The VW Polo is a household name in Mzansi, not only being one of the most popular cars in our market but also built in SA in the beautiful city of Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth). When we received the email that we would be getting one (mind you, I was at a packed mall), a small air punch was displayed as we were excited to pilot one of Mzansi’s most popular rides over the December period. With gloomy weather hampering our chance for regular photo ops, the show had to go on.
Styling
Internally codenamed Snowy due to its Pure White paint finish, our steed came shod with optional 16-inch Torsby wheels, which match the rather subtle but sporty look of the Polo Life. Standard equipment on the VW Polo Life includes LED headlamps and power adjustable, folding and heated exterior mirrors . From the fourth generation Polo, Volkswagen has been cooking in the looks department. Overall, we love the look of the VW Polo Life and see very little visual appeal gain when comparing it to the R-Line model.
Interior
When it comes to the cabin of the VW Polo Life, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Let me start off with what I like about the cabin first. The cabin layout is pretty good; not only are the buttons well-placed, but it has a great driving position, and there’s decent space for all passengers. As standard, niceties include park distance control – warning signals for obstacles in the front and rear, cruise control system including speed limiter, and power-adjustable, folding, and heated exterior mirrors. Niggles, however, include quite a generous use of plastics, and adding some tech will set you back some extra Rands. Options on our tester included:
Tilting and sliding panoramic sunroof
Comfort park package: Keyless locking and starting without safelock, Park Assist, and Rear-view camera
Multi-color Digital Cockpit Pro with Composition Media
Safety Package for Manual Transmission: Adaptive Cruise Control and Speed Limiter, Lane Assist, Multi-function Camera, Pedestrian Monitoring, and Front Assist.
These options tally to over R60k, which adds to the already stiff price of the VW Polo Life. Nonetheless, the VW Polo cabin is solid.
Power and drive
Like the rest of the VW Polo range (besides the GTI), the Polo Life is powered by a 1.0-litre turbocharged motor that produces 70 kW and 175 Nm of torque. It sends its power to the front wheels via a 5-speed manual. We have to say, the gearbox in the Polo is one of the best in the business, it provides silky smooth shifts. We were happy to receive the manual version as the 6-speed automatic is a bit laggy and is less engaging for those of us who love to drive.
During our four weeks with the hatch, we achieved quite favorable fuel consumption figures. On the N3 driving down to Durban, we achieved a solid 4.7 L/100 km and overall managed to settle at the claimed 5.4 L/100 km after putting on 4000 km on the odometer.
Whether on the small roads, city, or highway driving, the VW Polo Life is a pleasure to drive. It’s well worth noting that at lower speeds, trying to accelerate from second gear is a nightmare as there is a bit of turbo lag. Highway driving, however, is a pleasure. At the speed limit of 120 km/h on the highway, the small hatch remained in fifth gear, barely needing to drop a gear.
Verdict
Before we conclude our review, let’s talk about the elephant in the room. The new VW Polo has become a bit pricey. The Polo Life starts at R391,000, and with the options we mentioned earlier, it brings the price to over R457,000. Adding just a bit more bucks, you can get yourself a base VW Taigo. With that being said, the VW Polo is a good offering even without options added to it.
