New  Volkswagen Polo

New 2014 Volkswagen Polo 1.5 TDI Review: Smooth Operator

Performance, ride & handling and efficiency

New 2014 Volkswagen Polo 1.5 TDI engine bay side view

A game of Polo requires 4 horses on each side. Volkswagen realised it was playing with a curtailed team and added another hole which makes driving the new car a fresh, minty experience. The new 2014 Volkswagen Polo features a 4-cylinder, TDI unit that matches its character on the outside. Where the older 3-cylinder motor felt anaemic and sung only when it hit the sweet spot, the new engine is entirely different. It develops 90 PS of power at 4200 rpm and 230 nm of torque between 1500 – 2500 rpm. That is 15 PS and 50 nm more than the outgoing 1.2 diesel engine. The new engine isn’t as noisy either and good cabin insulation ensures, one needs to try hard to notice the faint clatter that filter into the cabin. Once on the move as you gather some revs, the engine note in the cabin sounds rather pleasant. However, on the outside, there is no hiding that unmistakeable clatter of a TDI unit.

New 2014 Volkswagen Polo 1.5 TDI in action 11

The new engine pulls cleanly from as low as 1200 rpm, while thanks to the peak torque which is developed and stays flat between 1500-2500 rpm, it lends the car with excellent driveability. We revved it all the way till 4500 rpm. However, post the 4000 rpm mark the power seems to taper off slightly. The turbo spools around the 2000 rpm mark, but there is no sudden spike in power anywhere in the rev band. Power kicks in, in a very linear and mature manner. Even below 2000 rpm, the engine has enough grunt to propel the car at decent speeds within the city. Gearshift is smooth and the throw is short. Gear ratios complement the character of the new motor.

During its stay with us, the car witnessed an expressway run from Mumbai to Pune and back, where it hardly experienced anything less than triple-digit speeds. Keeping it in the mid-range makes the car accelerate in a rapid manner and it is out on the open roads where the new engine shines. The car reaches the ton in about 12 seconds and looked good to soldier on till 160 kph. Progress is slow post the 4000 rpm mark, as we mentioned which should make climbing the speedo needle further a bit of a puff.

New 2014 Volkswagen Polo 1.5 TDI cornering left

The sweetly tuned chassis on the Polo has always been one of our favourites in the hatchback segment. As it dances to the tune of this new engine, it feels completely at home. The car corners flat and in a composed manner, without any twitch, while high-speed stability is right up there with the very best. Ride quality is mature and once on the move, the car takes minor undulations and bumps in its stride with aplomb. At slower speeds, some might feel the suspension to be slightly stiff, but that is what gives the car its ability to ride so well otherwise. The Polo is so good at masking its speed, one needs to look at the speedo to realise the amount of momentum that has been gathered.

New 2014 Volkswagen Polo 1.5 TDI cornering right 1

The steering is an electric unit, which is light at city speeds and builds some weight as it gathers speed, though we would have liked it to feel a bit more heavy. However, it is quite accurate and will point the car where you intend to with the right inputs. We would have liked it to be more communicative, but the masses love the ease of a light steering in our traffic infested cities, and you can’t blame them for that.

New 2014 Volkswagen Polo 1.5 TDI TOSA Alloy Wheels

The front discs coupled with the rear drums ensure the car tracks straight even under heavy braking and instils confidence at high speeds. The Highline model we tested came equipped with ABS, which boosted our confidence when we were gunning the car as it poured outside. Special mention has to be made for the Apollo Alnac rubber the car comes factory fitted with. The 185/60 R15 rubber provided excellent grip even in extreme wet conditions and helped the car stay composed. Tyre noise at high speeds is contained, which meant we never had to make too many corrections in the audio volume with variable speeds.

New 2014 Volkswagen Polo 1.5 TDI Fuel filler cap New 2014 Volkswagen Polo 1.5 TDI distance to empty

The Volkswagen Polo’s new 1.5 litre TDI unit carries an ARAI rated efficiency figure of 20.14 kmpl. In the city, we managed to retrieve 15 kmpl in bumper-to-bumper Mumbai traffic, gunning for the odd gaps with the AC continuously in operation. What surprised us though was that it returned a figure of 14.5 kmpl during our expressway run, even when the engine was constantly on the boil. The Polo has a 45 litre tank and if driven with a lighter foot, it should be able to munch many miles before it needs a refill.

>>Next page for verdict>>

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