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Updates: 2022 Volkswagen Polo Hatch 1.0TSI R-Line

Life’s about choosing

Pics by Motorpress
Posted: June 5, 2022

The numbers
Price: R426 100
Engine: EA211, 999 cc, DOHC 12-valve three-cylinder, turbopetrol
Power: 85 kW between 5000 and 5500 rpm
Torque: 200 Nm between 2000 and 3500 rpm
0-100 km/h: 9.7 seconds
Top speed: 200 Km/h
Real life fuel consumption: About 6.9 l/100 km
Tank: 40 litres
Luggage: 351-1125 litres
Ground clearance: 148 mm
Turning circle: 10.6 metres
Standard tyre size: 195/55R16
Spare: 185/65R15 on steel rim
Warranty: Three years, 120 000 km
Service plan: Three years, 45 000 km at 15 000 km intervals

We’re accustomed to potent little engines by now, so we no longer look at the size of the dog in the fight but rather the size of the fight in the dog.

This “Jack Russel terrier” version of VW’s one-litre turbomotor is like that. It has been in the company’s toolbox, in various states of tune, since 2012 and we drove an R-Line enhanced Gen-5 Polo with 81-kW power in April 2017.

The physically larger, yet 47 kg lighter, Sixth-Generation Polos arrived here around March 2018 and underwent a facelift, with equipment upgrade, in January 2021. They gained a redesigned front end featuring reshaped LED headlights with a matrix LED setup being optional. Wider, LED taillights extend into the tailgate while dashboards received a touch actuated climate controller and fully digital instrument cluster. It’s unfortunate that most of the added 102 cm of length went into the boot because rear seat legroom is still tight.

Model names changed too; with Trendline becoming plain Polo, Comfortline re-named Polo Life and R-Line emerging as a separate entity rather than an option pack. These, like the automatic version of Polo Life, are fitted only with the 85-kW, 200 Nm motor and seven-speed DSG transmission.

Exclusive to R-Line are special bumpers with gloss black cross- and longitudinal bars on the air intakes and a rear diffuser incorporating chromed exhaust tips in the lower panel. Standard features include 16-inch Valencia alloy wheels, two-zone Climatronic air conditioner and Composition Media infotainment with inductive mobile charging. Dashboard trim is Grey Anodised Matte and ‘R-Line’ Comfort Sport seats are covered in fabric. These have generous under-thigh support and well bolstered sides to hold the crew securely in place during spirited driving.

As good as all this looks, though, a quick comparison with the 81-kW 2017 car appears to be in order: That one claimed 9.3 seconds for the zero-to-100 km/h dash, a top whack of 197 and returned a combined consumption reading of 6.4 l/100 km. The new, more powerful and lighter car returns 9.7 seconds for the sprint, a top speed of 200 km/h and it consumed 6.9 l/100 km.  Is it a question of different gearing or was I pushing the new one harder during the spirited driving phase? I don’t think so.

If I had the choice I might be tempted to hang onto an old model although that would deprive me of 71 litres of added boot space and standard features like cruise control; Climatronic, rather than single channel aircon; smarter infotainment systems and side curtain airbags. Those features cost extra back then.

Life’s about choosing although, disquieting as certain numbers might be, this little terrier keeps up with the flow on highways and in city traffic. The gearbox is still as good as these things get; the car stops, steers and handles well; it carries a good load; the view outward is less obstructed than on many competitors and the only time it’s forced to give way is when some bully in a bigger vehicle risks confrontation with Officer Aggro in order to get ahead of what he considers to be inferior.

Test unit from VWSA press fleet

We also drove these Polos in 2022: 1.0 TSI Life and 2.0 GTI

What We Do

This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.

Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads or goat tracks as well. As a result, my test cars do occasionally get dirty. It's all part of the reviewing process.

I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material.

If ever I place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with a very similar vehicle already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.

Hope you like what you see, because there are no commercial interests at work here. There are no advertisers and no “editorial policy” rules. I add bylines to acknowledge sponsored launch functions and the manufacturers or dealerships that provide the test vehicles.  And, as quite a few readers have found, I answer every serious enquiry from my home email address, with my phone numbers attached, so you can see I do actually exist.

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