[pavan_jacob]

Congratulations ! Your car looks gorgeous in white. Here's to many happy & safe miles.

[Zigor]

Completed 1250 km

Well, I think just couple of hundred kms left till I cross the mental barrier of 1500 km (run in period). I thought let's share some observations about couple of 200km trips that I did recently (all kind of terrains). Ride quality is very good (in city and on highway). No more crashing in potholes. This is not one of those cars in which the ride gets better when you build speed. It is good right from the speed of 10 km/hr to 130 km/hr. I am very happy at 90-100km/hr (I am in middle of a meaty torque band, ride is very good, handling is also inspiring). Suspension is very well tuned and every passenger can notice that very easily. There is slight body roll but it seems that it can be rectified by having 205/55/R15 tyres (I might change the tyres at some point but not looking to do that right now). I believe that the sacrifice made for a 'slightly softer suspension' is well worth as we don't ride on tracks, we drive on highways (Indian highways) which need this balanced set up. Every time I see a person sleeping comfortably on the back seat while I overtake another fast vehicle with ease, I thank VW engineers for the ride and balance. I was looking to write more but really busy these days. I will try and update this thread regularly. Thanks.

Milestone - 1000km+



Went to my relative's place (in middle of a beautiful green village)


Varun

[ortho_surgeon]

Hello Zigor. Congratulations on your polo.

I am keenly interested in knowing a few things,
1) How does the new polo fair after its loaded with 5 people? Does it scrape the bottom when you pass through speed breakers. The previous car had this problem. The ground clearance has further decreased in the new version compared to the older one. So really want to know your experience.
2) Has the steering feedback improved in the new version? I found the older polo's steering a bit too light at high speed.

I really like the new looks of the polo and steering looks superb. But the center console with the silver finish put me a bit off. I preferred the all black in the older version. I just hope they launch the new GT Tdi with an all black console.

[Zigor]

Originally Posted by ortho_surgeon

Hello Zigor. Congratulations on your polo.

I am keenly interested in knowing a few things,
1) How does the new polo fair after its loaded with 5 people? Does it scrape the bottom when you pass through speed breakers. The previous car had this problem. The ground clearance has further decreased in the new version compared to the older one. So really want to know your experience.
2) Has the steering feedback improved in the new version? I found the older polo's steering a bit too light at high speed.

I really like the new looks of the polo and steering looks superb. But the center console with the silver finish put me a bit off. I preferred the all black in the older version. I just hope they launch the new GT Tdi with an all black console.

Thanks !

1. I did a brief trip (150 km) with my family (4 on board) and the car didn't scrap anywhere. Even though I was doing this trip on state highways and couple of villages (please refer to pic in last post). I usually go real slow on the speed breakers and big potholes. I have always believed that 165 mm is more than enough if you know your limitations. So, I believe once I was conscious, there is no need to worry. Also, the general observation is that this new suspension does not 'crash' anywhere.

2. There is certain improvement as far as steering goes and now it is quite stiff at higher speeds. There is no nervousness at high speeds at all.

I feel VW should incorporate lot of visual changes to distinguish the GT brand from normal a Polo. Please remember that there is almost no difference as far as engine specs go (a simple remap or tuning box can surpass the GT version easily). I really thank VW for providing comfortline variant with ABS, Airbags and a VGT

[motomaverick]

Congrats Varun on your new acquisition and the first ownership review of the new Polo. I was never really a fan of the older Polo but the new one is keeping me interested, that is because of the new engine configuration.

Wishing you many happy miles with this car!

[aneezan]

Congratulations zigor. I own the Polo TDi too, though the earlier version, bought about a month before this version was released. And its a white comfortline too.
I believe they improved the suspension setup in the models post 2013. I can vouch for that when i do the highway trips with people in the back seat.

Happy mile crunching.

[Zigor]

One thing I observed is the amazing illumination from all light sources. VW has got that right. Right from,

Footwell lights

Please note the dead pedal. It's not of much use to me as I don't think these dead pedals serve any function. They have to be placed really well to be useful. That's my personal opinion.


Cabin Lights

This is the night view when someone opens the driver side door. That is really good illumination. Please excuse really bad phone pics


Rear tail lamps and Single fog lamp









Even the headlights are in a different league all together. The spread is really good and I am satisfied. No electrical changes required anywhere.

