August 2021 - Volkswagen Polo Petrol Variants Explained - Which One To Buy?

The V3Cars reviews all the variants of the 2021 Volkswagen Polo version to give you a better idea about which variant offers the best value for money. The Polo is available with a 1.0-litre normal petrol and a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine. While the normal petrol engine is paired with only manual transmission, the turbo-petrol engine has an option of both manual and automatic transmissions.

Volkswagen Polo

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Volkswagen Polo Petrol?

The pros or advantages of Polo petrol are:

  • Fantastic torque output of the 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine makes it easily drivable in the city and relaxing on the highways
  • Only a small premium for turbo petrol in the Comfortline variant
  • A decent number of features like auto AC, cruise control, touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple Carplay, auto wipers, auto headlamps, auto-dimming inside mirror, power mirrors, front armrest, etc.
  • Straight lines and a clean, understated styling ages well and looks acceptable even after being around for a decade
  • Mature and neutral manners on the highway and in the city
  • Long front centre armrest is very practical - unlike rivals which offer small armrest - just long enough to use it as an elbow rest

The Volkswagen Polo petrol has the following shortcomings or problems:

  • Underpowered 1.0-litre normal petrol engine. Its torque-to-weight ratio of around 92-93Nm/tonne is similar to that of the Alto 800 and Aura CNG.
  • Turbo petrol option is not available in the base variant.
  • No rear parking camera - although it’s an easy and cheap aftermarket upgrade.
  • Other missing features are - projector/LED headlamps, keyless entry with push-button start/stop, split-folding rear seatback.
  • Cramped rear-seat legroom. It’s a rare car in which two 6-footers can’t sit behind each other.
  • Surprisingly, the Polo GT doesn’t get front centre armrest and rear AC vents.

Volkswagen Polo Petrol - Latest August 2021 Prices

The Volkswagen Polo is available in 4 variants with a starting price of Rs. 6.17 lakh for the Trendline variant. The base variant is only available with a 1.0-litre normal petrol engine while the mid-spec Comfortline trim also gets the option of 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine with a manual and as well as a 6-speed automatic. Comfortline turbo costs Rs. 7.41 lakh while the non-turbo saves you Rs. 30,000 and costs Rs. 7.11 lakh. For the automatic, you’ll pay another Rs. 1.1 lakh.

The Highline variant is only available with the turbo petrol engine and it costs Rs. 8.49 lakh with the manual and Rs. 9.6 lakh with the automatic. The top-spec GT variant is only available with the automatic and costs Rs. 10.0 lakh.

Also Read - Honda Amaze Petrol Variants Explained Which One To Buy

VOLKSWAGEN POLO PRICE LIST

EX-SHOWROOM DELHI | AUGUST 2021

Variant

1.0 MT

1.0 Turbo MT

1.0 Turbo AT

Trendline

Rs. 6,16,500

   

Comfortline

Rs. 7,11,000

Rs. 7,41,000

Rs. 8,51,000

Highline Plus

 

Rs. 8,49,000

Rs. 9,60,000

GT

   

Rs. 9,99,900

Volkswagen Polo Trendline Petrol - Base Variant Features And Review

The Polo’s base Trendline variant costs Rs. 6.17 lakh. It is available with only the 1.0-litre normal petrol engine and a manual transmission. For the metallic paint job, you’ll have to pay another Rs. 10,000.

VW POLO TRENDLINE | BASE VARIANT FEATURES

Rs. 6,16,500 (1.0 Petrol MT) | Ex-Showroom August 2021

Safety

Functional

Style

Std. Safety Features

Height Adjustable Driver Seat

Heat Insulating Windows & Windscreen

Body-coloured Bumpers, Door Handles & ORVMs

Day/Night IRVM

Tilt & Telescopic Steering

Front Door Pockets

R14 Wheels w/ Wheel Covers

Central Locking

Adjustable Front & Rear Headrests

Front Power Windows

Turn Indicators on ORVMs

 

Passenger Side Vanity Mirror

Front Power Outlet

Black & Grey Interior Theme

 

Dead Pedal

 

Flat-bottom Steering Wheel

 

The Polo Trendline base variant has lots of missing must-have features, such as rear power windows, electrically adjustable ORVMs, remote central locking and a music system with steering-mounted controls. For this reason, we cannot recommend the Trendline variant.

