polodriver.com: 2014 new polo first drives

+ 1.2-litre TSI 89bhp

Refreshed and revised New Polo first drives

Everything Volkswagen Polo Issue 010 // June 2014 + 1.0-litre MPI 59bhp

+ 1.4-litre TDI 89bhp

NEW

CROSSPOLO

Testing the

latest version of the

style-led Polo

in Germany

JUNE 2014 | POLODRIVER.COM | PAGE 02

| POLODRIVER.COM | JUNE 2014

Welcome. New Polo first drivesI t’s easy to forget that the fifth-generation Volkswagen

Polo has been on sale for five years. Launched at the Geneva motor show in March 2009, the Polo 6R

presented a more dynamic look, and even more big-car comforts than before. Time rarely stand still in the motor industry, though, and now, exactly five years later, there’s a new Polo. The official unveiling of the new car was at the end of January in Volkswagen’s Autostadt complex in Wolfsburg. It’s only now, however, that the first examples of the refreshed model are being driven. The German carmaker presented the New Polo at Munich airport, before letting journalists drive the car to Tegernsee, a town on the shores of Tegernsee lake in the Miesbach district of Bavaria. Beautiful and picturesque, with an alpine landscape 2451ft above sea level, several routes were available to test the foundations of the New Polo range. We’ve covered the basics before, but the New Polo is largely concerned with addressing the connectivity issues of the outgoing car and adding a whole raft of Golf-derived safety systems. There’s also a gentle refresh to both the exterior and interior, with details changes marking the new model from the old. The driving impressions included here are based on engine and basic car make-up only and aren’t entirely indicative of UK-specification variants.

First drive 1.0 MPI, 59bhp 4

First drive 1.2 TSI, 89bhp 6

First drive CrossPolo TSI 8

First drive 1.4 TDI, 89bhp 10

Technical specifications 12WORDS // RICH GOODING PICTURES // RICH GOODING/VOLKSWAGEN UK

Contents

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1.0-litre MPI, 59bhpT he new entry-level model Polo loses 199cc compared with

the outgoing car. Borrowing the now-familiar three-cylinder engine from the Up city car, the 1.0-litre Polo resurrects

an engine/model combination not seen since the Polo 1.0 E of 1999-2001. The 999cc multipoint injection unit develops 59bhp, its 70lb ft (95Nm) of torque arriving between 3000-4300rpm. At 1050kg, the lowest-powered 1.0 Polo has an extra 121kg over the smaller Up to carry around, but, on our admittedly limited test route, the engine doesn’t appear to struggle too much. Yes, the five-speed gearbox needs to be stirred regularly, but that’s just part of the fun.

The three-cylinder unit emits the same pleasing thrum as in the Up, and seems to give the Polo character, a side order of which the outgoing model was lacking in certain areas. It’s refined at low revs around urban areas, though, and cruises happily at the legal limit. Yes, the 0-62mph dash takes 15.5 seconds (1.1 seconds longer than the 59bhp Up), but this car isn’t about performance. The base model Polo is about accessibility, and here it scores. Standard equipment of UK-bound S models includes a 5” colour touchscreen infotainment system (with CD/USB and DAB), Bluetooth connectivity, central locking, and a high-tech Automatic Post-Collision Braking System.

All Polos coming to the UK are BlueMotion Technology models, so all cars feature battery regeneration (recuperation – energy recovery during braking) as well as a Start/Stop function. The UK entry-level model three-door Polo S costs £11,100, while an S A/C model starts at £11,820. The 1.0-litre engine is available in S, S A/C, SE and SE Design models, with a 74bhp version from SE models and above. In a happy coincidence, Volkswagen UK expects the 1.0-litre 59bhp SE to be the best-selling variant of the New Polo line-up.

Did you know?TheNewPolohasthelargestnumberofsafetyassistancesystemsinitsclass

Thethree-cylinderengineemitsthesamepleasingthrumasintheUpandseemstogivetheNewPolocharacter.Yes,thegearboxneedstobestirredregularlytomake goodprogress,butthat’sjustpartofthefun

New1.0-litreengineavailablewith59or74bhp

JANUARY2013 | POLODRIVER.COM | PAGE 06

ColourtouchscreenfeaturesinallUKNewPolos


1.2-litre TSI, 89bhpT here was a turbocharged 1.2-litre TSI engine developing

103bhp in the outgoing Polo range, this is replaced by units developing both 89 and 108bhp. While the previous engine

was fitted to the SEL and R-Line models, the new pair will be available in SE, SE Design (89bhp) and SEL (108bhp) models. The 89bhp unit is allied to either a five-speed manual gearbox or a seven-speed DSG, while the higher-output 108bhp engine comes with a six-speed manual gearbox along with the DSG option. Also fitted to the high-riding CrossPolo in Europe, we tried the 89bhp version in a Polo ‘Fresh’. A special model on sale for around 12 months, the Polo Fresh will mirror the SE Design specification in the UK.

