The New VW Polo Remains The Segment Leader | Hatchback Review

The Polo remains the segment leader

The Volkswagen Polo has been a segment leader in South Africa for as long as we can remember. It has somewhat of a cult following and has equally become the expression of achievement, social status and an image booster. Is the updated Polo just a puff piece or does it still retain the same elements that have made it so desirable? We spent time with it to see what the updates have offered.

From a design perspective, the new Polo now sports a refreshed exterior design. The bumper and tailgate have been given a new look, as have the headlights and tail light clusters which come standard with LED technology.

The Polo has a distinctive day-time and night time light signature which includes a new LED light strip along the radiator grille, in conjunction with the IQ.LIGHT LED matrix headlights as fitted to our test unit. The new Polo has taken this design cue from the ID models as well as the Golf - these were the first Volkswagens to have an LED crossbar in the front. It is an eye-catching element and one which garners the crowds approval.

The interior of the Polo now boasts a Digital Cockpit, a re-designed multi-function steering wheel, new-generation infotainment systems and wireless App-Connect. The Digital Cockpit and infotainment system create a coherent digital cockpit landscape. In the R-Line model, the two-zone climatronic air conditioner now has touch panels and sliders which replace the knobs and buttons in the previous generation.

The digital instrument cluster is a neat feature, now standard. It gives the interior a modern look and feel, it makes the Polo appear even more premium than what it already is. The seats in the Polo Life are upholstered in the high-quality ‘Slash’ fabric with matching interior Lava Stone Black decor.

The 1.0 TSI 70kW engine will be available in the Polo and Polo Life specifications. The three-cylinder engine, which is coupled with a 5-speed manual transmission, delivers 70kW of power and maximum torque of 175Nm. The numbers, in conjunction with the manual gearbox create a rather impressive driving experience. The Polo is quite potent when you need it to be. It also offers decent levels of comfort and after spending a few days behind the wheel it is easy to see why the Polo is as popular as it is.

While the options can become costly, it is worth ticking the boxes of the must have items which will add extra value to your Polo. It is also worth mentioning that while there are others out there, and some equally as good, the Polo has the badge appeal that others just don't have. It gets the job done and it does it well. Just be careful about the options as this can lift the overall price quite a bit.