Team-BHP - Volkswagen Polo : Test Drive & Review

Volkswagen has announced that airbags will be a part of standard equipment on all variants of the Polo from February 1, 2014. The company also announced that the Comfortline variant of the Polo will be equipped with anti-lock braking system (ABS).

Link to Team-BHP News Article

Kudos to VW on this move to make airbags standard across variants and providing the ABS in the popular mid-variant and the 1% cost revision is hardly anything compared to how Ford and Renault were milking their customers.
Finally manufacturers are paying attention to the disastrous statistics of our countries road fatality. clap:

What about the Vento are they napplying the same yardstick of safety on it or not? Can anyone clarify?

However, it's another thing to get our people wear seatlbelts for these airbags to work. Just yesterday I was ridiculed by a friend of mine for wearing the seatbelt for a 5minute drive.:Frustrati

Cheers,
D.

Quote:

I was ridiculed by a friend of mine for wearing the seatbelt for a 5minute drive.

Offtopic, but...

The incident that persuaded me to wear seatbelts for ever after, for every drive, happened within seconds of the driver (I was passenger) pulling away from the curb.

I wonder what your friend thinks [s]he is loosing by wearing the belt? ego points somehow?

Ontopic...

According to the news-item link, the price rise is 2.7%, and it is the second this year. I have no idea if this can be fully justified by the costs of the aditional safety equipment, but I think that airbags are not a cheap feature to add, and that nor is ABS, on models where they have added that too. Anyway, I welcome the addition.

Off topic.

Some of India's best-selling small cars have failed independent crash tests conducted by a global car safety watchdog.

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/ma...st-time-477550

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There were two tests carried out on identical cars of the same make - meaning two of each car were procured by Global NCAP from Indian showrooms, and shipped to Germany for the tests. One crash test was performed at 56 kmph, the other at 64 kmph.

All five cars failed the test, landing a zero on a scale of 1-5.

:Shockked:

Now this news puts the VWs announcement on making airbags standard in a all new perspective. I strongly suspect its a reaction to this news from Germany.

I am Personally appalled by how global corporations behave in such a shameless manner and act so belatedly, and I take back my appreciation for them, posted yesterday.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom (Post 3358738)

Offtopic, but...
I wonder what your friend thinks [s]he is loosing by wearing the belt? ego points somehow?

:OT
Actually my friend wears the seatbelt all the time, as she lives and works in Chennai, where the compulsory seat belt is being implemented. I was ridiculed for wearing mine in Vellore(a Tier-III city) where traffic rule implementation is a joke.
Its ironic how we call ourselves law-abiding citizens, but instead we should call ourselves law-acting citizens.

Cheers,
D.

Oh wow! :eek: This is one hell of a move from VW. I hope the other manufacturers follow suit.

I suppose we have reiterated this a gazillion times in the forum! Airbags have to be made mandatory across all the variants of the cars. Let the cars be expensive due to the added airbag modules, sensors, electronics and such but let the manufacturer promote the feature aggressively. Although there’s no guarantee that the airbags would save the lives of the driver and the co-driver in the event of an unfortunate accident, it could very well improve the chances of reducing fatalities if nothing.

VW seem to have jacked up the prices of the Polo and the Vento as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Overdrive

The rise in Polo and Vento prices translate into a rise of about Rs 22,700 and Rs 26,800 for the Vento. This hike will be effective from February 1, 2014.

Volkswagen group sales India (passenger cars) MD Arvind Saxena said, “We are proud to be leading the cause of driver safety, and we believe the introduction of airbags as standard fitment across all variants of the Polo is a major step forward in the context of safety.”

Overdrive

Regardless, good job VW! :thumbs up

Although the VW move may be prompted by the NCAP crash test results, I still commend them on taking such quick action whereas the other companies have just released statements justifying themselves! :Frustrati

:OT Kudos also to Nissan which probably was the first global brand to provide driver airbag as standard in the base variant of their car.

VW and the NCAP tests, Overdrive article...

Quote:

At Volkswagen, we recognise this need, given increasing driving speeds, more women drivers, longer driving times and a younger driver. Therefore, we have decided to have front dual airbags as standard on the Polo, as our continuing commitment to safer and better driving. We are the first automaker in India to do so, making the Polo the safest premium hatchback in the market today."

my bold. And, if they go on talking like that, my reason for not buying another VW :mad:

~

Can someone clarify on this part?

Most Indian media report that VW will offer Airbags only as standard across variants but BBC claims that VW is planning to offer ABS too in all vairants with price increase of 2.7% !

Kudos to VW if they are planning to do that.

Quote from BBC UK on the Crash test failure news.

Quote:

As a result of the tests, Volkswagen has withdrawn its Polo model without airbags.

Volkswagen also said the airbags, as well as anti-lock brakes, would become standard from 1 February along with a 2.7% price increase to offset the costs, the Associated Press (AP) news agency reports.

International facelifted Polo engines revealed.

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A new 1.4-liter TDI engine was introduced with the Polo, with two stages of tune and meant to replace the 1.2 TDI 75 and 1.6 TDI 90. Also brand new for the entire Volkswagen brand is the 1.0 TSI turbo designed for economy

No indication yet, when VW India would launch them here. Could be with the all new Polo due in 2015!

http://www.autoevolution.com/cars/vo...oors-2014.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom (Post 3359296)

VW and the NCAP tests, Overdrive article...

my bold. And, if they go on talking like that, my reason for not buying another VW :mad:

~

Thad, I think what they mean is, they want to provide more safety to women and young drivers rather than from !

Nope. They included them, with younger drivers (sorry, younger members, but its true) and increased speeds, ie things that increase risk. To me the meaning was clear.

Providing safety to a female body, excepting perhaps during pregnancy, is exactly the same as providing safety to a male driver. And, the safety is/should be provided for all car occupants, not just the driver.

This is a real foot-in-mouth statement from an MCP marketing guy!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom (Post 3359909)

This is a real foot-in-mouth statement from an MCP marketing guy!

Did you guys watch this weeks's CnB special on the GlobalNCAP results? I was watching it with some friends and at the end SVP was reading out statements of various companies. When VW's statement was read out, one of my female friend went berserk and was like what the hell(beep) were they smoking ? lol:

Like Thad said, it only means one thing, Women behind wheels are as dangerous as increasing driving speeds. Outrageous statement.

Either that person has to be a true blue MCP or he/she doesn't know PR 101.:deadhorse