Driving the car back from the Tegernsee launch venue to Munich airport, we’d say the 1.2 TSI is the star of the new engine range. Torquey, tractable, and a little rorty when revved under hard acceleration, the 89bhp TSI is very smooth and suits the New Polo well. Torque of 118lb ft (160Nm) arrives between 1400-4000rpm, while the 0-62mph time is 10.8 seconds. On the largely smooth road surface of the autobahn back to Munich, the New Polo TSI felt tremendously solid and unwaverable. A firm yet compliant ride filters out most road irregularities, while it keeps the much-admired levels of refinement the outgoing car is known for.

SE Design models start at £14,680 for the three-door and 7J x 16” ‘Portago’ alloy wheels with an anthracite finish, darkened rear light clusters, front fog lights, darkened rear window glass, ‘Gloss Black’ door mirrors with integrated indicators, ‘Gloss Black’ radiator grille and LED rear number plate lights all help to distinguish it from its SE sibling. Specify the retina-popping ‘Cornflower Blue’ paint and this model really does look the part.

Inside, as with the Polo Fresh, SE Design models feature aluminium-look pedals, ‘Ceramique’-edged carpet mats, ‘Ceramique’ door panel with chrome decorative insert, ‘Ceramique’ stitching on a leather trimmed three-spoke multifunction steering wheel, gear knob and handbrake grip, ‘Dark Rhodium’ centre console surround, ‘Dark Rhodium’ lower dash, front footwell illumination, front sports seats with height adjustment and ‘Pyramid’ upholstery in Palladium Grey or ‘Ceramique’.

Did you know?TheNewPolohassevenbrandnewwheeldesignswithtwofurtheroptionstofollowwithyet-unreleasedBlueMotionandGTImodels

PAGE07| POLODRIVER.COM | JUNE 2014


CrossPolo 1.2 TSIT he CrossPolo became part of the Polo range in 2004.

Known in the UK as the Polo Dune, it was last imported in2008.Afifth-generationPolo6R-basedCrossPolo

was launched in 2010, and is now exported to such markets as China, India and South Africa. Still a strong part of the European Pololine-up,wetriedthe1.2TSI89bhpversionaroundthealpinelandscapeofTegernsee.Designedtolooklikeamini-SUV,theCrossPolo could be described as the ‘designer’ Polo, due to its unique body styling, alloy wheels and interior trim, all designed to evokean‘activelifestyle’.Theoldmodeldrovealittlelikeitwason stilts. The new one doesn’t.

Feeling like a much more integrated part of the car, the suspension gives a fair impression of not being raised at all. Riding better than the Polo Dune (9N/9N3 model) even on its low-profile tyres – don’t be fooled by the appearance, the CrossPolo is still front-wheel drive only – it feels much closer to the tarmac than before, meaning changes of direction can be done with more confidence. As with the 1.2 TSI standard Polo hatchback, the engine suits the car well, being nippy and refined, yet with a ‘sporty’ edge when pushed.

Did you know?TheNewPolohasnewly-developedelectro-mechnicalpowersteeringandoptionalswitchable-damper‘SportSelect’suspension

Three engines are available in Germany initially: 1.2 TSI in 89 and 108bhp flavours, as well as a 1.4 TDI developing 88bhp. All have BlueMotion Technology.

The subtle exterior changes which mark out the New Polo from old are even more subtle when applied to the CrossPolo. The new 17” ‘Canyon’ alloy wheels visually differentiate the new car from the old one, but otherwise, changes to the front and rear lights are the only other giveaways. The new ‘Honey Orange’ paintwork is a must-have. The interior has undergone similar subtle evolutionary amendments. Unique ‘Link’ upholstery marks out the CrossPolo from its siblings, while the centre console and new infotainment surround now gets a silver finish.

Overall, the CrossPolo is a well thought-out package. The current thinking for the UK market is that it could be sold if UK customers say so. Otherwise, it’s continent-bound only. We would suggest Volkswagen UK is lobbied hard.

