SA Roadtests
South Africa
ctjag8
This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. We drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under South African conditions. It also just happens that most of the vehicles we drive are world cars as well, so what you read here probably applies to the models you can get at home.
*To read one of our road tests, just select from the menu on the left.
*Please remember too, that prices quoted were those ruling on the days I wrote the stories.
Published in Weekend Witness Motoring on Saturday July 3, 2010
While certain others in the A0 or supermini class might be described as “cute,” “funky,” or even (cynically) as contrived, VW design chief Walter de Silva describes his newest creation as mature and purposeful, impressive even. Polos are presented as people’s cars, made for the serious business of moving families. They are not toys for the idle rich. So now we know.
Based on a design philosophy emphasising simplicity and purity of form, Volkswagen’s newest baby car is more than just a facelift of the old version, now relaunched as Vivo. It is 54 mm longer, 32 mm wider and 13 mm lower. Front and rear tracks have been widened and front wheels moved 5 mm forward as part of an extensive front suspension rework. New steels and intelligent design have rendered the car stronger, more rigid and seven-and-a-half percent lighter. You can feel it.
Before I looked up these numbers, my first impression on driving this car, only a week after handing back the Vivo, was that something was different. It’s tauter, sits more solidly on the road and is altogether a more dynamic driving machine than its predecessor.
At a price premium of R25 000 over the similarly powered Vivo Trendline, you also get a smidgen more space inside and some extra equipment including automatic central locking, a height-adjustable driver’s seat and power windows in front. The outside mirrors are still adjusted by hand, though. If you want “power everything” you’d best shell out for the Comfortline version. It gives you most of the modern kit that you expect, but could never add piece by piece for the same money.
Our test car arrived with R18 660-worth of accessories including radio and CD player, air conditioning, cruise control and rear park assist. While the first two are part of the Comfortline package, the latter remain optional on all models.
In line with the Polo’s practical persona, it’s fitted with sturdy cloth covered seats, the glove box is fairly big and usefully shaped, there is a reasonable number of little storage spaces scattered throughout the cabin and the boot is deep and square, with an easily accessible loading sill. At 280 litres, expandable to 952 with the rear seatbacks folded, it is capable of swallowing a fair load of groceries or school bags. Head- and knee room is about average for this size of car although entry and exit to and from the rear is a bit of a scramble for larger folk. The spare wheel is full sized.
Performance is perfectly adequate for its intended purposes of commuting, fetching and carrying children to and from their various activities and the occasional highway journey. It’s no shredder of pavement, but one doesn’t usually buy a 1400 for that kind of thing, does one? The Polo is a People’s Car in the purest sense; being solid, comfortable and practical without any pretences or delusions.
Safety equipment includes the usual ABS with EBD, with ESP available only on 1,6-litre models. Four airbags are standard, with curtain types available optionally on all variants. ISOFIX child seat anchorages are included on the outer rear seats.
Cute? No. Funky? Definitely not. Sort of like Cousin Gudrun – not chocolate box pretty, but almost handsome? Yes. The kind of car you would feel happy shuttling your kids around in? Yes again.
The numbers
Basic price: R144 900
As tested: R163 560
Engine: 1 398 cc inline four cylinder
Power: 63 kW at 5 000 rpm
Torque: 132 Nm at 3 600 rpm
Zero to 100 km/h: 12,7 seconds
Maximum speed: 177 km/h
Average fuel consumption: about 8,3 l/100 km
Emissions class: EU2
Tank: 45 litres
Warranty: 3 years/120 000 km
Service and Maintenance plans: 5 years/60 000 km - optional at R6 856/R9 141
For our review of the 2014 Polo 1.2 TSI Highline click here
This is a one-man show, which means that road test cars entrusted to me are driven only by me. Some reviewers hand test cars over to their partners to use as day-to-day transport and barely experience them for themselves.
What this means to you is that every car reviewed is given my own personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.
Every car goes through real world testing; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads as well.
I am based in Pietermaritzburg, KZN, South Africa. This is the central hub of the KZN Midlands farming community; the place farmers go to to buy their supplies and equipment, truck their goods to market, send their kids to school and go to kick back and relax.
So occasionally a cow, a goat or a horse may add a little local colour by finding its way into the story or one of the pictures. It's all part of the ambience!
Comments?
Want to ask a question, comment or just tell me you thoroughly disagree with what I say? That's your privilege, because if everybody agreed on everything, the world would be a boring place. All I ask is that you remain calm, so please blow off a little steam before venting too vigorously. Contact me here
Back to Home page
This site is operated by Scarlet Pumpkin Communications in Pietermaritzburg.
Unless otherwise stated, all photographs are courtesy of www.quickpic.co.za
Copyright this business. All rights reserved.
SA Roadtests
South Africa
ctjag8