Grilles test: Volkswagen Polo 1.4 TSI (132 kW) DSG GTI
Ah, these little "hot-hatches" (the closest translation is "hot limousines"), as the islanders call them! Pepperoni, chili ... Always and on all continents of this association. Why not look for a musical comparison once and for all? And if so, then it can only be drums. Or better yet: drummers.
I bet there are plenty of arguments for and against a Clia RS versus Polo GTI matchup. On the one hand, why not? But if you go deeper - have you heard that any oenologist directly compared sparkling and classic wine? E?
But the story is this: the world is changing because individual elements in it are changing. Born about a quarter of a century ago, it's taken the little devils all this time for most of them to find their directional philosophy: if the Clio RS is a terrific car, then the Polo GTI is quiet serious, but also damn fast. See the difference?
The base is, of course, the Polo, and the heart is the engine. Kilowatts, Newtonmeters and other methods are good reads but don't say anything about how this GTI actually drives. It's like this: as long as the right foot is light and calm in movement, it rides almost the same as any other Polo 1.4 TSI. Gentle, obedient, without disorder, exemplary. The only difference is that what ends in another Theisis continues here. Two hundred plus miles an hour for traffic is nothing special.
You can't get a Polo GTI (at the moment) without a DSG gearbox. And that means two. For the first time even in this car, the DSG is excellent, lightning fast and (almost) completely (noticeable) when overtaking while driving, and besides, of all the gearboxes that do not have a clutch pedal in the cab, the driver probably knows best what she wants from him at some point. For special occasions, it has a sport program that shifts at higher revs, and for an even more special touch, it has the option of manual gear shifting via the gear lever or steering wheel controls. And secondly, when maneuvering slowly (i.e., alternating back and forth, especially in cold weather), it becomes awkward and ticklish. So inconvenient to park an inch.
Now that we understand power transfer, we can get back to the engine. The same applies to its sound as it does to the characteristics described: hair-wise, it is similar to those in other Poles 1.4 TSI, except that as it spins at higher speeds, the aforementioned noise increases accordingly. . Not to annoy, no, but not sporty either. Except when the gear is downshifted - with intermediate gas. That's when it pumps up some adrenaline and makes a lot of people want to be able to shift like that with a manual transmission. Mainly because of that nice "vum" when adding intermediate gas.
Because the engine has good torque available for a long time, and because the transmission is so smart, the Polo GTI can be almost boringly flawless for some. You will not surprise him with anything: neither inclination, nor bending, he always responds to the gas command with the necessary torque on the output shaft. But this is what opens up new challenges - testing how good a driver he is ...
The DSG has another nice feature, which is technically nothing special, but it is useful in the end: if you switch to driving position (D) at rest, the revs remain the same (idle, about 700 rpm). but if you switch to sport mode, the revs go up to 1.000. Very handy for quick launch. As for the revs: the electronics of the engine and transmission does not allow the tachometer needle to rise above 7.000. Also good, as the torque already drops a little there, and repetition of this will shorten the service life.
I don't even care about the "only" two-wheel drive. The wheel geometry is very good, the chassis also (as it is quite stiff, which requires some comfort tax) and the non-deactivating ESP work great, so there is usually enough torque on both wheels for more fun. ... What worries me is that the ESP cannot be switched. This deprives the driver of the upgrade of the aforementioned entertainment and the opportunity to test himself, which is especially evident today when the roads are covered with snow. But this is Volkswagen's philosophy, and therefore (this) GTI is not (like them) an RS.
The GTI kit also includes some hardware. The seats, for example, are sporty in shape and color, but lack integrated head restraints, but this also applies to the same chapter as the non-deactivating ESP, except the seats don't mind. Otherwise, they are durable, comfortable and with an effective yet unobtrusive side grip. And the driving position is perfect. And the handlebars: thick and great grip. But also the lower level, which, in addition to being exciting (well, kind of who), is not practical or more disturbing: since the speed of the steering wheel between the extreme points is much greater than 0,8, it is inconvenient if there is confusion in any corner.
And that's basically all about the Polo GTI. Volkswagen has them in blue as they also offer it with five doors, but if it's a three-door, it has a technically flawless seat offset (fold, shift, memory), but in practice it comes back so far away from itself. An awkward word. The rear door mirrors are just as uncomfortably small, but they are comforted by the fact that the fast ones don't need to know what's behind them.
