Volkswagen Polo : Test Drive & Review

What you'll like:

• A well-built solid European hatchback
• Clean and contemporary styling. Absolutely no quirkiness
• "Big car like" ride quality. Suspension setup ideal for Indian roads
• Neutral handling & mature road behaviour
• Fuel efficient range of engines
• 280 liter boot. Figo-like & substantially larger than direct competition
• Short-throw slick gearshift (petrol especially). Amongst the best in India

What you won't:

• Commuter 3-cylinder engines. Neither hits the sweet spot nor matches the segment benchmarks
• Some niceties missing. Climate control, USB / AUX audio input, electric ORVMs etc.
• Ordinary rear bench legroom. Comparable to the Ritz
• Thin 40 dealership network
• VW's cost of ownership is yet unknown territory
• 1.6L 104 BHP petrol variant some time away

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New Volkswagen Polo

The all new Polo has been showcased for the first time in India atht eh 2010 Auto Expo in Delhi and though its launch date is set for later this year, this display literally seals the deal and yes it's a great time to start saving up!

The premium hatch comes from a strong lineage however it will compete against the likes of the Skoda Fabia, Hyundai i20 and Suzuki Swift so the going is not bound to be smooth, however VW doesn't intend on leaving any stone unturned with the launch of the Polo so expect a neat price war to break out once the car hits the showrooms.

The car itself is a solid piece of machinery. Crafted by Volkwagen you can expect build quality to be top notch and to ensure the Polo has its wheels in the deep end of the pool from day one, VW is going to introduce the car with both petrol and diesel engines. The petrol engined Polo is powered by a 1.2 litre engine with an output of 75HP@ 5400 rpm and churns out a torque of 110Nm@3750 rpm. The diesel is also a 1.2 litre unit that churns out 75HP however it develops this at a lower 4200 rpm and churns out a healthier torque figure of 180Nm@ just 2000 rpm. On paper the diesel seems to be the winner, however a drive will be the best judge of this.

One look at the Polo and you are bound to have a smile on your face. It's a cute car that has a sporty undertone to its nature and just beckons for you to step up and take it for a spin. Small cars can be stylish and the Polo does reiterate this fact. Aiding the overall design are the large 15 inch wheels which work as the best attention grabbers. The interiors are functional and offer a host of pockets to store various knick-knacks. The materials used are neat and the cabin generally offers an overall feel good factor. Safety has not been compromised either and the new Polo is set to debut with ABS, dual airbags and an anti-theft immobilizer.

The new Polo is set to come into India soon and will be available in three trim levels, namely the Trendline, Comfortline and Highline. Pricing has still not been revealed but the expectation is that the car is set to be placed smack in the middle of Maruti territory.

'Volkswagen Polo' Small Car

The Honorable Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Ashok Chavan and Prof. Dr. Jochem Heizmann, Member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG, with responsibility of 'Group Production', formally rolled out Volkswagen India's first locally manufactured Polo from its plant in Chakan, Pune. Other honorable guests who graced the occasion with their presence were Shri. Rajendra J. Darda, Minister of Industries and Employment for state of Maharashtra, Shri. Sachin Ahir, State Minister of Industries and Housing Development as well as His Excellency Mr. Thomas Matussek, German Ambassador to India.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Dr. Jochem Heizmann said, "Today's start of production of our Polo is more than just the rollout of a car. It marks a milestone in our journey together into a successful future for the Volkswagen Group in India."

Since India is a strategic market for the Volkswagen Group and holds enormous potential for it, Prof. Heizmann added, "We aim to achieve a market share of eight to ten percent in the next four to six years with the three Volkswagen Group brands, Audi, Skoda, and Volkswagen by ambitious plans for India. We offer outstanding products, which will soon be joined in the market by another one - the Polo. These products - and in particular our Polo - will help us to increase our market share of this growing market significantly."

"The Polo is eagerly awaited here in India", he added "And quite rightly so, because our Polo stands for first-class German engineering and superior state-of-the-art technology. It is a young, fresh and cosmopolitan car. We have aligned the current model systematically and uncompromisingly with our customers' expectations."

In Europe, the Volkswagen Polo has become the benchmark for the small car segment and has now created its own class - the Polo class. Volkswagen has received more than 130,000 orders since the new model was launched in May this year. The Volkswagen Polo has also been voted The Car of the Year - one of the oldest and most prestigious honors.

According to Prof. Heizmann, "Customers need to be convinced of the benefits of owning a Volkswagen Group car and must want to buy it. Ultimately, the customer is a brand's best ambassador. We are dead certain that we will bring forward the European success story of our Polo to India."