Minimalism has an aura of understated elegance that surrounds it, something which cannot be attained with the addition of loud adornments or changing the attire to stay abreast with the latest fashion. What matters is the change within. Transformation which makes something a better version of what it was yesterday.
At the core of this evolution must be the heart, something that is bigger, stronger, more accommodating, something that attracts and connects more. The new 2014 Volkswagen Polo has undergone a similar heart surgery and is now available with a more powerful, 4-cylinder diesel engine. The typically European styling was always easy on the eye and we feel it is a good thing that the German manufacturer hasn’t tinkered around with it too much. So let’s try and figure if the new engine still has a low bpm problem or does it provide a rush of blood to the head.
Styling
There are some who crack a joke to gel with the crowd, some try to look their best in crotch hugging pants and a fat shrinking suit. The Volkswagen Polo doesn’t belong to that breed. It’s akin to that man who needs just a little smile to break the ice and you instantly know, there’s a ‘Mariana Trench’ behind those eyes. The mature styling has been retained. However, the addition of some new bits makes the car look sharper and trendy.
To begin with, the headlamps are now a double-barrel unit, partitioned by a bezel, with the lower inner deck housing the indicators. The front grille features a chrome strip at the bottom which bridges the headlights, while the front air-dam in the bumper is highlighted by a chrome strip that mimics the upper silhouette of a stretch-limo.
Not many body panels have changed, so if one had to tell the car apart from its predecessor looking sideways, the new 10-spoke, 15” alloys are the only giveaway. At the rear, the bumper is differently designed. It now features a sharp crease below the tail-gate, which melts away into the rear wheel arches. The rectangular space for the licence plate has been widened, and re-shapes as a trapezoid, while the bottom now features reflectors on the flanks.
Length and width are similar to the outgoing model. However, the wheelbase has been increased by 13 mm. Does it make the rear seat more comfortable, we’ll find out on the next page. There are more colours in the palette and the car is now available in a new shade of Burnt Orange (One in the pictures).
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