[SoumenD]

Congratulations on the buy Zigor.

With the new 4cyl 1.5L diesel the POLO has suddenly become a tremendous value proposition in the premium hatch segment from being an arrogantly priced product. Am really happy seeing the safety features being made standard across the variants. Atleast somone considered Indians as "humans-whose-lives-count".

Comfortline sure looks pretty well kitted. I will probably miss the steering mounted controls for convineance but other than that rear parking sensors/alloys I can always get after-market as per my convenience. ACC, i can live without it.

BTW, seeing the pricing so close to SWIFT am compelled to wonder what sort of margin MARUTI is churning out on each swift sold. Though I love the car but I seriously think its a little overpriced.

Keep updating the thread regularly.

Cheers.

[Zigor]

Tyre Update

Stock tyres

Well, I never really liked Apollo Alnac (Please remember that they are alnac and not alnac 4g). These tyres are slightly noisy and don't do complete justice to the suspension set up of the new Polo. Every time I crossed 90km/hr, the tyres were the only sore point. I could feel something unsettled and delicate. I am not a tyre expert but I could feel the weak sidewalls and generally speaking a soft tyre. I have never been fan of soft tyres. Having driven cars over 3-4 lakh kms, I knew that these tyres are not confidence inspiring at high speeds. I was looking for a change immediately.

Upsize ?

What I seem to gather from a lot of people is that 195/60/R15 is not a good option, in fact 205/55/R15 seems ideal. Still, I am not interested to void warranty or compromise ride quality. I almost never go above 120 km/hr and don't take extremely sharp turns so the idea was to get the stock size. My car dealer recommended 185/65/R15, just to get a slightly better GC. I declined straight away and started looking for options in stock size (185/60/R15).

New tyres

How difficult is it to find decent reviews for any tyre in India ? I want to thank all the BHPians who at some point reviewed there tyres on this site. I took half an hour to go through them. Got Bridgestone Turanza ER300 (185/60/R15). Reason being :

1. I have been a fan of Bridgestone for last 3-4 years now. Tyres are reliable and safe.
2. Almost all the Bridgestone tyres are made of hard compound (especially Turanza series). That is exactly what is required in our country.
3. Sidewalls are really strong and don't bend on turns.
4. Not many options in this stock size. I travel a lot on state highways mostly the roads are not very smooth. After experimenting with other brands (on other cars), I think that Bridgestone Turanza series is really good. I wish I could get the ER60 in stock size. I like that tyre on other cars that we have.

The difference

1. It feels more assured. These tyres don't feel too soft.
2. I can feel better sidewall and better rubber when I engage in a maneuver.
3. Car is more stable at 100km/hr.
4. No screeching, no noise, just better ride and handling.
5. Better speed rating (although it almost doesn't matter).
6. I think that the 185 is good enough patch for a hatch. Of course the more we have (195,205), better it is. Anything more than 195 is an overkill and unfortunately all the options (195/60/R15, 195/55/R15, 195/60/R14) are technically not correct for a Polo.
7. Alnacs are not really bad, in fact they are slightly improved version of Acceleres (my tyre dealer said these are same tyres which have been rebranded). I can safely say that the new tyres have better Ride, Handling and better steering response (More than I expected )
8. Stock size means no VW suspension warranty related issues (Peace of mind).

I was looking for Polo stock alloys. Right now they are really expensive (as the car is new in market). Let's wait for couple of months.

The Maths

Old tyres (1270 km run) : 2500 x 4 = 10000
New tyres : 5000 x 4 = 20000
Payment : 10000

Some pics (bad phone camera) :





Personal opinion, no offense to anyone

Varun

[Vid6639]

You know what Zigor, forget the alloys. The full wheel cover on this just looks too good. It gives a full germanic look to the car.

For some reasons the OE alloys actually make the wheel size look a tad smaller.

Sensible choice on the tyres, I must say. I don't think there are many options available in 185/60-15 out there.

[coolboy007]

Nice upgrade Zigor. Even am a fan of Bridgestones myself, they are rugged, durable and provide excellent handling during cornering. Soft tyres are silent and ride is good but i found the sidewall flex during cornering a bit too much in my friend's car with Michelins.