NewCrossPolofeaturessportsand‘lifestyle’accents

PAGE09 | POLODRIVER.COM | JUNE 2014

JANUARY2013 | POLODRIVER.COM | PAGE 06JUNE 2014 | POLODRIVER.COM | PAGE 10

NewPolohandleswithsameconfidenceasbefore

Did you know? AllNewPoloenginesareEU6-compliantandareupto21percentmorefuelefficientthantheunitstheyreplace

PAGE 11 | POLODRIVER.COM | JUNE 2014

1.4-litre TDI, 89bhpT he sole diesel we tested in Tegernsee was the 1.4-litre 89bhp

TDI. The highest-output diesel engine available at launch, the three-cylinder TDI replaces the 89bhp 1.6 four-cylinder

engine from the outgoing car. A lower-output 74bhp version of the same engine is also available, and replaces a 1.6 TDI with the same power.

With 1422cc, the newly-developed engine develops 170lb ft (230Nm) of torque from 1500-2500rpm. With the highest torque of any engine from the New Polo range at launch, the TDI feels big-lunged. It’s a gutsy accelerator, with 62mph coming up in 10.9 seconds from rest. It sounds quite gruff on start-up, but the engine soon quietens once on the move. It feels slightly heavier in the nose due to the diesel unit, but still retains the planted, safe and secure feel of the other New Polo models.

In the UK, the 89bhp TDI is available in SE Design and SEL trim. The lower-powered 74bhp unit is fitted to SE cars only. The cleanest New Polos at initial launch are the 1.4 TDI models at 88g/km, while other variants range from 106-110g/km. Later, 1.4 TDI and 1.0 TSI BlueMotion – the first petrol-powered BlueMotion Volkswagen ever – models arrive with 82 and 94g/km of CO2 and official quoted values of 91.1 and 68.9mpg repsectively.

Later on, the CrossPolo will gain a 148bhp engine, and the New Polo GTI will be revealed. This time around there’s a power bump to 190bhp (up 12bhp) and a seven-speed DSG gearbox. However, it would appear that Volkswagen has listened to criticism and a six-speed manual gearbox will also be available. At last! The GTI will be revealed before the year’s end, while the rumours still persist about a high-performance R. VW says 'no' due to cost but time will tell...

The New Polo is the first Volkswagen to have the company’s new MiirrorLink app technology.

Builtintotheinfotainmentsystemandoptional(£150)fromSEmodelsandabove,anAndroidsmartphonecanbeconnectedtodisplayitscontentsontheNewPolo’scentreconsoletouchscreen.

Onlyapprovedappscanbeusedandforsafetyreasons,certainfunctionalityislimitedwhenthecarisonthemove.

Volkswagenwillofferappsitself(suchastheBlueTrainerwhichmonitorsthecar’sanddriver’sefficiency,alreadyseenontheUpcitycar),whichwillincludenavigationaswellasvehicledataprogrammes.

Thirdpartyappswillbeavailable,too,andwillincluderadioandnewsoptions.

MirrorLinkwillbeofferedwith‘CompostionMedia’and‘DiscoverMedia’infotainmentsystemsonly(SEmodelsandabove).Entry-levelNewPoloSmodelsenjoya5-inchcolourtouchscreen,whileallothermodelshavelarger6.5”modules.

Toimprovephonereceptionandalsoreduceradiatedemissionsfromthesmartphineitself,a‘Comfort’mobilephoneinterfacecompartmentwithUSBconnectioncanalsobespecificed.

Technology: MirrorLinkandassociatedapps

NewPolohandleswithsameconfidenceasbefore


The UK New Polo range initially consists of six trim levels, rising from S to BlueGT.

Smodelsareavailablewith the1.0-litre59bhpengineonly,whileanSA/Cmodeladdsair-conditioningforanextra£720overthecostoftheentry-levelS.

SEandSEDesignmodelshavethechoiceofboth1.0-litreengines,plusthe1.2TDIand74bhpTDI.

SELmodelsmeanwhiledropthe74bhpTDIforthemorepowerful89bhpunit.The1.2-litre89bhpTSIoftheSEandSEDesignisalsoreplaced,thistimebyahigheroutput108bhpversion.

Range-toppingBlueGTcarscomewiththe1.4TSIcylinderdeactivationunitasbefore,butthistimewith148bhp–a10bhpboost.

New Polo: UK

Volkswagen claims that the New Polo is the car ‘with the greatest number of safety assistance systems in its class’.

