Story & photos by Patrick Tulfo
MOST of us harbor a dream of owning and driving our very own German car someday. For some, German-made vehicles are at the pinnacle of the automotive world. Owning one is already a status symbol in itself.
But for most of us, it remains a dream because of the expensive cost of buying one. German cars are known all over the world for their craftsmanship, handling, ride and engineering. Those who dream of owning a German-made marquee may not have to wait to get rich to be able to afford one.
Volkswagen (VW), who made its comeback in the country, recently introduced an affordable genuine German-made car for the Filipino car enthusiasts.
The Volkswagen Polo, both available in a sedan and hatch form, is currently displayed on all four VW showrooms all over the country.
This scribe was able to get his hand on the hatch model and put in its paces for a week, driving it mostly in the traffic-choked roads of Metro Manila and a one-time jaunt to Bulacan.
Externally, this is a good-looking hatch, which has the unmistakable VW styling most especially upfront, where it shares its look with other VW vehicles, especially the cars like the Golf and the upscale Passat.
Only the iconic Beetle, which remains up to this day as the most recognizable car that came out of the VW. It carries a different styling that remains virtually unchanged since its inception.
The famous VW logo is prominently displayed on the grill and a bigger one at the rear. First timers will be puzzled searching for the rear latch to open the compartment as the logo itself is the latch. The halogen headlamps are complemented by the standard fog lamps on the front bumper, sporting a skirt and another one at the rear, which is standard for European cars as they suffer from blinding winters from time to time. The overall look is complemented by the 15-inch Riverside Alloy wheels.
Inside, the hatch materials used for the dashboard, as well as the door panels, are the hard plastic type common in all cars nowadays. The three spoke leather-covered flat-bottomed telescopic steering wheel can be tilted and adjusted according to driver’s preference.
Headlamps control is via knob on the left side of the steering wheel. Front and rear seats sport a high-quality Livon fabric that seems can withstand wear and tear should the owner decided not to buy an aftermarket fabric cover or leather.
The RCD 320 audio system with four speakers can play cds, mp3s and it also has a slot for memory card, as well as a USB for external music source and, most important, a Bluetooth for smartphones. The infotainment system sounds great—just like the one installed on its brother Beetle, which is a good thing as it is built-in and cannot be altered or changed with an aftermarket audio system.
At the rear, the seats offer a 60/40 split folding option—giving its owner much needed flexibility in case they need to carry more stuff. The only niggle that I found so far was, unlike its Japanese counterparts, the rear quarter is a bit cramp. Long-legged passengers will have a problem, especially if the ones sitting in front are both tall.
Motivation comes from a 1.6 liter in-line-4, gasoline engine with multipoint fuel injection which produces 105 hp and 153 N-m of torque and is Euro 4 compliant.
This may be paltry compared to its competition, but the engine is well matched to a six-speed automatic transmission and combined with an overall light weight that produces a smile-inducing acceleration.
But what really makes this vehicle stand out is the way it handles, which can be compared to its more expensive brother, the Golf. The front and rear stabilizers handled the corners very well, which is not surprising, as the Polo is VW’s entry in the World Rally Championship. Having said this, those who dream of buying the Golf has a worthy alternative in the much cheaper Polo Hatch.
And lest I forget, despite having only rear drum set up with disk, up front the Polo displayed excellent stopping power. The braking feel is similar again to its brother, the Beetle, in which I had the honor of driving several months back.
The target market of this fine hatch is yuppies (young professionals), both single and those who are just starting a family should include this Hatch on their list if they are planning to buy a car. The Polo Hatch is priced at P950,000 a bit expensive when compared to its counterparts, but German cars are known to hold their value better in the long run.
Image credits: Patrick Tulfo
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