine
4. Interior is nearly the same. It comes with cruise control, climate control etc. He feels interior should have been improved considering what the competition offers.
5. 6 speed manual with the 1L TSI is lots and lots of fun. Power delivery is quick without much turbolag.
(Off topic: When he talks about power, you can see a Ashok Leyland Dost overtaking and going past)
6. Brakes are good for the kind of power the car has
7. Handling and steering is as good as before.
8. He hasn't commented about NVH.

Hope this helps.

[ObsessedByFIAT]

I was looking at the price list for Vento and I think I am seeing something incorrect :



Ex-Showroom price for Comfort Line Plus Non-Metalic, Metalic and High Line MT appears to be same.

If this is really correct, why would anyone want to buy a lower variant for the same price as higher variant?