That’snoidleboast.AllNewPolosfromtheentry-levelStotheinitialrange-toppingBlueGTareequippedwithHillHold,andanAutomaticPost-CollisionbrakingSystemwhich,asthenamesuggests,automaticallybrakesthecarafteracollision.Thisgreatlydecreasesthekineticenergyminimisingthechanceorgravityofasecondimpact.

NewoptionalsafetyfeaturesincludeaDriverAlertSystem,andAdaptiveCruiseControlwithFrontAssistandCityEmergencyBraking(£500additionalcost).

TheDriverAlertSystemisstandardonBlueGTmodelsandmonitorsdriverbehaviour.Ifitdetectsunusualdrivingpatterns,itusedvisualandacousticsignalstorecommendthatthedrivertakesabreak.

AdaptiveCruiseControlmeanwhileprovidesintelligentcontrolofyourdrivingspeedbyautomaticallyadjustingacceleratingandbrakingbyuseofaradarsensormountedatthefrontofthecar.

Otheroptionalequipmentonallmodelsincludesparkingsensorsandarearviewcamera.

Displacement (cc)/ cylinders 1197/4Power output 89bhpMaximum torque 118lbft/160NmTransmissionFront-wheeldrive,five-speedmanual

Suspension Front:coilsprings,telescopicshockabsorbers;rear:coilsprings,gaspressureshockabsorbers;frontandrearanti-rollbarsBrakes Front:ventilateddiscs;rear:discs;ABSwithElectronicBrake-pressureDistribution(EBD),HydraulicBrakeAssist(HBA)

Wheels/tyres 6Jx15”‘Lyon’alloy(185/60R15)*/7Jx16”‘Portago’(215/45R16)alloy**

Top speed 114mph0-62mph 10.8seconds

Fuel consumption Urban47.1mpg,extra-urban70.6mpg,combinedcycle60.1mpgCO2 emissions 107g/km

Length 3972mmWidth (inc mirrors) 1901mmHeight 1453mmWheelbase 2470mmLuggage capacity Seatupright:280litres;seatfolded:952litres

*SEmodels,**SEDesignmodels

NewPolo1.2TSINewPolo1.0MPI

Technical specifications

PAGE 13 | POLODRIVER.COM | JUNE 2014

Displacement (cc)/ cylinders 1422/3Power output 89bhpMaximum torque 169lbft/230NmTransmissionFront-wheeldrive,five-speedmanual

Suspension Front:coilsprings,telescopicshockabsorbers;rear:coilsprings,gaspressureshockabsorbers;frontandrearanti-rollbarsBrakes Front:ventilateddiscs;rear:dicss;ABSwithElectronicBrake-pressureDistribution(EBD),HydraulicBrakeAssist(HBA)

Wheels 7Jx16”‘Rivazza’alloy(215/45R16)*




*SELmodels

NewPolo1.4TDIDisplacement (cc)/ cylinders 1197/4Power output 89bhpMaximum torque 118lbft/160NmTransmissionFront-wheeldrive,five-speedmanual

Suspension Front:coilsprings,telescopicshockabsorbers;rear:coilsprings,gaspressureshockabsorbers;frontandrearanti-rollbarsBrakes Front:ventilateddiscs;rear:discs;ABSwithElectronicBrake-pressureDistribution(EBD),HydraulicBrakeAssist(HBA)

Wheels 7Jx17”‘Canyon’alloy(215/40R17)




Note: All 1.0-litre (59bhp and 74bhp) New Polos have rear drum brakes as standard, regardless of trim level

CrossPolo1.2TSI Technology:safetyDisplacement (cc)/ cylinders 999/3Power output 59bhpMaximum torque 70lbft/95NmTransmissionFront-wheeldrive,five-speedmanual

Suspension Front:coilsprings,telescopicshockabsorbers;rear:coilsprings,gaspressureshockabsorbers;frontandrearanti-rollbarsBrakes Front:ventilateddiscs;rear:drums;ABSwithElectronicBrake-pressureDistribution(EBD),HydraulicBrakeAssist(HBA)

Wheels/tyres 5Jx14”steel(175/70R14)*/6Jx15”‘Lyon’alloy(185/60R15)**/7Jx16”‘Portago’alloy(215/45R16)***




*Smodels,**SEmodels,***SEDesignmodels

Forfulltechnicalspecificationsaswellasexactstandardequipmentandpricing,visitwww.volkswagen.co.uk

Everything Volkswagen Polo

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range

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