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-   -   Volkswagen Polo 1.2L GT TSI : Official Review (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/official-new-car-reviews/135550-volkswagen-polo-1-2l-gt-tsi-official-review-17.html)

The biggest blunder by VW here which sadly no one except 1 or 2 people here have mentioned is a hot modern hatch costing nearly 9 - 10 Lacs OTR depending on what state - It has Drum brakes at the rear !!

Come on VW - if you need your cars to sell like Hyundais start putting some equipment.

Look at the Europe Specced Volkswagens costing the same here and there BUT their equipment list is massive.

I do not expect Sat Nav and Touch Screen Audio even though its a much needed standard feature in cars now. But giving drum brakes and fabric ulphostery and thin tyres is not going to get you sales.

Thats my opinion and I am sure a lot of general opinion as well.

Please compare apples to apples Sir. The Diesel Swift & Punto are MT Diesels. If you do want to compare - the i20 AT petrol is just about 15-20k less on road, with no alloy wheels, lesser power and lesser efficiency. In this perspective, I think the price is appropriate compared to cost inputs of higher technology and premium DSG (AT+MT) gearbox. I agree it is expensive for a hatch, but if you want a good AT with great power and good efficiency, I think this is the only available option.

Am i reading the prices right? 9.5L OTR is certainly overpriced. Its not like everyone wants an automatic with this engine. give us a manual transmission and you can certainly get more customers. petrols are more ftd since you can hear the engine roar! That said, VW could certainly have given two options in transmission and priced the manual lower (DSG is around 1.6 Lakh for the Superb if i remember right) which translates to a nice drop in price. This price going against cars like honda city, top end i20 crdi will make all but the most devoted petrolhead to look for other options. If they don't get around slashing the prices slightly, this will be just another case of bad pricing killing a capable product (honda killed jazz similarly).

Sure. A Polo with a 1.2l turbo petrol engine and DSG gearbox does not really help matters as a model. The common man, including myself, looks at this car as a Polo and nothing more and I ain't gonna pay close to 10lacs for one. For those who can afford a car like this, good for them.

I know this.

I just checked the spec sheet for the i20 1.4 AT. It does come with alloy wheels as standard, rear disc brakes (how did VW miss this) and you get a 100 horses of paper power. As for efficiency, I really want to know how much more efficient a 1.2l turbo petrol can be. From experience, its not a game changer.

I am basically gonna have to pay about 3 lac more over a top spec NA 3 pot 1.2l for a TSI engine, DSG gearbox and ESP and that's it. Do you really think this is value for money?

Value for Money - no sir.

My only point is that AT's in general are expensive (case in point the i20 AT - which I think is the only comparative match). So price was not a "falling back on my chair" kind of surprise when the GT was launched. Moreover, this is definitely no car for the common man, and we can see this from the fact that VAG has not publicized it at all. For a person like me who wants a premium hatch AT, it does make sense and VAG knows that those like me will come sniffing on our own if the product is apt.

• But does that mean I don't think it can be cheaper - No !
• Does that mean I would not want leather seats, side skirting and wider wheels in the same price - No !
• Does that mean I don't dream of a similar priced diesel AT - No !

Here are some good reads on TSI:
http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/technology/petrol/tsi
http://www.volkswagen.co.in/en/innov...ssary/tsi.html

DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox):
http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/technolo...rivetrains/dsg


Small video presentation on TSI and DSG:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9piiq2Grd8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLGxWLIxYG0

There's merely a 12K difference between the i20 1.4L AT (available in Sportz variant only) and the Polo DSG. While the Polo DSG is pricey, so is the competition (in this case, the i20 AT).

In terms of features, the i20 AT offers a rear view camera, auto wipers, DRLs, cooled glovebox, electrically folding ORVMs etc. The i20 also has more space and will definitely work out more reliable / hassle-free to own in the long run. The Polo DSG is quick, yet the i20 AT is no slouch.

