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The diesel engine is similar to the petrol, where there is no life below 1500 rpm. But the diesel of course benefits from more torque. Thanks to the turning force, the diesel Polo is more driveable than the petrol version — be it in the city or overtaking on the highway or climbing the ghats. But the fact remains that the three-cylinder motor is a bit noisy and vibey. The Polo’s solid build quality alleviates this somewhat and you can keep the noise where it belongs with the windows up. When pushed, the diesel Polo attains 150 kph, beyond which it loses steam. Like the petrol, the diesel motor does its job, but both of them are not going to thrill enthusiasts who have been spoilt rotten by the Swift. The five-speed gearbox with a stubby gear lever offers short, precise throws but it’s tuned for extracting more fuel efficiency rather than performance.
Where the Polo is brilliant, and possibly one of the key reasons why it won the ECOTY (the other being a smashing line-up of powerful but frugal motors in Europe) is in the dynamics department. The Polo’s handling is crisp and great fun. It can be chucked into corners without a worry and comes out of the other side without breaking into a sweat. The 15-inch rubber in the top-end versions grip beautifully and complement the car’s immense chuckability. The car stays planted even at high cornering speeds; its surefootedness deserves more powerful engines.
The suspension has been tuned to offer a good ride considering our driving conditions, and that it does very well — rear passengers won’t have much to complain about over here. Volkswagen has managed to combine great handling with good ride, and that’s something to boast about – not many carmakers have pulled it off. In short, the Polo’s dynamic attributes are at par with bigger cars. It is built on the modified A0 platform which it shares with the Fabia, but compared to the Skoda, body roll is limited in the VW. All the Polo requires is a couple of powerful engines which will make it a true fun-to-drive car. Okay, the steering wheel is sporty and perfectly sized, but it could do with some more feedback — in India, its application is tuned more towards comfort and easy manoeuvrability at low speeds.
Volkswagen has priced the Polo quite competitively, at Rs 4.42 lakh for the petrol Trendline version and Rs 5.42 lakh for the diesel Trendline (both prices ex-showroom Delhi). They have gambled that people wouldn’t mind paying a premium for the badge and of course, for more features and better build quality as compared to the leader in the segment, the Swift. The diesel wears a higher premium, but that’s what all diesel hatchback manufacturers are doing these days anyway. It’s a competent hatchback and satisfies most of us. However, I recommend driving enthusiasts wait a bit for the 100-odd bhp 1.6 petrol version to come along. Or petition VW India for the hot 1.2 petrol TSI...
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