Polo Hatch 1.6 CKD – Big On Fun
Sepang, 19 Feb 2014 – Volkswagen Group Malaysia (VGM) promised the VW Polo 1.6 Hatch, now available as a CKD model in Malaysia as ‘BIG ON FUN’ when they invited us to the media presentation, held over the last two days at the Sepang International Circuit, and have fun we did.
The claimed fuel consumption for mixed driving is officially 6.3 litres per 100 kilometres, and over a 96 kilometre course that covered a mixture of Old Subang Airport road morning jam, a stint on the highway to Purtajaya via the SKVE and onto the backroads of Salak and Nilai, we proved it incorrect – we achieved 5.5 litre per 100 kilometres. Because it was a contest of sorts, we of course tried harder than usual. In order to obtain results as close to ‘normal driving’ conditions as possible, VGM did have certain ‘rules’ in place, and placed a marshal in each car to ‘enforce’ them. We were not allowed to turn off the air-conditioning, which had to be set at not higher than 21 degrees Celsius, (no restriction on fan speed). Besides the air-conditioning rule, we were also not allowed to ‘coast’ in neutral, nor were we allowed to switch off the engine at traffic lights or on downhill stretches. The only ‘tools’ we had were to drive as ‘frugally’ as possible through using gentle acceleration and anticipating traffic conditions to minimise wastage of fuel. The final clincher was a time limit of 100 minutes – with the anticipated traffic conditions, plus the possibility of heavy traffic (and there was), we had to drive up to 90 kph on some stretches to keep to the schedule to avoid ‘penalties’. Thus the fuel consumption figure of 5.5 litres per 100 kilometres we achieved is quite ‘real’, and any normal driver without too heavy a foot should be able to attain the stated 6.9 litres per 100 kilometres quite easily. Having said that, it is a known fact that driver input is important to any vehicle’s fuel consumption, and variances can be up to 30 percent between a light-footed driver and a heavy-footed one.
The CKD Polo Hatchback comes equipped with a 1.6 litre engine and a 6-speed automatic transmission, and is the third Volkswagen model to go into CKD production at the DRB-HICOM assembly plant is Pekan, Pahang. Prior to this, the Polo Hatch has been available as a CBU, equipped with a 1.2 litre TSI engine and a 7-speed DSG transmission.
Mechanically similar to the Polo Sedan, the CKD Polo Hatch, priced at RM87,888 is priced at RM2,000 above the CKD Polo Sedan. Mr Christoph Aringer, the newly appointed Managing Director of VGM also hinted that there would be another Volkswagen model going into CKD production soon, and based on our information, this would be the VW Jetta.
The two CKD variants are priced directly in competition with the Toyota Vios and Honda City – car buyers in Malaysia would now be spoilt for choice when buying a car below RM90,000.
In the spirit of ‘Big on Fun’ the media presentation included a series of ‘FUN’ exercises at the Sepang International Circuit; a timed slalom run to demonstrate the agility of the vehicle (which translates into fun of driving), driving the car through an obstacle course with a unique ‘G-Force sensor’, a parking exercise, and a taxi ride on a dirt course.
On the road, the Polo hatch has a good balance between outright power and fuel economy. Priced just about right for its intended target market, the Polo hatch is for those who prefer a hatch to a sedan. Ride is excellent, and interior space, despite its size, is generous enough to fit four adults, and five at a squeeze. Handling is exemplary, and body roll is minimal, which was confirmed during the ‘tennis ball-in-a-wok-strapped-to-the-bonnet’ exercise. The object was to drive the Polo as fast as you could through a winding course without the tennis ball falling out, all part of the ‘fun’.
The six-speed auto transmission puts the Polo up a level against its competitors in its class; for the uninitiated, a six-speed allows for better ‘spacing’ of gear ratios, and allows for smoother and more seamless gear changes. For the more ‘sporty-minded’, there is the ‘plus/minus’ option on the gear lever that comes as standard. The 105 horses available with 153Nm of torque peaking at 3,800 rpm put the grunt in the usable zone.
Additional features that add value include cruise control, a radio with CD player (WMA/MP3 compatible), USB and IPod interface, AUX-IN support, SD card slot, and Bluetooth connectivity for mobile and audio streaming. Besides the above, the air-conditioning system features ‘Climatronic’ automatic control. Other great features include power windows with one-touch up/down and ‘anti-pinch’ for all four windows, making the Polo the only car in its segment to have this feature.
For peace of mind, the Polo hatch also comes with a dual airbag package, Intelligent Crash Response System (ICRS), 3 –point seatbelts for rear passengers, ISOFIX child seat anchor, ABS, BA (Brake Assist), Park Distance Control (PDC), and electronic immobilization, making the Polo a great proposition insofar a ‘bang per buck’ is concerned.
