Redone exterior and interior is one thing,
but the biggest change in the new Polo is the new four-pot 1.5-litre TDI motor.
It is basically the same unit that serves the Vento, but the smaller bore has
reduced its cubic capacity to 1,498 cc. You will forget the problems associated
with the old 1.2 TDI as the 1.5 TDI is everything you ever wanted. The
refinement levels are truly high and the smoothness makes you wonder whether
this really is a diesel engine. It's utterly quiet too even at 2,000 RPM and,
unlike the old 1.2, it doesn't sound like a farm tractor beyond 2K RPM.
Rear
seat continues to lack space but the quality inside is stupendously good
The power and torque have gone up quite a
bit; this 1.5 develops 90 PS of power and 230 Nm of torque. All this power is
delivered in a smooth and linear way to the front wheels via the same
five-speed gearbox, which is slick and has short throws. The aspect that
impressed me the most was the bottom- and mid-range torque delivery. Simply
awesome. All of the 230 N m is available from as low as 1,500 RPM, but you can
feel it arriving before that. This gives the new Polo great driveability,
which, honestly, I have not really seen in many other cars. Going through
traffic, which means moving at snail's pace, in the second gear was expected,
but what I did not anticipate was the engine's capability to push forward at 40
km/h in the fourth gear. It can do that easily without feeling as if it's being
choked by a muscle man. VW have improved the engine tremendously and the proof
comes in the way it drives. It's not only at low city speeds that you can
notice the amazing German engineering; it feels very strong and capable on the
highway too. In terms of performance, it may not set your heart on fire like
the GT TDI does, but it is not a dim-witted kid either. We tested the car in
pouring rain with traction as low as a two-year old’s attention span. But even
in those conditions the results we achieved were quite ama2ing. The 0-100 km/h
sprint was done in just 15.03 seconds. Pretty decent considering the weather
and we are sure that in dry conditions it would do much better. We were also
able to achieve a true top speed of 156.4 km/h. I bet it can easily do more
than 160 km/h in dry conditions.
The
refinement level of this 1.5-litre TDI motor is exceptional. It gives you
immense driving pleasure too
Handling and ride quality have always been
one of the strong points of the Polo and the new one is no exception. The
steering is precise with tonnes of feel and feedback and when you throw in an
excellent suspension that suits the Indian conditions so well, you get a car
that gives you immense driving pleasure unlike any other in its segment. I
remember enjoying the GT TDI to the core and while pushing the 1.5 around in
corners with the surface still very wet, the Polo never felt nervous. It held
its line precisely, giving me the confidence to push even harder. Body-roll did
make an appearance, but it was not bothersome. The tyres on the Polo are new as
well and provide ample traction even in wet conditions. Brakes are brilliant
too.
The
tail lights are re-profiled but very minutely
Overall, the new 1.5-litre Polo TDI is an
amazing product with loads of refinement. The engine is smooth, the power
delivery is linear, engine noise is now a part of history and the best part is
the fuel efficiency. Our test revealed an overall figure of 17.5 km/l, two km/l
less than the 1.2 but still great for such an engine. VW listened to all the
criticism the old engine got and made all the necessary changes in the new
1.5-litre motor. This has improved the Polo immensely and, in my opinion, it
will go on to become one of the best hatchbacks money can buy in India.
