PoloDriver

Once again, the Volkswagen Polo was one of the UK’s top 10 most popular cars last month, according to the latest registration figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). In ninth place, 2,800 Polos found new homes in April 2017: with 18,253 registrations, the small Volkswagen sits in eighth place for the year so far.

In a repeat of past months, the Ford Fiesta once again was top of both charts in April, the Ford hatchback boasted 4,957 registrations for the month, and 43,162 for the year-to-date. Overall, when compared to the same period last year, new car registrations fell almost 20 per cent, with the new Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) bands expected to answer for the slump.

A total of 152,076 cars were registered in April, but the SMMT still states that the year-to-date performance for 2017 is still at record levels, with new car volumes up 1.1 per cent with 972,092 units recorded. The UK’s top 10 most popular passenger cars during April 2017 and the year overall (sales figure and position in brackets) were as follows:

1 Ford Fiesta: 4,957 (43,162, 1st)
2 Nissan Qashqai: 4,430 (23,501, 4th)
3 Mercedes-Benz C Class: 3,777 (19,238, 7th)
4 Mercedes-Benz A Class: 3,608 (15,855, 9th)
5 Ford Focus: 3,421 (27,307, 2nd)
6 Vauxhall Astra: 3,346 (21,261, 6th)
7 Volkswagen Golf: 3,223 (22,446, 5th)
8 Audi A3: 3,000
9 Volkswagen Polo: 2,800 (18,253, 8th)
10 BMW 1 Series: 2,740

(The 2017 year-to-date top 10 most popular cars absent from April 2017’s registration figures were the third-placed Vauxhall Corsa, and the tenth-placed Mini with 23,765 and 15,417 cars registered respectively.)

As if GTI and GT TSI and TDI versions weren’t enough, Volkswagen India has announced the new Polo GT Sport, a limited edition ‘warm’ model. A ‘combination of power and efficiency’ is what the Polo GT Sport is all about, and like the standard GT model on which it is based, the new car is available with both TSI petrol and TDI diesel engines.

Exterior and interior updates
A host of exterior and interior updates differentiate the GT Sport from its lesser limited sibling. Outside, a gloss black spoiler, roof foil, ‘GT Sport’ side decals and 16-inch ‘Portago’ alloy wheels mark out the Polo GT Sport, while inside there are leatherette ‘GT Sport’-embossed seat covers. As limited as the – non-specified – production run is the choice of colours, with only Candy White and Flash Red the finishes available.

2017 Volkswagen Polo GT Sport (India)

2017 Volkswagen Polo GT Sport (India)

2017 Volkswagen Polo GT Sport (India)

Mechanically, the Polo GT Sport is unchanged from the standard Indian-market Polo GT. That means an option of 1.2-litre 103bhp TSI turbocharged petrol or 1.5-litre 107bhp TDI diesel engines mated to either seven-speed DSG (GT TSI) or five-speed manual (GT TDI) transmissions. Standard Polo GT features such as aluminium pedals and electrically-folding mirrors remain.

‘The first choice for buyers’
Speaking at the launch, Thierry Lespiaucq, Managing Director, Volkswagen Group Sales India, said: ‘Polo GT has been the first choice for buyers who seek strong power delivery and class-leading efficiency both combined a single carline. The GT badge has always instilled the pride of owning the best, and the Polo GT Sport takes it a notch higher.’

2017 Volkswagen Polo GT Sport (India)

2017 Volkswagen Polo GT Sport (India)

2017 Volkswagen Polo GT Sport (India)

The 2017 Volkswagen Polo GT TSI Sport is priced at INR 9.11 lakh, while the Polo GT TDI Sport costs INR 9.21 lakh (both ex-showroom Delhi). Find out more details about the limited edition Polo GT Sport on the special Volkswagen India website, while learn about the standard features of the Polo GT by clicking this link.

Following February’s re-entry into the UK’s top 10 most popular cars chart, the Volkswagen Polo was once again in the most wanted chart for March. In seventh place, 10,711 Polos found new homes last month, according to the latest registration figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). That puts the small Volkswagen in eighth place for the year so far.

The Ford Fiesta once again ruled the roost, with 25,428 units moving from the nations’s forecourts. In general, the registration total of 562,337 vehicles was up 8.4 per cent on March 2016, as new car buyers took advantage of a change in Vehicle Excise Duty rates from 1 April 2017. In fact, March 2017 was an all-time high for the UK car market.

The UK’s top 10 most popular passenger cars during March 2017 and the year overall (sales figure and position in brackets) were as follows:

1 Ford Fiesta: 25,428 (38,205, 1st)
2 Ford Focus: 17,119 (23,886, 2nd)
3 Vauxhall Corsa: 16,045 (21,305, 3rd)
4 Nissan Qashqai: 13,742 (19,701, 5th)
5 Vauxhall Astra: 11,680 (17,915, 6th)
6 Volkswagen Golf: 10,819 (19,223, 4th)
7 Volkswagen Polo: 10,711 (15,453, 8th)
8 Mini: 10,003 (12,973, 9th)
9 Ford Kuga: 9,561
10 Mercedes-Benz C Class: 9,471 (15,461, 7th)

(The 2017 year-to-date top 10 most popular car absent from March 2017’s registration figures was the tenth-placed Nissan Juke with 12,935 cars registered.)

