Volkswagen Polo : Test Drive & Review

acidkill · 28th February 2010, 23:48

GTO...

Im in the market for a diesel hatch. After reading your review, Im in two minds about the polo because I really dont want to end up buying an underpowered car. I have to drive alot on the highways and love doing road trips. I sometimes think my Swift Vxi is underpowered with a full load of people. Would you recommend I go in for the Fabia 1.4 TDi or I20 1.4 Crdi instead?

Vroom barabar! · 1st March 2010, 00:38

Has anybody driven the new K series Swift?...how does it stack up with the Ford figo, VW polo,Punto or for that matter the Ritz?

Vibhanshu · 1st March 2010, 01:21

^^^ Ford Figo 1.4 Diesel for you. Its OT by the way!

Vroom barabar! · 1st March 2010, 01:26

The specs and features for the 1.6 Polo are mentioned in the current VW Polo E-Brochure.It will only be available with the Highline trim. Expect it to come sooner than expected!!

Have a look at the following link:
http://www.volkswagen.co.in/media/co...o_brochure.pdf

Also in Autocar's march edition it is written that 1.6 petrol will be priced at 6.04 lakhs (ex showroom ,delhi)!!

gaurav_chopra04 · 1st March 2010, 01:40

Thanks for the brilliant reviews GTO. Me and my dad loved reading them. We are off for test drives of both Polo and Figo next weekend and will thereafter decide on a hatch soon!

Mpower · 1st March 2010, 02:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rehaan

True - but this isn't 2001 anymore. Look at the sheer number of alternatives there are to the Polo!
Back in the day you probably had 1 alternative to the OHC.

Yup, it is a gamble! Another point is that if the car does not do well, then all these 100 dealers will be sitting with unsold cars in their lots. Having fewer dealers helps manage the risk.

SkyWalker · 1st March 2010, 07:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by suhaas307

I'm afraid the TSI mill is still far from being launched in any car in India. Largely due to the low quality of fuel that's available in our country. The TSI motor requires the highest grade of fuel to run smoothly and efficiently in India. There are other issues as well.

Sorry that argument doesn't hold much water. The 1.8 TSI is already running here in Laura & Superb and running well. So the TSI can indeed run on Indian petrol.

The real reason could be that TSI would bump up the costs, and GTO said - they might be looking at a low cost solution for the Polo for now.

pacman2881 · 1st March 2010, 07:45

Great review GTO. But I couldn't say the same about the Polo. IMO it is the diesel that VW should have gone after in this segment but they seem to have missed the bus.
When I booked my diesel car 6 months back there was one car that I felt I would sourly miss- the Polo. But in the current market scenario if there was any car that I really missed by buying early it would be the Figo. If I am in the market today I would have simply avoided the Polo as a package.

OT: If VW cannot give a good diesel mill for it's own cars what will Suzuki gain from it's partnership? Suzuki will be better off with the MJD.

sandeepmohan · 1st March 2010, 07:54

Great review but I have my doubts on its success. Fiat did a Polo 10 years ago in the form of the Palio & it never was a hit. And I don't think it has anything to do with maturity of the market. VW need to offer better basic engines.

The point regarding using the gear lever for lateral support is ridiculous. You are NOT supposed to use it for any kind of support regardless of what driving mode you are in or which ever way you turn. Please do not blame the system it follows for engaging Reverse.

Like the Punto; I will buy this car purely for its styling but will send it straight for some performance enhancements.

subbarao · 1st March 2010, 09:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTO

Red Punto 1.3 MJD Option Pack. I'd even get Fiat to give me a special ed with the Linea spec engine

Hi,

I am reading same word's from you for the 2nd time on punto...

Nice review on Figo, Polo at recent times, it will make easy for us to decide on next car, my wait for diesel hatch is over, final 2 will be Punto / Figo, when i see more equipment level it will be a punto E+

.

suhaas307 · 1st March 2010, 09:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkyWalker

Sorry that argument doesn't hold much water. The 1.8 TSI is already running here in Laura & Superb and running well. So the TSI can indeed run on Indian petrol.

The real reason could be that TSI would bump up the costs, and GTO said - they might be looking at a low cost solution for the Polo for now.

You're probably right. Plus, the costs involved would be pretty high and it wouldn't be a feasible option for VW to plonk a TSI motor in a small car. But I'd heard somewhere that the main reason as to why VW isn't introducing the TSI motor is because of the low quality of fuel!

gupta_chd · 1st March 2010, 10:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by suhaas307

You're probably right. Plus, the costs involved would be pretty high and it wouldn't be a feasible option for VW to plonk a TSI motor in a small car. But I'd heard somewhere that the main reason as to why VW isn't introducing the TSI motor is because of the low quality of fuel!

That may be more to do with the excuse that VW wants to make to general public. Sister Skoda has followed that strategy already.

worldcrawler · 1st March 2010, 11:04

Just noticed another proof of cost cutting ( if so? ) .

I remember when GTO reviewed the Punto, most of us made it a point! I am talking about the rubber beading in all the doors. If we look carefully it runs only 50% of the door even in Polo.

