Polo - be "fashionable", buy a Volkswagen

What is it about VW Golf that half of Europe is crazy about it? Technology, history, durability and lack of character? Perhaps, but it is possible and younger at the price of Golf. Let it not be - also with the VW logo on the hood. The Polo has always been in the shadow of its big brother, but there are plenty of sales in the secondary market anyway. The question is, does it make sense to watch them at all?

The fourth generation of this little Volkswagen has three periods in its life. He entered the market in 1999, and here there is a certain digression. Some people boil five liters of water in a pot, pour boiling water into a beautiful Ming vase, throw some Italian pasta inside, and bring it to the guests, saying with a smile on their face: "Here is a delicious broth - delicious." The guests eat what they have to, which is soup in a Ming vase. The same thing happened with the Polo - they started selling it, although there was nothing interesting about it. However, how much boiling water and noodles can be eaten - in the end, someone will grab Maggie and pour it into a bowl in such quantities that the soup will turn brown bear color. VW did the same and slightly changed the look of the Polo. No, it wasn't light. The rear end hasn't changed much, but the front end has gone from boring and asexual to a bit idiotic and fun at the same time thanks to four round headlights. However, it has certainly taken on a character. Finally, the time has come for the last stage - sooner or later it will come to someone's mind that you can put a bouillon cube into the water with Maggi and noodles. Then it all becomes really tolerable, and so it was in the latest version of the Polo in the case of Volkswagen. The front end became similar to other models in the line, began to look aggressive and at the same time good. Only that the design was already old and in 2009 we had to say goodbye to it. So what is this car really?

Well, better ask what it was supposed to be. Volkswagen wanted to make the Polo an economical Golf miniature that was relatively lively, eco-friendly and enjoyable to use. He even had a prescription. I took a 4-cylinder 1.4l engine under the microscope, left it for a couple of nights to my specialists and picked up a new unit - as before, only one cylinder less. Silly? Maybe so, but if you adopt this sound idea, it turns out to be a pretty good one. 3 cylinders means 25% lower fuel consumption, lighter construction, cheaper production and easier maintenance. Wouldn't that be too good? Well, that's why it's a little different in practice.

First impression after driving a few hundred meters? A bit noisy. Second? Works a little uneven. Third? It's a little sluggish. The 1.2 liter engine produces 54 or 64 hp. The power is actually released very evenly, but ... well, how much power? It's hard to resist the impression that this bike behaves like a dog without one leg - it can do it, but would rather have four. Due to the fact that the individual does not sin with flexibility, and, in fact, it does not exist at all, it must be smoothly pressed with the “gas” pedal. That's why at the gas station you can have a "better" mine than hepatic colic - on average, even 8l / 100km. Soviet tanks burned less. Fortunately, there are other engines. It is enough to change to a copy with 1.4l gasoline 75km under the hood. If there is someone who honestly says that he does not feel any difference, I will send him to Haiti with an escort at my own expense. The consumption is lower than in 1.2l, the work culture is good, even flashes of the dynamics appear at high speed, and the sound is not particularly annoying. If that's not enough, you can also opt for the 86 or 100 horsepower version. The first has a more modern design - it received direct fuel injection. At the top is the 1.6-liter engine, which in the GTI version can reach 125 hp. The car is neither large nor heavy, so there is enough power to make passengers faint when accelerating. What about diesels? The choice is huge. The 1.9 SDI is a not-so-fresh design that has 64KM and a huge aversion to the "gas" pedal. The acceleration of the Polo equipped with this motor is measured by the calendar, and the trip from home to church every Sunday is its element. It is definitely better to look for an engine of the same power, but with the designation TDI. 100 or 130 HP really give this little car a lot of power. Interestingly, in Polo you can also get a miniature diesel engine with a volume of 1.4 liters. He has 70-80 km of run, three cylinders, a nasty sound and a surprisingly great enthusiasm for work. Of course, it is better not to expect any emotions from him, but, given its design, its flexibility makes it quite pleasant to ride. The only question is, is the whole car good?

Statistics show that a lot depends on luck. In engines, especially 1.2L gasoline engines, the ignition coils, water pump or alternator sometimes fail. However, it is difficult to find fault with the durability of the units themselves - it is worse with the suspension. Buying a copy with a more or less playable system is very simple. In front, our roads do not like upper shock absorber mounts. In addition to them, the silent blocks of the transverse levers and the rubber bands of the stabilizer are quite fragile. Luckily, the bodywork is still rust-resistant - it only causes trouble for the exhaust system. You can control small but sometimes annoying electronic failures, although there are often problems with the ignition switch, which means it's good to have good roadside assistance systems just in case. However, it is difficult to resist the impression that the car is thought out to the smallest detail.

The manufacturer deserves applause for the interior. The truth looks like they were designed by someone dissatisfied with their lives, and instead of a tea sweetener they used antidepressant pills, although there are a lot of places everywhere, not to mention the battle of different hiding places. The front seats are spacious and comfortable, materials are perfectly matched to each other, and all controls are located intuitively. Even the trunk has the correct shape and a decent finish - plus 270 liters of volume is enough for a short trip. If only the equipment of the basic version was better. Volkswagen decided that the Poles were cavemen, for whom the microwave was a gift from the future, and the only entertainment in their lives was the production of a huge number of children - so the cheapest Polo on our market had only 4 airbags. It is better to look for richer options - used, the price difference is not so big.

Exactly - there is still the question of the price of this car. A used Polo is a Volkswagen, so the competition is cheaper and often even better equipped. Then what is his phenomenon? Because this car is like a watery broth with the fact that its emblem is a vase from the Ming and Maggi dynasties to taste.

This article was created thanks to the courtesy of TopCar, who provided a car from the current offer for a test and photo session.

http://topcarwroclaw.otomoto.pl/

st. Korolevetska 70

54-117 Wroclaw

Email address: [email protected]

tel: [phone]