{"id":74,"date":"2022-02-16T19:06:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-16T19:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/in4ride.com\/wp\/?p=74"},"modified":"2025-08-27T09:17:07","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T09:17:07","slug":"updated-volkswagen-polo-range-now-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in4ride.com\/?p=74","title":{"rendered":"UPDATED VOLKSWAGEN POLO RANGE NOW OUT"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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When Volkswagen South Africa<\/strong> stopped producing the Citi Golf<\/strong> in November 2009<\/strong>, some of us were highly concerned about the future of motor manufacturing<\/strong> at the company\u2019s Plant in Kariega<\/strong>, Eastern Cape. Later they did announce that Polo<\/strong> and Polo Vivo<\/strong> would replace the iconic Citi as products manufactured right here in this country. Today Polo is exported<\/strong> to a number of other countries, including the United Kingdom, Kenya, Germany<\/strong>, Ghana, Rwanda<\/strong>, Taiwan, Australia and Japan among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recently Volkswagen SA launched the updated Polo range, which will continue being manufactured in Kariega. This includes both TSI and GTI performance models. \u201cThe Volkswagen Polo is South Africa\u2019s second best-selling passenger car after the Polo Vivo<\/strong>. In 2021, 16 454 Polos<\/strong> have been sold in the local market which translates to a share of 22.6%<\/strong> in the A0 Hatch<\/strong> segment,\u201d said Steffen Knapp, Head of the Volkswagen Passenger Car Brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Volkswagen has given the updated Polo a new naming regime. There are now four models \u2013 Polo, Polo Life, Polo R-Line<\/strong> and of course the range-topping GTI<\/strong>. Exterior changes have been made mainly at the front and rear ends. Up front the Polo features standard LED headlights<\/strong>, while the GTI model gets an LED strip that connects the headlights<\/strong>. New rear lights are clearly seen, with a wing design<\/strong> similar to the T-Roc and Golf\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inside Volkswagen has improved the ambiance, added the digital cockpit<\/strong> and did away with the normal analogue one. With the company\u2019s App-Connect<\/strong> feature, the new digital interior has been made available to Polo drivers as a standard item. Of course the infotainment system is accessed via a touch screen, and can give the eyes, ears and fingers music, mapping, Bluetooth<\/strong> and others. It can even offer wireless App-Connect<\/strong> as an option. For those who still prefer ports there are plenty to go around. The leather-clad multifunction<\/strong> steering wheel is grippy<\/strong> and happy to assist with the infotainment accessibility as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I drove the entry-level Polo as well as the GTI around some wide ranging roads in the Gqeberha area of the Eastern Cape. It comes with a 1.0-litre turbo TSI<\/strong> engine producing 70kW<\/strong> and 175Nm<\/strong> of torque, paired with a 5-speed manual<\/strong> transmission. Indeed it is an old school gearbox when rivals are going 6-speed. However, Volkswagen says it will return about 5.4 litres per 100km<\/strong> at the fuel pumps, which translates to roughly 740km<\/strong> from a full tank<\/strong>. The car drives very well, as a Polo does, is relatively<\/strong> quiet and comfortable inside, and most of all, fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for the Polo GTI, its 2.0-litre TSI turbo<\/strong> motor is still good for 147kW<\/strong> and 320Nm<\/strong> of torque. Volkswagen reckons it will achieve its 0 \u2013 100km\/h sprint in 6.7 seconds<\/strong>, and stop accelerating at 238km\/h<\/strong>. While the GTI is not built to be frugal, it can average below 7 litres per 100km<\/strong>. as in the pre-facelift model, a 6-speed DSG<\/strong> transmission is the only one available for South African buyers. Personally I don\u2019t mind, because it is a swift gearbox<\/strong> which can also be smooth<\/strong> under normal driving. GTI carries twin exhaust<\/strong> tailpipes which occasionally give out a fart when changing gears. We call that vrrrrrrr pha<\/strong>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Volkswagen Polo is set to be produced here for the world until at least 2025. As the brand\u2019s new entry point into the sub-premium<\/strong> market, it keeps on delivering. The outgoing Polo sold 80 629<\/strong> in this country since it was launched in 2018, keeping it as the most popular<\/strong> passenger car around. This update is looking to keep that record<\/strong> going. A question mark may be placed on pricing<\/strong>, but one only has to look around to see that nothing is cheap<\/strong> anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Volkswagen Polo Prices<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Polo 1.0 TSI 70kW – R311 800<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Polo Life 1.0 TSI 70kW – R350 000<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Polo Life 1.0 TSI 85kW DSG – R370 700<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Polo R-Line 1.0 TSI 85kW DSG – R421 900<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Polo GTI 2.0 TSI 147kW DSG – R489 400<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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