[TeaYesEye]

Amsdoc, vedirah Heartiest Congratulations! Wishing you a million+ miles.

I can proudly say I am now "addicted" to driving, and the itch to drive every single day continues! It seems like I have found my calling

I have clocked nearly 5K, most of it on the highway; I Love the confidence and thrill it evokes while you hit 100+kmph

She is chilling after a five-hour drive:

[vedirah]

Initial impressions after 200 km

Hey all, I took the car out for a drive today and here I share my initial impressions of the car, compared to my other car - the XUV300 W8 diesel.


Engine gearbox impressions


The very first impression I formed of the car was one that made me nervous. The showroom folks asked me to start the engine and drive it over lemons placed ahead of the tires. I enter the car, key in and put the gear lever into drive mode, and as soon as I lift the brake pedal the car jolts forward. Immediately applied the brakes. The creep function is indeed set very high as mentioned in several reviews online, but I wasn't expecting this much of a surprise. It was a bit scary.

I had the chance to drive it through mild city traffic after taking delivery. I quickly got accustomed to the uncanny creep behavior of the car. As I drove on, I felt like I was driving a car that was much bigger and matured (as compared to the XUV300). The engine, though not the most refined, feels like a grown-up engine with a sense of immediacy that I wasn't used to. It is hard to describe this feeling in words, but suffice to say I was thoroughly impressed. Although I must also point out there is some turbo-lag low down, but it doesn't bother me at all. Coming from the world of Hyundai i20s and even the XUV300, refinement levels are not up to standard. Vibrations can be felt at idle, and once the car crosses 120 kmph mild vibrations do creep in and can be felt on the seat and the pedals. But the cabin is well insulated and noise from the engine isn't heard at low revs. At higher revs, the engine note is properly sporty!

Initial impressions of the gearbox were also positive, the gear shifts are imperceptible once you are in third gear. First to second can be felt, but the jerk is very very mild (compared to first gen i20 torque converter that I use back in Bangalore). Put the pedal to the metal and the gearbox is pleased to offer you immediate downshifts and the engine revs all the way until you are pushed back into your seat, almost as if the car wants to hug you tight through the seat. That feeling is nirvana! But on the other hand, drive sedately and the gearbox upshifts soon, but the engine still feels very sprightly. As the TBHP review mentions, "this engine begs to be driven hard"!

Had the chance to take it for a spin on the highways. The engine stays around 2000 rpm at 100 kmph, doesn't feel strained at all. The is more than enough grunt on offer even at 100 kmph. At 120 kmph, the low frequency engine vibrations start to creep into the cabin. It is not unsettling, the car still feels very much planted. Highway driveability is astonishing, it hardly feels like a 10 Lakh car.

Suspension and driving dynamics

The roads in Nagercoil are in pretty bad shape, but the car felt much more compliant than the XUV300 which throws you around on bad roads. My mom now hates the XUV300 because she has neck pain which is worsened by the bumpy ride of the Mahindra. This is not the softest suspension mind you, it still is stiffer than the Hyundais I have driven.

On the highway, the car feels super planted and tight around curves even at high speeds. So much so that you never realize how fast you are going. You will easily do silly speeds without even noticing! Compared to the XUV300, the driving dynamics are sorted. However, at high speeds moderate amount of body roll is present which can be noticed. The ride and handling is definitely superior to the XUV300. There is a bit of understeer at high speeds, but I think that's because of the Good Year tires that the car came with. An upgrade to better tires is a must.

The steering is well weighted at high speeds, but there is very little feedback from the tarmac. But that isn't an issue, because the steering is accurate for the most part.

My mom was thoroughly impressed with how the car handles itself. She usually hates long drives on the XUV300, but on the Polo she is demanding a long drive to Coimbatore which will happen soon!

Creature comforts

The first thing I noticed as I stepped into the car was how nice the cabin feels. Yes, it is dated, but it doesn't feel dated because of the quality of materials used at touchpoints. My dad especially loved the tight leather stitching on the steering wheel. The dashboard is built from hard-bearing and high quality plastic that, although is hard plastic, feels very premium. The center console looks nice in the grey-silver shade.

ICE setup is acceptable as it gets android auto and apple car play. The usage is slick and responsive. It is a small touchscreen unit, but doesn't feel small on the dashboard. I wasn't expecting much on the audio quality department, but I was pleasantly surprised at how good the audio system is. I am an audiophile and have a pretty expensive setup at home for music, so take my word for it. There is rich mid-range and bass is just about right. However, treble is not the best. This setup will do good with silk dome tweeters. Voice clarity is brilliant. There isn't much in terms of the soundstage, but for what it does offer it is pretty nice.

Air conditioner works really well, but the fans can be quite loud. MID is nice and crisp. I haven't tested out all the features of the car yet, but I'm impressed with what is on offer.