The Polo wins in terms of the turbo-charged motor, DSG response time & smoothness, dynamics and the all-too-important ESP; they say you don't need ESP everyday. But when you do, believe me, it'll save your life. That said, I've heard of too many petrol DSG horror stories on / off the forum to consider buying one in the near future.

Neither of these cars will bring noticeable volumes to their makers. One reason is the market being averse to expensive petrol AT hatchbacks. Second is the competent cheaper options available. For those who want a city commuter, the Brio & i10 ATs do a terrific job. There's also the Dzire AT.

I think VW has done a good deed by bringing the DSG and not an MT. I don't think they intended this to sell enough to justify bringing in 2 variants. And rather than bringing in a manual, where people would say "oh we have to pay this much more for the same size 1.2 just for tsi technology". I think the DSG is a brilliant idea. We really lack a fun to drive auto hatch and that is where this comes in.

The bottom line is I don't think VW intends this to be a volume seller.

Also those who say its not vfm, this car is 9.5l on the road with decent power, esp and a dual clutch auto. The A class will come with a 1.6 petrol which is 120bhp, and a dual clutch auto and esp, and that will be 20l+. Sure it will have leather interiors etc, and the brand name but is it worth double the price? Same for the 1 series. Does the Polo tsi look more vfm now?

I think pricing for a car like this is correct (having the TSi+DSG+ESC combination introduced for the first time in india). If you compare with the same configuration provided in other counttries polo, the price is surely justified. Ignoring the fact that from safety and add-ons perpective, other countries are offered a larger slice of cake; but i think they are also priced accordingly... check the pricing on other countries VW websites, and know for yourself..

I having a comparison for the similar configuration Polo sold in Malaysia, and india, as in picture below, for reference... (please zoom the picture, it is large so would not be viewable as below)

Point to Note:
It is "good to have" feature that VW has provided for monitoring lower oil pressure and low quantity coolant (Which I only found to have provided in this variant in India); a measure to cope with the 7-speed DSG failure occurances. (So the lack in lubrication surely seems to be the reason for the mechatronic failures, as heat is the factor for this dry-clutch engagement)

You don't need rear disks on a 104hp car. The engine and transmission on this car is mighty expensive and rear disks/leather seats would have added another lakh to the cost of the car. We should consider ourselves lucky that VW has invested in bringing this tech into India compared to other manufacturers giving us third world engines.

100-0 braking times and distances will be on par with the i20 even with the rear disks.

The same feature is available in other variants of Polo as well, even in base models. For instance here is feature list of base mode of 1.2 TDI : http://www.volkswagen.co.in/en/model...9fd26bcbe0ff6d

Yes. The technology is very expensive. Probably way more if its imported for us which I think is the case with the Polo GT.

Tell me what you think of this. In the month of March 2013, post discounts a Honda City S AT cost 10.6 on road in my city. This is exactly a lac over the Polo GT. There is no DSG, Turbo petrol or ESP. What do you buy?

In fact, Yes.. agree:

I was looking for the same in the specs for similar Polo variant Malayisa, SA (we have GTI here, not GT), UK (we have BlueGt here); not mentioned for them though..

Hi Everyone!

Just visited the VW showroom at Hosur road, Bangalore. There was a red Polo GT for display. There are no TD vehicles and neither do they have the brochures as of now. Everything should be ready within a months time is what the sales person commented. The price is tentatively 9.45Lacs on road.

The looks, build quality and features are superb!

However, they clearly informed me that buyers are not supposed to install any kind of extra fittings unless approved and installed at their showroom. Such actions would void warranty. This is especially regarding aftermarket ICE.

Wanted to ask them whether washing the vehicle would void the warranty! or they may say warranty is denied as during delivery there were x grams of dirt which is missing. :D

VW is not doing anyone any favors, they are simply penny pinching wherever they can. The tremendous acceleration that the tsi engine generates necessitates absolutely spot on braking especially in urban traffic and all around discs would have been par for the course. As for the third world engines all one has to do is look under the hoods of existing Polos. Every other manufacturer has introduced engines that are either similar to or variants of their current offerings being sold in mature markets all around the globe.