When Volkswagen showed off the refreshed version of the Polo Vivo in September, the model that had its local introduction in 2010 had notched up more than 425 000 sales locally and within Sub-Saharan Africa and had been – by far – the top seller in the local entry-level hatch market.
Fully intending to keep that momentum going, the changes to the Polo Vivo were more aesthetic than performance, the company sticking with a range of engine options suited to both lifestyle and budget with the Polo Life on test kitted with a 1,4-litre MPI petrol engine producing 63 kW at 5 000 r/min and 132 Nm at 3 750 r/min.
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Integral to the success of the Polo Vivo over the years has been the fuel efficiency of this (and the other engine options in the range) and our regular test cycle kept the numbers down to 6,2 l/100 km, which is a smidgen higher than the Volkswagen claim of 5,9 l/100 km and could well be attributed to the difference between sea level and the Highveld.
To give it some price perspective, the Polo Vivo Life 1.4 at R288 500 is positioned between the Kia Picanto 1.2 EX manual (R284 995) and the Toyota Starlet 1.5 XS auto (R290 900).
The 2024 Polo Vivo now has a fresh front-end design where the front grille gets a revised 2D Volkswagen emblem, flanked by a redesigned bumper and modern LED Daytime Running Lights. The rear end is equally refreshed, with a new 2D badge and a bold ‘Vivo’ nameplate in chrome. Additional design changes include a new antenna and the introduction of fresh colour options for both the exterior and interior.
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Inside, the Polo Vivo’s cabin has been given a more modern and comfortable feel. New seat materials and design elements have been introduced across all derivatives. The new infotainment system features a 9-inch Mirgor radio, with App-Connect and a choice of four or six speakers depending on the trim.
Standard safety features now include Electronic Stability Control (ESC), hill-start assist and remote central locking across all models. The Life derivative also offers an optional rear-view camera, further improving safety when reversing.
In so many ways the Polo Vivo is the continuation of a Volkswagen tradition that started with the Citi Golf by providing a car that crossed all the boundaries from first car through student car to young family car and finally to retirement runaround.
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The latest iteration provides high levels of comfort and enough space for a couple of adults in the rear seats with a reasonable boot capacity of 280 litres (rising to 952 litres with the rear seat folded down). More than enough space then for the annual family jaunt to a favourite holiday destination.
Ours was the 5-speed manual version and, apart from the clutch pedal position being set a little too high for Mrs W’s liking, there was little to fault in terms of the layout of the instruments and dash panel – and the infotainment screen does not require a degree in computer science to operate and set up.
Even so, reach and height adjustment for the steering wheel, plus height adjustment for the driver’s seat means it is easy to find a good driving position, however there is only a single USB port and the rear windows and outside mirrors are manually operated.
It is an easy car to drive and handles well, which kind of explains why the Polo Cup and other racing series around the country have taken off and continue to attract new competitors.
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Sure, the 1,4-litre engine will run out of breath on long Highveld inclines and will need a bit of gear work to keep the momentum going but this is more minimalistic than having to ‘row’ it along with constant up and down shifts and it certainly does not object to more enthusiastic driving, maintaining its poise and stability even when vigorously pointed into a corner.
Overall, this is a good package and likely to find favour with new car buyers as well as those trading old for new.
Colin Windell for Colin-on-Cars in association with
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