Mileage

On city roads under sedate driving, I observed FE of around 10 kmpl. Which is a bit disappointing, but I expected this. On the highway, if you drive 80-100 kmph speeds, you'll see 14 kmpl mileage. But push the car beyond 120 and the mileage drops to 12 kmpl. Overall, on average I would say expect 12-13 kmpl.

Originally Posted by TeaYesEye

Amsdoc, vedirah Heartiest Congratulations! Wishing you a million+ miles.

I can proudly say I am now "addicted" to driving, and the itch to drive every single day continues! It seems like I have found my calling

I have clocked nearly 5K, most of it on the highway; I Love the confidence and thrill it evokes while you hit 100+kmph

She is chilling after a five-hour drive:

Thank you for the wishes! I can attest to that addiction as I myself keep finding excuses to take the car out! It is just fun fun fun!

[androdev]

Originally Posted by vedirah

Hi all, I'm overjoyed to share the delivery of my Polo HLP AT today after a very long wait of two and a half months!

Congratulations! When it comes to Polo, age is just a number and class is permanent :-)

I was torn between this and the i20 N8, but I'm happy to report that I'm more than satisfied with my purchase decision.

Please do share what made you pick Polo over i20 - would be helpful for others in similar situation.

[vedirah]

Originally Posted by androdev

Congratulations! When it comes to Polo, age is just a number and class is permanent :-)

Thank you!! I completely agree, the car has aged like fine wine!

Originally Posted by androdev

Please do share what made you pick Polo over i20 - would be helpful for others in similar situation.

Below are my reasons for picking the Polo over the i20 N line:

1. The i20 changes generations like my dog sheds hair. The first gen i20 was launched around the same time as the polo, but looks drastically older now.

2. The latest i20 has polarising looks. It looks good initially, but so many cuts and creases on the body is sure to make you tired of looking at it soon. It feels overdone in my opinion.

3. The turbo pot in the i20 is punchy and refined, but not as explosive as the TSI under the Polo's hood. It is fun to drive, but not as fun as the Polo. I didn't find the DCT on the i20 to be any better than the TC of the Polo. The i20 comes with paddle shifters which should have been there on the Polo!

4. The driving dynamics of the i20 is on par with Polo, but I found the steering to be a tad bit too hard for my liking.

5. The endless laundry list of features on the i20 is surely nice to have, but most of them are not very useful and practical features. I felt the Polo has all the useful features (except of course the reverse camera), and it is priced competitively in comparison to the i20. So the Polo is better value for money. For 3-5 Lakhs less, I can do as many mods on the car as I wish with the Polo (even add paddle shifters and reverse camera for a margin of the price!). However with the i20, I'm locked into factory defaults.

6. The TC unit on the Polo should be more reliable than the DCT on the i20, and cheaper to maintain.

7. I found the interiors of the Polo to be of better perceived quality than the i20 which feels a bit cheaper. I don't really care about the age of the cabin, because the car still feels modern and high quality. The i20 doesn't feel that much more modern than the Polo for me to shell out 3-5 Lakhs more.

8. Space wasn't an issue for me. It will mostly be just me and my dog on the Polo. But even with my family in the car, I found no complaints about space. If everyone in your family is about 5'6 or lower, the Polo is spacious enough for you.

In short, the Polo does everything that the i20 N Line does at a much lower price point. The missing reverse camera and paddle shifters can be added to the Polo rather easily. I'm thinking of doing the flip camera mod on the Polo soon. With the money you save over the i20 N line, you get a car that is just as capable and which offers you a world of possibilities in the aftermarket. It was really a no-brainer.

[Shreyas_H]

Originally Posted by vedirah

Initial impressions after 200 km


Engine gearbox imressions


The creep function is indeed set very high as mentioned in several reviews online, but I wasn't expecting this much of a surprise. It was a bit scary.

Firstly congratulations on getting the Polo! This engine+gearbox combination is fantastic and should definitely be more reliable than the earlier DSG box.

On the creep, you are right - that was startling for me as well when I first got my Polo last year. However as many BHPians pointed out to me back then, it is more of an issue with a cold start. After starting the engine, let it run for 40-50 seconds, you will notice the RPMs come down below 1K and then put it in D and drive off, it will be much smoother.

Mileage

On city roads under sedate driving, I observed FE of around 10 kmpl. Which is a bit disappointing, but I expected this. On the highway, if you drive 80-100 kmph speeds, you'll see 14 kmpl mileage. But push the car beyond 120 and the mileage drops to 12 kmpl. Overall, on average I would say expect 12-13 kmpl.

Another suggestion, try Indian Oil's XP95 petrol for this engine. I have seen that it improves fuel efficiency and makes the engine sound and feel a bit smoother too. On sedate driving in the city assuming not a lot of back to back traffic, you should be able to extract around 12.
On the highways I have got numbers as high as 20 kilometers to the litre when driven at low RPMs & high speeds!

