New Volkswagen Polo 2014 – South Africa
Volkswagen Polo is one of the world’s bestselling compact models with nearly 14 million units produced and sold worldwide to date. The Volkswagen factory in Uitenhage is one of the two plants in the Volkswagen production network that assembles the Polo hatch. In South Africa, the Polo is produced for both the local and export markets. Since its launch in 2010 Polo hatch has consistently been the second best-selling passenger car in South Africa. In 2013, Polo hatch was bought by 23 501 customers. The best-selling car in South Africa since 2010 has been Polo’s sibling, the Polo Vivo which was also launched in the same year.
The new Polo has been enhanced both visually and technically. The driver assistance and infotainment systems as well as the new TSI engines now available with either 5 or 6-speed manual transmissions or the award winning DSG gearbox, have taken the new Polo to another level. The new Polo offers the widest range of assistance systems in its class. It is also the first car in this segment that comes equipped with an Automatic Post-Collision Braking System as standard.
Pure efficiency.
Thanks to the new award-winning TSI engines, the new Polo fuel economy has been improved by as much as 20 percent. The pick of the bunch is the 1.2 TSI 66kW engine. It has a claimed fuel consumption of 4.9 l/100km (117 g/km of CO2 emissions).
Four versions to choose from.
Visually, the new Polo can be identified by a sharper front and rear design. In addition, the new model introduces fresh colours, new interior materials and new specifications. The new Polo now comes in three equipment levels, Trendline, Comfortline and Highline. Customers who want a Polo with rugged but sporty looks can opt for the CrossPolo.
Assistance systems for all.
Assistance systems that are traditionally associated with cars found in upper segments have found their way into the new Polo. These include the standard Automatic Post-Collision Braking System (automatically initiates braking of the vehicle that had an accident in order to prevent a subsequent collision) and Driver Alert System.
The new Polo also increases its edge over the competition with an impressive range of new convenience and safety functions that are unique in its segment. The base model, the Polo Trendline, is equipped with K7 headlights which have a black background housing as standard whilst H7 headlights which have silver background housing will be standard in the Comfortline and Highline derivatives. The H7 headlights are further enhanced with chrome accents.
Progressive infotainment world.
The new radio has been upgraded into an infotainment system which has been designed to reflect state-of-the-art technology, known as the modular infotainment system (MIB). Depending on the equipment level, these include functions such as Bluetooth connectivity and a proximity sensor.t – brief summary.
EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR
This sophisticated design of the Polo with its clean lines has now been made even more precise and sharper. The newly designed headlights and tail lights also have their very own charisma. The new Polo is 3,972mm long (+ 2mm), 1,682mm wide (without door mirrors) and 1,453mm tall.
The exterior in detail
Front end. The front-end design has a much more three-dimensional and sporty look due to its redesigned bumper and larger lower air intake. Acting as a design detail providing structure, a new chrome trim connects the two fog lights and makes the Polo appear wider; at the same time, the visual focus is lowered by the trim. Meanwhile, another chrome element also supports the formal integration of the grille into the headlight design on the Polo Comfortline and Highline. This chrome line joins the centres of the headlights with the horizontal alignment of the radiator grille, which creates a sophisticated impression.
Rear section. In the rear bumper area, the car’s width is emphasised by new styling cues, including a cleaner horizontal layout and a wider cut-out for the licence plate. The trapezoidal outer contour of this area extends towards the rear wheels, which creates a more dynamic tension of surfaces. The rear reflectors, now embedded in the bumper, also give the visual impression of greater width. The rear lights were also redesigned.
Side profile. From the side, the new Polo can be differentiated by the new alloy wheels. New to the wheel line-up are the standard alloy wheels for the Polo Comfortline (15 inch) and for the Polo Highline (16 inch). A newly developed 16-inch ‘Rivazza’ alloy wheel can be ordered as an option on the Comfortline. Additionally, there is a new set of alloy wheels for the CrossPolo (17 inch).
Body colours. The new Polo is available in the following body colours: Base – Black, Flash Red, Corn Flower Blue (new), Pure White. Metallic – Pepper Grey, Reflex Silver, Urano Grey, Blue Silk, Sunset Red (new). Pearlescent – Deep Black. Honey Orange Metallic and Titanium Beige Metallic are only available with CrossPolo.
The interior in detail
New layout of instruments and centre console. Many new ergonomic and visual improvements have been made inside the latest Polo. Aside from the new three-spoke steering wheel, the new instrument cluster in 3-D “tubes” look catches the eye immediately; the instruments are in typical Volkswagen design language. The newly designed layout of controls on the centre console make for intuitive operation.