You could have gone in for 195/60 R15 as well (the difference is 2% though) which would have increased the clearance and ride quality. Warranty would not have been a concern as on VW cars, warranty on suspension and brakes is only till 6 months/10,000 kms unlike others which provide a decent 40,000 kms warranty

The wheel caps look huge, seems like 16 inchers.

[Wanderers]

Hi Varun,

First of all thanks for First ownership thread on new Polo 1.5 Diesel

I did the test drive of Polo 1.5 Diesel this Sat'day and I must say we now have a game changer. All Hyundai i20 & Swift Fans (me included) beware and change for better.

Well we are trying to finalise Grand i10 Diesel but took the customery test drive of all the contender (6-8 Lakhs Diesel hatch). Now I can't stop thinking of buying this car.
In Gurgaon, we have waiting for dark colors while its almost available in Noida.

Both my wife & me liked the shear power to lift from any gear. Gear change was done for shake of it otherwise it did not call for.
I took it to 100+ in third gear, stopped to grinding halt and took off again without changing gear.

I would go for HL as just for over Rs 40,000, your interior changes from basic to luxury.
Auto AC, Steering wheel & controls are worth the extra bucks apart from 4 alloys.

[Zigor]

Originally Posted by Wanderers

Hi Varun,

First of all thanks for First ownership thread on new Polo 1.5 Diesel

I did the test drive of Polo 1.5 Diesel this Sat'day and I must say we now have a game changer. All Hyundai i20 & Swift Fans (me included) beware and change for better.

Well we are trying to finalise Grand i10 Diesel but took the customery test drive of all the contender (6-8 Lakhs Diesel hatch). Now I can't stop thinking of buying this car.
In Gurgaon, we have waiting for dark colors while its almost available in Noida.

Both my wife & me liked the shear power to lift from any gear. Gear change was done for shake of it otherwise it did not call for.
I took it to 100+ in third gear, stopped to grinding halt and took off again without changing gear.

I would go for HL as just for over Rs 40,000, your interior changes from basic to luxury.
Auto AC, Steering wheel & controls are worth the extra bucks apart from 4 alloys.

Well, I am very happy that you were impressed by the test drive. See that's the catch now. Once you take the test drive, the competition fades away . I think you are spot on with the variant choice as well. HL has all the bells and whistles. Please keep us updated about the buying process and let me know if I can help.

One more 'New Polo' in NCR

[Zigor]

1500 km (run in complete). A brief review and few other things :

Ride quality :
It got better after I changed to the Bridgestones. No more noise and certainly better grip. No complaints by the passengers at the back as well. It is a great mix of sporty and practical. Low stance of the car is really cool and it enhances the DNA of the New Polo.

Handling :
Handling is really close to a Swift (95%) with lot better ride quality than a Swift. So, I believe it is best of both worlds. I never thought I would say this so soon but I don't miss my swift on long highway runs. Drive is involving and fun. FTD factor is very high. I love the torque surge I get in every gear. Chassis control and overall nature of the car is so 'ready to go'. It is ready for a challenge all the time.

Engine power and performance :
Torque, torque and abundance of torque. The car just pulls up from 1400-1500 rpm. It goes very well till 3000 rpm and then starts to get little less smooth but that's fine because at 3100 rpm (where I change gears when driving aggressively), the car is making some serious progress. I never feel under-powered. Never ever ! Engine does 130km/hr at 3000 rpm in 5th gear. It seems like 100km/hr if I don't look at the speedometer. The speed masking ability along with the stability is very addictive. Note : I don't endorse High/Illegal speeds

Refinement and NVH :
There is definitely some amount of noise during a cold start. Things get really better when engine warms up. Also, I can't hear anything from inside. The feedback is good while on move and I feel that NVH levels are up to the mark. This shows VW has incorporated lot of customer feedback while churning out the latest model.

Build Quality, safety, brakes, steering response :
Top class build quality and safety (ABS, Airbags) is the main reason why I bought this car. I had to press the brake really hard couple of times and the car stopped as expected. ABS was working fine. Steering response is much better now and I am satisfied at all speeds. It stiffens up quite well. Better tyres also helped the cause.