To help buoy sales further, Volkswagen has released a range of special offers to entice prospective Polo buyers. Volkswagen Retailers are currently offering an extended deposit contribution of £1,800 at 6.2 per cent APR for customers taking advantage of Volkswagen Financial Services’ Solutions Personal Contract Plan before 30 June 2017.*

* With Solutions Personal Contract Plan. 18s+. Subject to availability and status. T&Cs and exclusions apply. Offer available when ordered by 30 June 2017 from participating Retailers. Indemnities may be required. Offers are not available in conjunction with any other offer and may be varied or withdrawn at any time. Accurate at time of publication (April 2017). Freepost Volkswagen Financial Services.

Volkswagen South Africa has added a 1.0-litre TSI model to its Polo range. A precursory step towards a smaller-capacity engine range in the country, somewhat surprisingly, Volkswagen South Africa is only offering the Polo 1.0 TSI in sports-orientated R-Line trim.

Performance and parsimony
Retailing at R290,200 (VAT and emissions tax included), the Polo R-Line’s 999cc three cylinder engine develops 81kW/108bhp and posts a 0-62mph time of 9.3 seconds. Peak torque of 200Nm/148lb ft is available from 2,000 to 3,500rpm. Top speed is 197km/h or 122mph, while economy is quoted as 4.4 litres per 100km/64.2mpg. Performance and parsimony: it would appear the Volkswagen South Africa Polo R-Line has it all.

2017 Volkswagen Polo R-Line 1.0 TSI

2017 Volkswagen Polo R-Line 1.0 TSI

2017 Volkswagen Polo R-Line 1.0 TSI

2017 Volkswagen Polo R-Line 1.0 TSI

2017 Volkswagen Polo R-Line 1.0 TSI

Key to that impressive fuel economy is a Stop/Start system paired to BlueMotion Technology with a battery regeneration system, as well as a standard seven-speed DSG transmission. Yes, that’s right, there is no manual version of the South African Polo R-Line. It’s interesting that the 1.0 TSI tiddler is only aimed at drivers of a ‘sporty’ bent (ie the young), in South Africa: in the UK Polos with this engine come in similar R-Line or ‘luxury’ SEL variants.

As with other markets, R-Line trim means a front fog lights, a logo-ed front grille, chrome exhaust pipe, ‘R-Line’ front and rear bumper, sill extensions, rear diffuser and spoiler body kit package as well as 17-inch ‘Serron’ alloy wheels, a common and attractive rim seen in Europe but hard to spot in the UK, as they are only available as an option on the Polo GTI.

2017 Volkswagen Polo R-Line 1.0 TSI (South Africa)

2017 Volkswagen Polo R-Line 1.0 TSI (South Africa)

2017 Volkswagen 1.0 TSI engine

2017 Volkswagen Polo R-Line 1.0 TSI (South Africa)

2017 Volkswagen Polo R-Line 1.0 TSI (South Africa)

Personalisation options
Inside, the South African Polo R-Line 1.0 TSI has a five-inch ‘Composition Colour’ touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth/USB and iPhone/iPod connectivity, fatigue detection warning system, ‘Cell’-trimmed sports front seats and a multifunction steering wheel. Personalisation options include an upgrade to a 5.8-inch ‘Composition Media’ infotainment system with App-Connect functionality as well as a ‘Light and Vision’ package (auto-dimming mirror, automatic headlights and wipers).

Over 155,600 fifth-generation Polo hatchbacks have been sold in South Africa since its launch in February 2010, and the multiple award-winner is the second best-selling car in the country. Only its Polo Vivo relation beats it. Available to order now, the Volkswagen South Africa Polo R-Line 1.0 TSI is offered with a 3-year/45,000km service plan, a 3-year/120,000km warranty in addition to a 12-year anti-corrosion warranty. Service intervals are 15,000km.

On 6 March, Volkswagen South Africa celebrated the production of the 1,250,000th Polo at its factory in Uitenhage. Thomas Schaefer, Chairman and Managing Director of Volkswagen Group South Africa joined in the celebrations, together with employees and management of the vehicle assembly line.

Local and international markets
The South African Volkswagen plant which is 1,000km from Johannesburg builds both the current fifth-generation Polo, Cross Polo and its entry-level sister, the Polo Vivo, which is based on the 2005-2009 facelifted fourth-generation Polo. Uitenhage Polos are produced for local and international markets, with some right-hand drive models exported to the UK.

Polo Vivo meanwhile is an African-only model, introduced in 2010 to replace the Citi Golf. From December 2016, Kenya joined Uitenhage as a production facility and the car is sold in both countries. Both Polo and Polo Vivo have been the best-selling passenger cars in South Africa for the past seven years.

The 518,912 square-metre Uitenhage plant is a Volkswagen ‘Think Blue’ sustainable-initiative factory, and employs 4,000 people. In 2015 it built 120,000 Polo, Cross Polo, and Polo Vivo cars, in addition to 113,000 1.4 and 1.6-litre ‘EA111’-series engines for consumption by the whole VW group. Fifty-five per cent of the vehicles produced at Uitenhage in 2015 were exported.