PoloDriver

Auto Express content editor Tom Goodlad has just taken delivery of a 2015 model year Polo SE 1.2 TSI. In his first report for PoloDriver.com, he runs us through the spec and his first impressions. After being used to driving an Audi A3 2.0 TDI, how does a small, petrol-powered hatchback compare?

I thought a ‘3-4 month delivery time’ was something I wouldn’t be able to handle – such is the demand for a new Volkswagen Polo! Having had the keys for 4 weeks now, I can safely say it was worth the wait.

The reason I had to wait this long for my Polo SE 1.2 TSI was down to my inability to buy things ‘off the shelf’. So let’s quickly run through what I’ve added to my car. First up was the look – I’m a sucker for a sporty-looking car and (unashamedly) a bit of bling – so the first thing I ticked on the options list was the £565 ‘Knight’ 16″ alloy wheels. They add a significant visual boost to what would otherwise be quite a plain-looking car. I think they contrast fantastically with the £540 Reflex Silver paintwork, too.

Having become used to a few luxuries in my old Audi A3, I added the reasonably-priced ‘Light and Sight’ pack (£150) which, as the name suggests, consists of automatic lights and wipers – the lights feature a ‘Coming Home’ and ‘Leaving Home’ function which leaves them on when you lock the car, and come on when you unlock it in the dark.

Last is the ‘Cruise and Park’ pack. While not essential on a supermini, I regularly have to park in some tight spaces at my local railway station and would like to keep the car as pristine as possible. It’s safe to say I now take more care to ensure I don’t kerb those great alloys, too! For £400, it didn’t seem too bad a price if it reduces the risk of little bumps here and there. The cruise control has already proved its worth on the car’s first trip down to my family home in Devon.

Speaking of which, after a 500-mile round trip from Hertfordshire to Devon, I’ve been left impressed with VW’s latest incarnation of the 1.2 TSI powerplant. While I’m obviously noticing the difference from my old 2.0 TDI Audi, I was never left trying to keep up with traffic on the madhouse that is the M4. While 89bhp doesn’t seem like much, the car has plenty of poke when you need it.

More impressive, though, is the refinement. For such a small car, it certainly lives up to its reputation as a mini-Golf. It’s hushed at speed, barely hearing the engine working away under the bonnet. The larger wheels roar slightly more than the standard 15-inchers fitted to SE models, but it’s by no means intrusive.

Three hours later I got out of the car in the middle of the Devon countryside feeling refreshed – the seats are supportive and I could play all my cheesy tunes all the way through the car’s updated infotainment system lifted straight from the more expensive Golf.

So far then, I’m impressed. The buying experience was an absolute joy, as was picking up the car, and so far I’m loving ownership of my new Polo. It’s proving to be the perfect companion around town, and a grown-up performer on the motorway. I’d just like to see slightly better fuel economy, but the car is still bedding in, so I’m hoping I’ll see it improve over time and I get more used to driving the car.

The next test is Volkswagen’s aftercare… The car has a broken USB socket so it’ll be heading back to the garage soon to be sorted out. Volkswagen’s dealer service has been criticised in Auto Express’ Driver Power dealer rankings, so it’ll be good to put them to the test.

Read more about Tom’s buying experience here: www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/90349/a-car-buyer-s-diary-how-did-we-fare-when-we-bought-a-vw-polo

The Polo may sit in the second half of the UK’s top 10 best-selling car chart, but in Europe, it’s a very different story. Volkswagen’s perennial supermini was the second best-selling car in mainland Europe last month. Selling 23,512 units, the total number of Polos that found new homes was up 3.3 per cent on January 2014. And the car that topped the chart? The Polo’s bigger sibling, the Golf.

UK best-selling superminis the Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall/Opel Corsa were fourth and fifth in the European chart with tallies of 21,833 and 21,255 respectively, meaning UK buyers are a patriotic bunch. Another small car rounded out Europe’s top five – the Renault Clio sold 22,238 examples in January. The Peugeot 208 was in eighth place and the Toyota Yaris tenth.

Overall, the picture was a buoyant one. New car sales for the month of January were up 6.4 per cent over the same period in 2014, say JATO Dynamics’ latest figures. Volkswagen, Ford and Renault were the best-selling brands, while the five biggest markets in Europe (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom) all recorded growth, as did a further 14 countries.

