The ongoing time is now demanding automatics hatchbacks in the showroom, moreover the young professionals and ladies are its key buyer rather than someone from past generation-office going uncle or so. Keeping only these things in mind carmakers are rolling out automatic version of their hatchbacks model plate, which we think is not going on the masses’ shoulders but is showing sufficient output against the input wobbled in towards the targeted class. Volkswagen is an up market brand in India and assuming it to be deprived from the catchy trend, is not catering its automotive veins and hence we got a chance to drive the newly launched Polo “GT” with only 1.2 TSI petrol motor.
Well, this one is not a complete GT in the sense which one maybe thinking of in the particular aura but, let’s be clear the existing only Polo had been worked out to derive the GT derivations, so expectations should go that way itself. We are not marking some negative points on it right now, but making a segmentation understand in the proper manner gives in right amount of overall insight.
Engine and Performance:
The 1.2L TSI engine is officially said to yield 103bhp of peak power @ 5000 rpm and 17.8kgm of torque starting at 1500 RPM and staying comfortably till the meter clocks 4100 RPM, made us felt diving in again and again in the same bracket. Though we can say that additional 2.2kgm than the 1.6L Polo is impressive than the existing model range. Kicking the ignition in GT, one cannot feel the difference till 1500 RPM, because the turbo gets awaken after that particular figure, below the bespoken figure it feels a bit tad to drive. Once when the pointer crosses 1500 mark then the actual excitement starts pulling on drivetrain, that fun and frolic start gaining boost from the roost of metal, giving a shot of adrenaline at every action, but all this stays for 5000 RPM, above that the harshness starts pouring in. However, as said above the combination of direct injection and turbocharger doesn’t gives in that punch of GT badged car, making it to stand on the side of all GT monikered horizon. In spite of a smaller jag namely 1.2L TSI mid range proves quite peppy for the ride, but as an overall calculations, the makers could have done more in the sense of output, which nowadays diesel are yielding better than it. Taking the steps again to pavilion, VW’s motto behind the TSI strategy was to deliver the output of petrol engine but the efficiency should be stricken to that of diesel, hence the quite low powerful profile is maintained on the Polo GT. 17.2 kmpl is the official figure claimed by ARAI on the new Polo, lest the GT moniker on this hatchback is for India spec only, so there is no comparison of it at an international level.
Lest of the TSI talks, another important thing bestowed to this Volkswagen model plate is DSG dual clutch 7 speed gearbox, assimilated accurately with the 1197cc, 4 cylinder petrol motor, that drives all the forces from front wheel. Now shifting the concentration from powerplant to the ‘dual clutch’ intimation, the evidence of betterment is felt from straight line acceleration itself, made us to swoop from 0-60 km/h in just 4.9 seconds and 0-100 km/h in 11.27 seconds (not subjected to the standard test conditions), which had stood neck to neck with 1.6L Polo manual. Meanwhile, the acronym of straight line acceleration also hadn’t let our hair down, some cool flickering is registered on our notepad. Taking the highway cruise, it had proven fuel efficient and quick as well, given with the 6th and 7th as overdrive gears. If one really wants to put in efforts and churn out maximum then “Sport” shift will give him the longer gear holding ratios, and also keeping the stimulation tending above 2000 RPM only, not falling below than that. As aforementioned, the GT type of feeling seems lacking here on this board but if anyone out there is screaming to feel at least the belt of GT, then switch to manual mode, because the actual prowess type of feel can experienced in the par 6000 RPM which the derivation is better in manual shifting. The only thing we had found lacking here is the pedal shifters, if added then the excitement would have been raised by several notches. Though the Volkswagen had already fitted petrol engine and such expensive gearbox, so this particular further addition must have risen the cost aggressively. And for the safety, ABS and ESP are added as its standard fitment.
Handling the new Polo cannot be concluded to that of GT standard, suspensions and other bits had taken the charm of original segmentation and have added only the extra sportiness to it. But it wasn’t that worst when we rode the bumpy roads of city, suspension gobbled up potholes mildly letting only a small amount of force inside cabin, where the steering is light and direct. The drive felt understeered, yet can give in the right amount of prediction to drivers. Dual airbags and hill hold are also added for the extra money-value punch.
Exteriors:
Outers remained all same to the ongoing Polo, front grilles, tyres, nothing is changed to mark the remarkable note at a glance. Whereas, the chromed GT badging on front and the back, whilst of watermarked hologram on side are the only tweaks which this 1.2L TSI differ from its any of the other siblings. The hologram on side looks can be peeled of very easily unless and until any sort of coating is not provided to it.
Interiors:
Interiors had also remained pretty same, but there are some factors that had stretched comparison on the different platform but it is not so to be called a ‘distinct identity’. New seat fabrics, refreshed music system with bigger screen, aux, Bluetooth, SD card and USB connectivity whilst of the automatic climate control are the aura of freshness inside, nothing more than that remarkable, except some additional chrome bits here and there.
Conclusion:
Conclusion is straight forwardly can be seem from the attitude used in this post, very hopefully we were expecting something lot more on the GT bag but sadly that much of output is not delivered segment oriented (GT to be precise). Hence, the better refinement can be felt from that of the conventional 1.6L manual Polo, and on that basis it a better option, but not something to buy while taking GT into consideration. Getting back to the basics again, we have the mentioned in the first stanza itself, young professionals and ladies are the core buyers of petrol automatic and so this one is not an exception. Polo GT is good than any of the badgings in automatic hatchbacks horizon but not something very exclusive on the part of ‘Gran Tourismo’ peculiarities.
Ratings:
Priced at Rs. 7.99 lakh (ex showroom Delhi), the Polo is anytime better than the regular hatchback and its regular sibling conventional Polo too, but the GT moniker fails to fuel our aspirations not even till the belt of core.
5/10 is the perfect terminology for this VW bug.
Polo GT TSI Technical Specs
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Capacity
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Engine & Transmission
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Suspensions, Brakes, Steering & Tyres
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