Twin horizontal bar grille and round fog lamps differentiate it from its hatchback twin.
It's funny how the same word can have very
different meaning in a different cultural context, where you find a
European consumer associating practical cars with a small hatchback.
Over here in Asia, it's the reverse. A boot is almost a must for any
family car. Asians judge the value of a car purchase by how much sheet
metal they are getting for their money.The Japanese learned this nearly 20 years ago. Toyota was first to launch a dedicated emerging market small sedan in 1995, the Thai market Soluna which later became the Vios.
Volkswagen's Polo Sedan is the German automaker's first attempt on this side of the world to break the Honda City and Toyota Vios duopoly of the B-sedan segment.
On first impression, the Polo Sedan is already playing second fiddle against its Japanese competitors. While Honda and Toyota invested a lot to build a bespoke looking sedan model but kept prices low by sharing parts with their hatchback counterparts (Jazz and previous generation Yaris respectively), the Polo Sedan is, as its self descriptive name suggests, a Polo with a boot grafted on it.
Park next to its trendy looking Japanese rivals, the conservatively styled Polo Sedan is easily overlooked.
Minor details like omission of a window printed antenna and wing mirror integrated turn signals, features common in its peers, betray the Polo Sedan's relative position against the competition.
. Interior is basic but exceptionally quiet even compared with vehicles from a higher class
On the upside, this RCD 210 audio unit automatically scans for the strongest frequency for the radio stations stored in memory. You can drive from one state to another without having to re-tune the preset radio channels.
The rear view mirror is unusually small, which is odd considering that the car is built in India, where not very long ago side mirrors are optional because of the chronic traffic congestion. Instead, Indian market cars are usually fitted with wider than normal rear view mirrors.
Plastic trimmings are the usual cheaper grade hard plastics common in this segment. VW's Japanese competitors are no better but the difference is that the Japanese cleverly mask this with premium looking designs.
Where its competitors impress with sweeping lines, generous use of faux aluminium/chrome trimmings and multi-colour dashboard, inside the Polo Sedan is square, black, and then more square and black.
The only saving grace is its high quality leather trimmed steering wheel, which feels as if it's lifted off from an Audi.
In fairness, VW got its priority right. Steering wheel material matters more than any other interior part. Soft-touch plastics are nice to have but frankly you are not going to rub your hands over the dashboard while driving.
With expectations set low, we set off in the Polo Sedan for a 800km drive, including two days of rush hour city traffic.
It is only at this point did the Polo Sedan shine, and brighter than the sun did it shine.
Before stepping into this car, this author was driving a higher range C-segment model. One doesn't need to drive very far in the Polo Sedan to notice the stark difference.
Turn on the ignition and the cabin remains so quiet that we have to check the tachometer to be sure if the engine is switched on. However during cold starts, there is noticeable tappet-like noise but that is common in many engines.
Even when idling in traffic, passing motorbikes can only be faintly heard from inside the car.
The seats provide firm back support but lower thigh support is slightly poorer compared with the Polo hatchback. Against its competitors' mushy soft seats, the Polo Sedan's provide far greater support on longer journeys, even for the rear passengers.
However, the person sitting in the middle rear position is either the least loved or the most sacrificial of the bunch. Despite being a front wheel drive, the Polo Sedan's rear cabin floor has a large transmission tunnel hump protruding into the cabin.
Compared with the Vios, the Polo Sedan's rear parcel shelf is useless, taken up by a huge plastic cover housing the rear seatbelts. But this is due compliance with global UNECE safety regulations, so all three rear passengers get three-point seatbelts and headrests.
Emphasis
is on durability and low maintenance cost. So nothing fancy but a
proven CLSA engine paired to a Aisin six-speed automatic.
Of course the CLSA engine is not as frisky as the turbocharged TSI unit, but we were pleasantly surprised that the difference is not that much.
Sure it's slower to accelerate but once up to speed, the Polo Sedan has no problem keeping up with faster moving highway traffic, while still maintaining a significantly quieter cabin compared with its Asian competitors.
Not even the aforementioned higher priced C-segment sedan could match the Polo Sedan's relaxed composure at such high speeds.
The best thing about the engine is that it consumed only around 7-litres/100km of RON95 petrol despite the hard driving. Driven more sedately, we have no doubt about VW's claim of 6.5-litres/100km on a combined urban/highway cycle.
Instead of a seven-speed dual clutch DSG transmission, the Polo Sedan has a six-speed Aisin automatic transmission with Tiptronic manual over-ride and sport mode.
When the car was launched, many were disappointed by the missing VW trademark TSI-DSG powertrain combination. But 800km later, we don't think it is a big deal.
Look at it another way, the combination of a proven CLSA engine and AG6 transmission developed by the Toyota affiliated transmission specialist Aisin is actually a good thing. It's a mature technology that will give many years of trouble free service.
Aside from the shortcomings mentioned earlier, we wished VW would have included electronic stability control (ESP in VW's term). Multiple studies by ADAC, EuroNCAP and even FIA have concluded that ESP is the second most important safety feature after seatbelts, and is now mandatory on all cars sold in Europe, Australia and the United States.
If cost is an issue, we would trade cruise control and headlamp levelling for ESP.
The Polo Sedan is not a love at first sight story. Instead, it's a car that grows on you over time.
It has its own share of faults but nothing serious enough to break the deal.
If you want a trendy loud looking car, or is one who looks to others for confirmation that you made the right choice, then the Polo Sedan is not for you.
This VW is most suited for confident buyers looking for a discreet but highly capable sedan that doesn't require you selling your kidney. VW is the only car maker to offer unlimited mileage five-year warranty with mobility guarantee.
While other car makers only provide warranty for parts and labour, VW's mobility guarantee even reimburses your car rental cost and if you are travelling, it even covers your accomodation.
With a 15,000km service interval, you won't need spend much time in the service centre either. Maintenance cost for this simple engine is no higher than the leading Japanese brands.
It's a proper driver's car for those who spend a lot of time on the road.
Specifications of the Polo Sedan
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cylinder
Power: 103hp at 5,250rpm
Torque: 153Nm at 3,800rpm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic with Tiptronic and Sport mode
Safety features: Four airbags, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX (rear)
Fuel consumption (combined): 6.5 litres/100 km
CO2 emission: 154 g/km
Price : RM 100,778 excluding insurance
No comments:
Post a Comment