New radio systems. Located on the next control level of the centre console is the infotainment system, which is ideally positioned in the field of view. The new Polo is the first Volkswagen to get the second generation radio systems of the “modular infotainment system” (MIB). Two versions with touchscreen are available: the “Composition Touch” model is the entry level which features a 5-inch monochrome screen coupled with four speakers, SD-card, as well as AUX-IN interfaces. This radio is standard with the Trendline.
The more sophisticated version the “Composition Colour”; offers a 5-inch colour display, two additional rear loudspeakers, CD player, MP3 functionality, SD-card input and USB and Bluetooth connectivity.
New climate control interface and chrome accents. Interior designers also optimised controls for the climate control systems (manual or automatic control). They are arranged below the infotainment system. Chrome accents on the door panels, the air vents and around the gear shift console also add to the sophisticated ambience.
ENGINES
The new Polo will be launched with fuel efficient TSI engines which replace the MPI engines. Initially only the four-cylinder 1.2 TSI engines will be available with the power output range of 66kW and 81kW.
New petrol engines.
TSI engines. The two 1.2 TSI engines replace the 1.4 (63kW) and 1.6 (77kW) MPI engines. The new Polo is the latest Volkswagen model to be offered with the award winning small capacity TSI engines.
1.2 TSI with an output of 66 kW. The entry derivative is fitted with the TSI engine that delivers an output of 66 kW available at 4 800 rpm. The claimed combined fuel consumption of the 1.2 TSI 66kW engine is as low as 4.9 l/100 km (117 g/km of CO2 emissions). Turbocharging boosts the torque at this power level to 160 Nm (over the range 1,400 to 3,500 rpm). The 66kW powered Polo 1.2 TSI has a top speed of 184 km/h and accelerates to 100 km/h in 10.8 seconds. This engine is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission.
The 1.2 TSI 66kW engine is available with the Trendline and Comfortline derivatives.
1.2 TSI with output of 81 kW. At 81kW, the new Polo attains a fuel consumption value of 5.1 l/100 km (equivalent to 120 g/km CO2). The maximum power of this engine is available at 5,000 rpm and its maximum torque of 175 Nm is delivered between 1,500 and 4,000 rpm. At this power level, the Polo 1.2 TSI has a top speed of 196 km/h and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 9.3 seconds.
As an alternative to the standard 6-speed transmission, this engine can also be ordered with an optional 7-speed DSG which provides an optimum of efficiency, dynamics and comfort. The consumption for the DSG transmission remains unchanged at 5.1 to l/100 km (122 g/km CO2).
The 81kW engine is available in the Highline derivatives as well as the CrossPolo.
Running gear
McPherson and twist beam suspension. The running gear is based on the basic layout of McPherson front axle and twist beam rear suspension. The ESC electronic stabilisation programme is included in the Polo as standard. Numerous other electronic driver aids are also incorporated. These include anti-lock braking system (ABS), hill hold assistant, anti-slip regulation (ASR), engine drag torque regulation (MSR) and electronic differential locks (EDS).
DRIVER ASSISTANCE
The new Polo has wide range of comfort and assistance systems that are unique in this class so far. The new assistance systems include the Automatic Post-Collision Braking System (automatically initiates braking of the vehicle that had an accident in order to prevent a subsequent collision) and Driver Alert system.
All new technologies in detail:
Automatic Post-Collision Braking System. A technological highlight of the new Polo is the standard Automatic Post-Collision Braking System. After a collision, it automatically brakes the vehicle to avoid secondary collisions or reduce their severity. The Automatic Post-Collision Braking System is triggered when a primary collision has been detected. It assures controlled handling of the car by the driver, even in case of automatic braking. The driver can “override” the Automatic Post-Collision Braking System at any time. The system is deactivated, for instance, if it senses a press of the accelerator pedal. The Automatic Post-Collision Braking System is also deactivated if the driver initiates hard braking with greater deceleration than the system deceleration.
Driver Alert System. The Driver Alert System, which is standard in Highline derivatives, detects waning concentration of the driver and outputs an acoustic warning for the duration of five seconds, and a message appears in the instrument cluster recommending a break from driving. If the driver does not take a break within the next 15 minutes, the warning is repeated once.
STANDARD AND OPTIONAL FEATURES
Volkswagen has added another equipment line in the new Polo model range. The new Polo is now also available in the top end Highline equipment line. It complements the two specification levels previously available on Polo, namely the entry level Trendline and popular Comfortline. There is also an option of a Cross Polo for customers who want a Polo with sporty but rugged looks.