FTD factor :
It is really fun to drive. My long journeys are quick and enjoyable. German engineering at it's very best. I can understand why those GT guys are addicts (15 bhp and 20nm more is even better). Thank God no niggles so far !

[Zigor]

Completed 2000 km. Some observations :


Positives :

1. I can see some reports of how people are not impressed with the power of the 1.5 TDI engine while they take the test drives. I think there is clear difference between a TD car and a properly run in car. I took the test drive couple of times and even I felt the power is abrupt/uneven and the gearbox is slightly notchy for first two gears. Everything irons out once you complete the run in process. It seems the engine and gearbox got smooth with time. Now there is a really good torque surge from 1500 rpm to 3200 rpm. It feels the engine is slightly more rev friendly as well.

2. Seriously feel that the VW engineers were looking to make a clear distinction between a normal 1.5 polo and a GT TDI version. Probably they know there is no serious change to the looks of a GT TDI, hence it is important to mark a clear difference in engine specs and economy ratings (to charge more premium). Hence, they tried the level best to work a safe remap which is more economical and can reach an ARAI figure above 20km/ltr. This small change gives them option to introduce there flagship model with more variants and choices. May be that's the need of the market. So, this 90HP version is quite powerful if we compare within the segment (even better than some sedans), still it seems to be a restricted remap. I believe a simple remap should take this engine to 110 hp/270 nm which should remove all the limitations (it comes with a VGT too). Mind you it is still extremely torquey in it's present state. The way I overtake cars in 4/5th gear is very addictive.

3. I see another topic which is discussed very often is regarding the handling of the car. It is a perception that VW has compromised on the handling part by making the suspension little soft. I must mention that new Ride/Handling combo is almost equal to the best (read Punto) in the segment. I drive mostly on highways and at times test the ability of the car to it's fullest. Let's talk about the Swift first. I drive alongside lot of swifts and I can safely tell you that a 75HP swift with all it's handling prowess is a no match to a polo 1.5 because of the power/torque that the Polo produces. I have been a proud owner of a Swift and still drive my friend's Swift ZDI all the time and you can take my word for it. It would be extremely difficult to beat the new Polo on highway with a car which has 1.3 MJD. Punto is very good but how long can a 1.3 MJD sustain speed of 120-130 km/hr (even 90HP). Polo is right in it's comfort zone at 130km/hr and raring to do more. Also, what helps the car is a low stance which is always better for an enthusiastic driving (no body roll). I will drive the Elite i20 soon and will try to post my impressions (a friend is looking to buy the sportz variant). So, if you love driving (especially on a highway), Polo is the car to go for. Of course if money is not a restriction, then the choice is the GT series

4. Till the time Punto comes with a 1.6 MJD or a T-jet, a Swift with a 1.6 Petrol, and a Hyundai with better engine specs, VW Polo will be really hard to beat on FTD factor. I am not even talking about a GT version, the normal Polo 1.5 is good enough.

5. Niggle free experience (Thank God !). VW Polo is a high quality product. The attention to detail is exemplary. Right from soft touch buttons, plastics used on dashboard, build quality of the car, paint quality and not even a single uneven gap anywhere, everything falls in place. This is what an internationally engineered product looks and feels like.


Negatives :

1. Engine makes more noise than any other car in the segment. Yes, NVH is good when you are inside the car (all windows rolled up). Still it is a noisy unit when you are outside. It gets better when engine warms up (not good enough).

2. Maruti swift still has the best gearbox/clutch in the segment. Period. The gears slot really well in a Polo (it is no where notchy), still this gearbox is not designed for an outright enthusiast. It gives some relief considering the fact that you don't have to work the gears too much as the car is very drivable especially in 3rd gear. It is not east to stall the engine even at lower speeds. Also, the clutch travel is slightly longer/stiffer than the competition. Thumbs up to Maruti Swift here.

3. Don't like the transmission hump in the back (it really limits the space for a 5th passenger).

4. I wish the new Polo came with at least 16'inchers. I respect Hyundai, Fiat for taking that jump. Although, in terms of grip and handling, I have no complaints after I changed to Bridgestones.


Note : These are my personal views and I have tried to be as unbiased as a proud owner can be . No offense to any owners. Everyone loves there baby and I respect that. Also, I don't endorse high/illegal speeds. Thanks.

Varun/ Zigor