Let's say two more words about consumption. The on-board computer says that there are only 100 liters per 5,6 kilometers per 100 kilometers per hour, 130 - eight, 160 - 10,6 and 180 - 12,5 liters, which is quite affordable. At the gas station, even headless extrusion does not kill: after 15 they could not get it. Below nine, however, is easy, and with only a moderate right foot and still on the verge of a speed limit.
This is how this Polo GTI became famous in its musical career. Fast, actually very fast, but very moderate and sober. To illustrate that there is actually no RS type, enter the letters in the YouTube search engine in the following order: "buddy rich animal drum battle" and click on the first suggested option. Effective in speed, but no breakdowns. Polo GTI. Raw materials? Not at all!
Vinko Kernc, photo: Aleš Pavletič
Volkswagen Polo 1.4 TSI (132 kW) DSG GTI
Basic data
| Sales: | Porsche Slovenia |
|---|---|
| Base model price: | 18.688 € |
| Test model cost: | 20.949 € |
| Calculate the cost of auto insurance | |
| Power: | 132kW (180 KM) |
| Acceleration (0-100 km / h): | 7,4 with |
| Maximum speed: | 229 km / h |
| Mixed flow ECE: | 11,2l / 100km |
Technical information
| engine: | 4-cylinder – 4-stroke – in-line – turbocharged petrol – transverse front installation – displacement 1.390 cm³ – maximum power 132 kW (180 hp) at 6.200 250 rpm – maximum torque 2.000 Nm at 4.500– XNUMX XNUMX rpm. |
|---|---|
| Energy transfer: | engine-driven front wheels - 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission - tires 215/40 / R17 V (Bridgestone Blizzal LM-22). |
| Capacity: | top speed 229 km / h - acceleration 0-100 km / h 6,9 - fuel consumption (ECE) 7,5 / 5,1 / 5,9 l / 100 km, CO2 emissions 139 g / km. |
| Transportation and suspension: | limousine - 3 doors, 5 seats - self-supporting body - front single wishbones, leaf springs, double wishbones, stabilizer - rear multi-link axle, coil springs, telescopic shock absorbers, stabilizer - front disc brakes (forced cooling), rear disc 10,6 - rear, XNUMX m. |
| Mass: | empty vehicle 1.269 kg - permissible gross weight 1.680 kg. |
| External dimensions: | length 3.976 mm - width 1.682 mm - height 1.452 mm - wheelbase 2.468 mm - trunk 280-950 l. |
| Inner dimensions: | fuel tank 45 l. |
| Box: | Trunk volume measured with AM standard set of 5 Samsonite suitcases (total 278,5 L): 5 places: 1 × backpack (20 L); 1 × aviation suitcase (36 l); 1 suitcase (68,5 l) |
Our measurements
| T = -4 ° C / p = 994 mbar / rel. vl. = 42% / Mileage condition: 4.741 km | |
| Acceleration 0-100km: | 7,4s |
|---|---|
| 402m from the city: | 15,7 years ( 151 km / h) |
| Maximum speed: | 229km / h (VI. V. VII.) |
| Minimum consumption: | 8,7l / 100km |
| Maximum consumption: | 14,1l / 100km |
| test consumption: | 11,2 l / 100km |
| Braking distance at 100 km / h: | 40,3m |
| AM table: | 40m |
| Noise at 50 km / h in 3rd gear | 56dB |
| Noise at 50 km / h in 4rd gear | 55dB |
| Noise at 50 km / h in 5rd gear | 54dB |
| Noise at 50 km / h in 6rd gear | 54dB |
| Noise at 90 km / h in 3rd gear | 64dB |
| Noise at 90 km / h in 4rd gear | 62dB |
| Noise at 90 km / h in 5rd gear | 60dB |
| Noise at 90 km / h in 6rd gear | 60dB |
| Noise at 130 km / h in 4rd gear | 65dB |
| Noise at 130 km / h in 5rd gear | 64dB |
| Noise at 130 km / h in 6rd gear | 63dB |
| Idling noise: | 38dB |
| Test errors: | unmistakable |
evaluation
The engine is very good, really great, but too good on its own to deserve more than three smiles here. The addition came with superiority to the rest of the mechanics.
Driving pleasure:
We praise and reproach
driving position
seat
engine (power, consumption)
DSG while driving
chassis, road position
counters and information system
calm sporty interior
ESP system operation
audio system
uncomfortable buttons on the steering wheel
small exterior mirrors
the steering wheel in the down position covers the sensors
DSG in slow maneuvering
unsportsmanlike engine sound
non-switchable ESP
price