When Fiat did it we said it's cheap ( I know the beading itself can be cheap in case of Fiat ) and now it's the same with VW , but not sure whether someone had already pointed at this cost cutting or efficient engineering! Probably that shows the value of a VW badge where these things get passed unnoticed IMO.

neoonwheels · 1st March 2010, 11:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by worldcrawler

Just noticed another proof of cost cutting ( if so? ) .

I remember when GTO reviewed the Punto, most of us made it a point! I am talking about the rubber beading in all the doors. If we look carefully it runs only 50% of the door even in Polo.

When Fiat did it we said it's cheap ( I know the beading itself can be cheap in case of Fiat ) and now it's the same with VW , but not sure whether someone had already pointed at this cost cutting or efficient engineering! Probably that shows the value of a VW badge where these things get passed unnoticed IMO.

Even I feel there are few panel gaps in the polo steering mount and dashboard. Its high time we should accept we get what we pay for. May be we love/expect too much from FIAT that we hardly ignore a single thing.

Daewood · 1st March 2010, 12:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by fiat_tarun

The base variant looks VFM but with only 2 colour options and not providing simple things such as the vanity mirror is not acceptable.

I guess you will get the other colours also in the base variant for an extra price of maybe around 5k, because we had a secret test drive by a T-Bhpian (another thread) with the base variant and it was a Silver coloured one.

Even the base variant of UVA is not available in all colours,
though you can get any wanted colour at an extra 5k.
maybe a ploy to earn some extra moolah in the "profit-less" base variant.

regarding vanity mirror even the i20 top variant ASTA with an OTR of 6.25L doesn't have vanity mirrors.

28th February 2010, 23:48	#166
acidkill BHPian Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Chennai Posts: 420 Thanked: 137 Times	Diesel GTO... Im in the market for a diesel hatch. After reading your review, Im in two minds about the polo because I really dont want to end up buying an underpowered car. I have to drive alot on the highways and love doing road trips. I sometimes think my Swift Vxi is underpowered with a full load of people. Would you recommend I go in for the Fabia 1.4 TDi or I20 1.4 Crdi instead?
	() Thanks

1st March 2010, 00:38	#167
Vroom barabar! BHPian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: New Delhi Posts: 75 Thanked: 53 Times	Has anybody driven the new K series Swift?...how does it stack up with the Ford figo, VW polo,Punto or for that matter the Ritz?
	() Thanks

1st March 2010, 01:21	#168
Vibhanshu BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Mumbai Posts: 242 Thanked: 152 Times	^^^ Ford Figo 1.4 Diesel for you. Its OT by the way!
	() Thanks

1st March 2010, 01:26	#169
Vroom barabar! BHPian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: New Delhi Posts: 75 Thanked: 53 Times	The specs and features for the 1.6 Polo are mentioned in the current VW Polo E-Brochure.It will only be available with the Highline trim. Expect it to come sooner than expected!! Have a look at the following link: http://www.volkswagen.co.in/media/co...o_brochure.pdf Also in Autocar's march edition it is written that 1.6 petrol will be priced at 6.04 lakhs (ex showroom ,delhi)!!
	() Thanks

1st March 2010, 01:40	#170
gaurav_chopra04 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: New Delhi Posts: 1,264 Thanked: 572 Times View My Garage	Thanks for the brilliant reviews GTO. Me and my dad loved reading them. We are off for test drives of both Polo and Figo next weekend and will thereafter decide on a hatch soon!
	() Thanks

1st March 2010, 07:45	#173
pacman2881 BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 411 Thanked: 529 Times	Great review GTO. But I couldn't say the same about the Polo. IMO it is the diesel that VW should have gone after in this segment but they seem to have missed the bus. When I booked my diesel car 6 months back there was one car that I felt I would sourly miss- the Polo. But in the current market scenario if there was any car that I really missed by buying early it would be the Figo. If I am in the market today I would have simply avoided the Polo as a package. OT: If VW cannot give a good diesel mill for it's own cars what will Suzuki gain from it's partnership? Suzuki will be better off with the MJD.
	() Thanks

1st March 2010, 07:54	#174
sandeepmohan Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Wellington Posts: 3,133 Thanked: 5,443 Times	Great review but I have my doubts on its success. Fiat did a Polo 10 years ago in the form of the Palio & it never was a hit. And I don't think it has anything to do with maturity of the market. VW need to offer better basic engines. The point regarding using the gear lever for lateral support is ridiculous. You are NOT supposed to use it for any kind of support regardless of what driving mode you are in or which ever way you turn. Please do not blame the system it follows for engaging Reverse. Like the Punto; I will buy this car purely for its styling but will send it straight for some performance enhancements.
	() Thanks

1st March 2010, 11:04	#178
worldcrawler BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 128 Thanked: 812 Times View My Garage	Just noticed another proof of cost cutting ( if so? ) . I remember when GTO reviewed the Punto, most of us made it a point! I am talking about the rubber beading in all the doors. If we look carefully it runs only 50% of the door even in Polo. When Fiat did it we said it's cheap ( I know the beading itself can be cheap in case of Fiat ) and now it's the same with VW , but not sure whether someone had already pointed at this cost cutting or efficient engineering! Probably that shows the value of a VW badge where these things get passed unnoticed IMO.
	() Thanks