You are probably still running in the engine, but when you try the Sports mode and rev it till the top, you will realize how much fun this tiny 3 pot engine can actually be

[vedirah]

Originally Posted by Shreyas_H

Firstly congratulations on getting the Polo! This engine+gearbox combination is fantastic and should definitely be more reliable than the earlier DSG box.

On the creep, you are right - that was startling for me as well when I first got my Polo last year. However as many BHPians pointed out to me back then, it is more of an issue with a

Hey thanks man! I too noticed that the creep function settles down a bit once the engine has warmed up. And yes, I do plan on checking whether the XP95 will give a better mileage. The issue is where I live there is no gas station that sells XP95. Maybe when I go back to Bangalore after WFH ends, I will try. Or when I go to Coimbatore next week. But thanks for the suggestion! It is reassuring to know that the mileage can actually be improved. Those numbers sound good for a TC automatic!

[sinharishi]

Originally Posted by vedirah

Those numbers sound good for a TC automatic!

Yeah! I did a Del-Agra-Del on normal petrol and got 20kmpl on MID. Used CC both ways, set to 100 kmph.

[Sahil00090]

Originally Posted by sinharishi

Yeah! I did a Del-Agra-Del on normal petrol and got 20kmpl on MID. Used CC both ways, set to 100 kmph.

Attachment 2268456

I did a trip to Jodhpur and I received aroun 19.7 something, mix of CC, really good high speeds (couldn't resist on those good roads of Rajasthan )

[vedirah]

Originally Posted by sinharishi

Yeah! I did a Del-Agra-Del on normal petrol and got 20kmpl on MID. Used CC both ways, set to 100 kmph.

Attachment 2268456

That is impressive! How much do you get on average without cruise control?

[Coolvik_2006]

Hi,

Just to add to the FE discussion here, recently did a trip Delhi ~ Punjab ~ Manali ~ Delhi (Dec'21 End) on my Polo GT TSI 2021 and drove a total of around 1300 km.

The overall FE (calculated using Tank to Tank method) came around 14.60 KMPL which included 50% mountain roads with steep stop & go driving and also huge rush hours pertaining to long long jams (even a 2-3 hours jam on either side of the visit to Sissu) during year end & rest of drive in the plains with some spirited driving here and there.
* Never used Cruise control during the trip.

I believe it is pretty good FE.

Cheers !

[Altocumulus]

Originally Posted by sinharishi

I stay in Greater Noida (near pari chowk), definitely should plan a meet.

Hey Rishi include me as well if you guys are meeting. I don’t have a Polo but since it’s 1.0 Tsi I guess it will qualify

[vivek.ks]

Has anyone purchase/booked a Polo Highline Plus Plus AT or GT TSI in Bangalore recently ? The car was mostly unavailable but i got call from 2 dealers that they can provide the car in next 6 weeks. It's been long since I purchased a new car and just don't wish to overpay. Requesting someone from Bangalore if they could connect and share prices if possible.

[Sahil00090]

Originally Posted by sinharishi

I stay in Greater Noida (near pari chowk), definitely should plan a meet.

I am up for it, situation is also better now. I checked the Delhi meetup thread and you've been the one who has organized many meet-ups. So must be knowing good locations, looking forward to it

[vedirah]

Originally Posted by vivek.ks

Has anyone purchase/booked a Polo Highline Plus Plus AT or GT TSI in Bangalore recently ? The car was mostly unavailable but i got call from 2 dealers that they can provide the car in next 6 weeks. It's been long since I purchased a new car and just don't wish to overpay. Requesting someone from Bangalore if they could connect and share prices if possible.

Hey Vivek, the price has been revised for 2022 models of the Polo. The Highline Plus AT now costs ₹9,99,900 ex-showroom and the GT TSI costs a ₹10,25,000 (I think) ex-showroom. In Bangalore I believe there is 15% tax on vehicles that cost 5-10 lakhs and 17% tax on vehicles that cost above 10 lakhs. If you opt for the Highline Plus AT, you will be saving 2% of the cost. Hope this helps. Do contact multiple dealers (I think there are three in Bangalore) and get the best quote. Try and get insurance from outside, it will save you big bucks.

[vivek.ks]

Originally Posted by vedirah

Hey Vivek, the price has been revised for 2022 models of the Polo. The Highline Plus AT now costs ₹9,99,900 ex-showroom and the GT TSI costs a ₹10,25,000 (I think) ex-showroom.

Thanks Vedirah. I have taken a leap of faith and booked a Highline Plus AT today without any test drive. The discounts are nil right now and there is some possibility of reduction in 5 year service pack offered once the vehicle is allotted. Went for Highline Plus as i did not wanted to pay 50k to government in form of taxes from the 75k difference between GT and Highline Plus.

Quotes from multiple dealerships amounted to the same figure, hence did not find a lot of merit in breaking my head now on negotiating hard. I have an option to walk away from deal without any deductions on the 11k booking amount.