VW Polo Life 1.0 TSI manual review: Goldilocks car

The new VW Polo Life, it’s a bit like a pair of those oversized, neon-framed sunglasses that were so fashionable in the ‘80s. Even those who didn’t own a pair secretly coveted them. And, guess what, like so much in our cyclical culture nowadays, they never really went out of fashion.

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South Africa is VW Polo Life country, which means you’ve either owned a Polo through all its various iterations. Or, if you bought something else, you probably wondered whether they should have bought a Polo instead. I was recently approached by a friend for some sensible buying advice. You know the drill: ‘This is my budget, this is what I want …’

VW POLO LIFE

Procrastinate all you want, but the answer is always VW Polo Life. You may crave something out of the ordinary, something to make you stick out from the crowd. But let me tell you, for the money, the VW Polo Life (starting from R385 300) is difficult to beat. We acknowledge that the optional IQ.LIGHT matrix LEDs fitted to our test car adds cost and visual punch to the aesthetic.

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The numbers speak for themselves in South Africa. VWSA’s Kariega plant reached two-million Polos produced back in 2022. The plant has been building the Polo since 1996 and the wildly popular Polo Vivo since 2010. Whilst there are no drastic visual changes to the latest update of the VW Polo Life, it is a new car through and through, benefiting from the latest tech and upgrading production techniques at Kariega.

COMPETENT TSI

As before, under the bonnet is where the magic lies in the new VW Polo Life. The three-cylinder petrol TSI offers up an impressive 70 kW at 5 000 r/min and 145 Nm between 2 000-3 500 r/min, providing a pleasant buzzy soundtrack. Accessed through a 5-speed manual gearbox, top speed is just shy of 190 km, and the zero to 100 km sprint comes in a tested 10.4 seconds. That’s 0.4 seconds quicker than claimed.

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Interior-wise, some major improvements have transformed the VW Polo Life. Gone are analogue dials, replaced with an optionally available 9.2-inch digital cockpit display ahead of the driver. This is teamed with an updated multi-function touchscreen infotainment system that comes standard with wireless charging and App-Connect.

PROOF IS IN THE DRIVING

The VW Polo Life drive is exactly as you’d expect. A sense of familiarity is as it should be with a light feel to the steering that’s easy and unerringly accurate. The suspension set up is standard fare in this class with McPherson Strut in the front and torsion beam in the rear and minimal noise transfer into the cabin. The VW Polo Life (remember it is the basis for the current Audi A1) is so well built it gives off premium-car feels most of the time.

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The claimed fuel consumption on a combined cycle is 5.4 l/100 km from the 40-litre tank. However, we saw real-world figures closer to 6.5 l/100 km. This was during warm summer months with the climate control engaged most of the time. However, we did note the consumption creep up if you moved outside the TSI’s narrow rev range and had to downshift to maintain momentum. Something of a flat spot between peak torque and power between 3 500-5 000 r/min is the culprit here.

PRACTICAL PROSPECT

Although the VW Polo Life is the baby in the peoples’ car stable, it’s still broadly the size of a third-generation Golf. That means you have more than enough luggage space to play with, 224 litres. And if you fold down the 60:40 split rear seats and you have 832-litres of utility space. Wunderbar.

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Safety is clearly top of mind in the VW Polo Life. Try Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, optional IQ.DRIVE Travel Assist to keep you in your lane and maintain speed while taking into account the distance from vehicles in front. This goes hand-in-hand with automatic hill-hold assist, ABS with ESC, electronic differential lock and fatigue detection monitor.

VERDICT

In closing, the new VW Polo Life and Goldilocks have plenty in common. Some might say they are kindred spirits. As you’ll recall from the famed fairy tale, Goldilocks is on the hunt for what’s ‘just right’. Then you have virtually everyone who’s spent time in the new VW Polo Life coming away saying the same thing: ‘I could buy one of these.’ Pure coincidence? I think not.

THE FIGURES

• Best for: Ticking all the boxes. Try as you might, there’s not a lot out there that makes as much fiscal sense. Optional IQ.LIGHT matrix LEDs are so cool.
• Not so sure: Pretty common on the roads, is conservatively styled if left un-specced.
• VW Polo Life 1.0 TSI manual
• Engine: 999 cc 3-cyl turbo petrol
• Power: 70 kW, 175 Nm
• Performance: 10.4 sec 0-100 km/h (tested)
• Gearbox: 5-speed manual
• Economy: 6.5 l/100 km (tested), 5.4 l/100 km (claimed/combined)
• Tyres: ContiPremiumContact 185/65 R15
• Price: R385 300

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