The standard features across the three equipment lines have vastly been upgraded.
Polo Trendline in detail
Attractive entry level. The Polo Trendline offers customer attractive added value with standard features such as 14-inch steel wheels, asymmetrically split and folding rear seats and rear seat backrests and remote central locking.
More safety features. In the interior, the Polo Trendline is characterised by various applications in elegant black as well as new seat materials in the “Grip” design. The Polo Trendline is also comes standard with an extensive list of safety and comfort features.
Active safety features include ABS, the ESC electronic stabilisation programme with Multi-collision braking system and hill-hold control assistant. Fitted standard passive safety features are front airbags and combined head-thorax airbags (passenger front airbag can be deactivated), height-adjustable three-point safety belts in the front, belt tensioners and belt force limiters in the front as well as Isofix fittings for child seats (on the outside of the rear seats). The front head rests have been designed in such a way that they counteract whiplash.
Other comfort features are Radio Composition Touch with touch screen, front electric windows and manual air conditioner. A warning buzzer for lights left on, height-adjustable driver’s seat, make-up mirrors in the sun shades and green-tinted heat protection glazing complete the package.
Polo Comfortline in detail
Sophisticated centre. Additionally to the Polo Trendline features, the Comfortline comes standard with 15-inch “Torsa” alloy wheels, the “Composition Colour” radio system with colour touchscreen, USB, SD card input and Bluetooth connectivity, leather multi-function steering wheel, parking brake lever and shift lever grip in leather and the multifunction display.
Beyond that, the “Comfortline” equipment line reveals its identity on the exterior by a chrome trim around the air inlet, wing mirror housings, front fog lights and door handles painted in body colour as well as newly designed H7 twin headlights.
In terms of comfort, features such as electrically adjustable and heated side mirrors, height-adjustable passenger seat, sliding drawers under the front seats, various trims in aluminium look (instruments, air nozzles, light turn switch, radio and climate controls) and storage pockets on the backs of the front seats complement the standard equipment. The seat and door panels are fitted with “Rail” design cloth trim.
Polo Highline in detail
High-end Polo. The Polo Highline can be differentiated by 16-inch “Portago” alloy wheels. On the exterior, the top of the range Polo features a high-gloss black trim in the air inlet screen. Interior details such as a graphite grey centre console, centre armrest in the front as well as the elegant sport seat design in “Cell” material give the “Highline” model a particular sophisticated feel.
CrossPolo in detail
Designed for the urban environment. An underbody protection panel, offset in silver, on the front and rear bumpers as well as black covers on the wheel arches, sills and doors give the upgraded CrossPolo an independent off-road character. The door mirror housings are painted in silver, regardless of the car colour, and the matching silver anodised roof rails, make for an extra portion of sportiness.
In addition, two new metallic colours (“Honey Orange” and “Titanium Beige”) as well as newly styled 17-inch “Canyon” alloy wheels complete the range of equipment features. The smoked tail lights have also been redesigned.
All inclusive. In addition, exclusive fabrics (‘Link’ interior cloth trim for sport seats and door trim) designed especially for the Cross Polo, enhance its value. The CrossPolo can be ordered with optional bi-xenon headlights.
The newly designed steering wheel as well as the gear and parking brake lever are covered with leather; contrasting colour seams increase the high-value ambience in the interior that has a two tone colour scheme as does the new instrument cluster in “tubes” look and applications in matt chrome.
The CrossPolo will only be available with 1.2 TSI 81 kW engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission.
Optional features
There are optional convenient features on offer for the new Polo customers that want to individualise their cars. These optional features include Bi-Xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights (only available with CrossPolo at launch), panoramic sunroof, removable towbar, climatronic air-conditioning, light and vision package (includes auto-dimming interior mirror, rain sensor wipers and low beam assist), park distance control (front and rear), rear view camera ‘Rear Assist’ and cruise control.
PRICES (VAT and CO2 emissions tax included)
1.2 TSI 66kW Trendline R188 300
1.2 TSI 66kW Comfortline R209 700
1.2 TSI 81kW Highline R233 300
1.2 TSI 81kW Highline DSG R247 800
1.2 TSI 81kW CrossPolo R241 000
The new Polo comes standard with a 3 year/45 000km Service Plan, 3 year/120 000km warranty and a 12 year anti-corrosion warranty. Service interval is 15 000km.
