2021 Volkswagen Polo TSi Review, Road Test

2021 Volkswagen Polo TSi. The iconic hatch from the manufacturer aims to take on the likes of sales chart winner, the Maruti Swift, and others. It has been updated many times and this time around we finally have driven the manual and automatic version. Skoda Auto Volkswagen India has an aggressive strategy of launching new products from the year 2020 onwards but also heavily updated the existing lineup, yet again.

2021 Volkswagen Polo TSi has updates on the inside and outside as there are subtle changes to make it noticeable to buyers and enthusiasts. Like always, there are core strengths and weaknesses of any product that comes from Volkswagen’s portfolio. We find out what the Polo TSi offers and doesn’t to its prospective buyers.

On the outside, the hatchback retains its original shape and size but the elements have changed over the last decade. The build quality on the outside is very good and as we know, most VW cars score the highest marks in crash tests. The new wheels and the same head and tail lamps are on offer. Headlamp continues to get DRL and projector lights with halogen lamps. The typical VW grille always helps it stand out against most of its competitors despite being the most subtle of the lot. Overall, the timeless design still attracts a good amount of audience, even today thanks to other aspects just fantastic paint quality in its class and large wheels on offer.

On the inside, the build and quality are the segment best. All though, the feature list we have explained time and again in our launch reports is not that expansive. The sound system is god e and the touch screen feels great over its cousin. You have Apple Car Play and Android Auto on the car along with Mirror Link. It still gets one-touch power windows on all four windows which are lacking on its rivals.

Space is average when it comes to the leg, knee, shoulder and headroom. The boot space is good by segment standards at 280 litres. Road and wind noise inside the cabin is also well controlled over all its rivals. The safety rating is good at four stars and you get Hill Hold Assist is with the automatic variant. ABS and EBD with two airbags come as standard.

Driving

The 1.0l TSI engine is smooth, free-revving and low on NVH. Exhaust note can feel sporty to some ears and commuter-ish to others. For us, its the former. The clutch is light and so is the manual gearbox to operate. The automatic gets a creep function which is quite fast (the usual is 8-9 km/hr). The Automatic is considerably different from the automatic seen in rivals. The manual just matches with the engine character perfectly.

Low and mid-range are good on the turbo petrol motor. Top-end is good enough as well and it cruises at legal speeds easily. This makes it good enough for city and highway duties and definitely quite fun to drive than all its rivals. You have to rev it a bit to truly enjoy the top-end power like a naturally aspirated motor but the benefits are quite high than a N/A engine. Fuel economy continues is good enough as you can get 12 km/l in the city and 16 km/l on the highway. 0-100 km/hr is done in 10 seconds and it is the fastest in the segment, even after all these years.

Like most of VW cars, the low to medium ride quality is stiff, and the high-speed ride is very good and so is the stability. Body roll is well in check while taking a corner or changing lanes at high speeds. Brakes are good with good pedal bite inspiring a lot of confidence to slow down from any speed. Overall, very easy to drive, and the most fun to drive the car by far compared to all its rivals. Steering is light and precise and has good feedback on offer which makes the car fun and 100% confidence-inspiring to push harder. The steering can feel heavy at parking speeds but it instantly gets light the moment you go over 5 km/hr.

Volkswagen Polo TSi Review, Verdict

Volkswagen Polo TSi is now a better package. The manufacturer has warranty schemes that suit your needs with the four years forever package. 2021 Volkswagen Polo TSi has been localized and is quite easier than before to maintain when it comes to expenditure. The Volkswagen Polo TSi gets a great value for money proposition considering the new engine makes a substantial difference in fuel economy and yet performance, safety and practicality remain top-notch.

Sure, its rivals have more space and features, but, what the Polo offers, the competition still does not offer despite brand new platform, which makes the Polo TSi worth considering and a default choice for the enthusiast in the segment.