The top 10 best-selling cars in Europe (sales figure in thousands) are as follows:

1 Volkswagen Golf: 41,307
2 Volkswagen Polo: 23,512
3 Renault Clio: 22,238
4 Ford Fiesta: 21,833
5 Vauxhall/Opel Corsa: 21,225
6 Nissan Qashqai: 18,163
7 Skoda Octavia: 17,294
8 Peugeot 208: 16,047
9 Audi A3/S3/RS3: 15,438
10 Toyota Yaris: 15,298

Starting the new year with a bang, the New Volkswagen Polo has landed a place in the top 10 best-selling cars in the UK list, according to figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). January 2015 saw 3,517 Volkswagen Polos sold, placing it eighth in the UK sales chart.

The SMMT states that overall registrations grew 6.7 per cent in January 2015 to 164,856 units: the strongest January since 2007. The first month of the 2015 was also the 35th consecutive month of rises. Once again, the Ford Fiesta was the best-selling car in the UK for January 2015, with 8,674 examples finding homes.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said: ‘These figures mark an encouraging start to the year after a very strong 2014. January saw increased uptake of both petrol and diesel cars, while last year’s 9.3 per cent rise in the overall market was fuelled by stronger than expected economic confidence. Demand is back to pre-recession levels following record-breaking growth.’

The UK’s top 10 best-selling passenger cars during January 2015 and the year so far (sales figure and position in brackets) are as follows:

1 Ford Fiesta: 8,674 (8,064, 1st)

2 Vauxhall Corsa: 6,879 (6,879, 2nd)

3 Ford Focus: 4,824 (4,824, 3rd)

4 Nissan Qashqai: 4,676 (4,676, 4th)

5 Volkswagen Golf: 4,387 (4,387, 5th)

6 Audi A3: 3,648 (3,648, 6th)

7 Mercedes-Benz C Class: 3,534 (3,534, 7th)

8 Volkswagen Polo: 3,517 (3,517, 8th)

9 Fiat 500: 3,189 (3,145, 9th)

10 Vauxhall Astra: 2,996 (2,996, 10th)

Volkswagen UK sold 48,004 new Polos during 2014, an increase of some 5,395 cars and 112 per cent over 2013 volumes.

Volkswagen India launched a petrol version of the SUV-styled Cross Polo this week, powered by the standard Polo’s 1.2-litre MPI engine. The 74bhp unit develops 110Nm of torque (81lb ft) at 3,750rpm. Price is Rs 6.94 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai). Previously, the Indian variant of the Cross Polo was only available with a 1.5-litre 89bhp TDI engine.

As with the TDI version, the MPI’s equipment count is high. Standard Cross Polo features include 165mm of ground clearance, alloy wheels with 185/60 R15 tyres and tough-looking body styling including roof rails, rugged front and rear bumpers, door cladding, and skidplates front and rear.

Standard kit includes ‘Climatronic’ automatic air-conditioning, speed-sensitive electronic power steering, multifunction steering wheel, remote control central locking, electric windows, CD/MP3 with USB/Aux-in/SD card input and 4 speakers, Bluetooth connectivity, rear parking sensors, as well as a monochrome multifunction display.

Among the Cross Polo’s Indian competitors are the Toyota Etios Cross and the Fiat Avventura. Order books for the new MPI version are open now.

Volkswagen is reported to be considering importing hotter Polos for sale in India. The Indian arm of the German company currently sells the Polo GT TSI and GT TDI with 104bhp petrol and diesel engines respectively. The Polo GT TSI has 175Nm of torque, with the GT TDI boasting 250Nm.

Autocar India reports that VW could choose either the 1.4-litre 148bhp TSI engine from the European BlueGT model to power an uprated GT variant, or import the new-for-2015 Polo GTI, more or less as it is. The latter model sprints to 62mph from rest in 6.7 seconds thanks to its 1.8-litre TSI engine.

The magazine states that both proposed engines have been homologated for sale in India, but that they will more than likely be expensive. It cites a price of Rs 17 lakh for the GTI, even if part-assembled locally, but points out that it would, in essence, be a brand builder for Volkswagen.

The current Polo GT has been met with a warm reception in India, much to Volkswagen’s surprise. The Polo GT TSI features a seven-speed DSG gearbox, while the GT TDI model is equipped with a five-speed manual transmission. Both models feature special equipment and were refreshed in line with the facelifted fifth-generation Polo late last year.

[Source: Autocar India]