Volkswagen Polo Trendline vs Comfortline Variant - Price and Features Comparison

The Polo Comfortline variant is almost Rs. 1.0 lakh more expensive than the Trendline. However, if you choose to upgrade to the turbo petrol engine, then, that will add only another Rs. 30,000. Compared to the underpowered 1.0-litre normal petrol engine, this is a significant upgrade and worth the additional premium. Metallic shades will cost you another Rs. 10,000.

Also Read - Tata Harrier Diesel Variants Explained - Which One To Buy

VW POLO TRENDLINE vs COMFORTLINE | PRICE COMPARISON

 

TRENDLINE

DIFFERENCE

COMFORTLINE

1.0 MT

Rs. 6,16,500

Rs. 94,500

Rs. 7,11,000

DIFFERENCE

-

-

Rs. 30,000

1.0 TURBO MT

NA

-

Rs. 7,41,000

DIFFERENCE

-

-

Rs. 1,10,000

1.0 TURBO AT

NA

-

Rs. 8,51,000

 

The Comfortline variant comes with several essential features such as a rear defogger, rear wiper, speed sensing auto door lock, cooled & illuminated glovebox, parcel tray, electrically adjustable ORVMs, fog lamps, audio system, rear power windows and remote central locking. It also gets ambient lighting and 15-inch alloy wheels.

POLO COMFORTLINE | FEATURES OVER TRENDLINE

Rs. 7,11,000 (Petrol MT) | Rs. 7,41,000 (Turbo Petrol MT)

Rs. 8,51,000 (Turbo Petrol AT) | Ex-Showroom August 2021

Safety

Entertainment

Functional

Style

Rear Defogger

Audio System

Rear Power Windows

R15 Alloy Wheels

Rear Washer & Wiper

4 Speakers

Electrically Adjustable ORVMs

Ambient Lighting

Speed Sensing Auto Door Lock

USB, Aux, SD Card & Bluetooth Connectivity

Remote Central Locking

 

Front Fog Lamps

 

Cooled & Illuminated Glovebox

 
   

Parcel Tray

 
   

MID

 

 

This variant gets a good number of features and is worth buying for budget buyers. We strongly recommend buying at least the Comfortline variant with the turbo petrol engine as it’s very attractively priced. The turbo petrol engine’s higher torque output will make your highway and city drive a lot more relaxed without compromising on fuel efficiency.

Also Read - Hyundai Venue Petrol Variants Explained - Which One To Buy?

The Comfortline turbo is also available with a 6-speed torque-converter automatic transmission for an additional Rs. 1.1 lakh. This asking price is also acceptable for the torque converter automatic. The only notable feature missing in the Comfortline trim is the steering-mounted controls. Otherwise, it appears reasonably loaded.

Volkswagen Polo Comfortline vs Highline Plus Variant - Price and Features Comparison

The Polo Highline Plus variant costs Rs. 8.49 lakh with the manual and Rs. 9.6 lakh with the automatic. The Polo Highline Plus petrol is Rs. 1.1 lakh more expensive than the Polo Comfortline.

VW POLO COMFORTLINE vs HIGHLINE PLUS | PRICE COMPARISON

 

COMFORTLINE

DIFFERENCE

HIGHLINE PLUS

1.0 TURBO MT

Rs. 7,41,000

Rs. 1,08,000

Rs. 8,49,000

DIFFERENCE

Rs. 1,10,000

-

Rs. 1,11,000

1.0 TURBO AT

Rs. 8,51,000

Rs. 1,09,000

Rs. 9,60,000

 

The Highline Plus variant mostly adds good-to-have features to make the package more alluring. Some of its key additional features include 16-inch alloy wheels, auto-dimming IRVM, 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and steering-mounted controls, leather-wrapped steering wheel, front armrest, auto AC with rear AC vents, power-foldable ORVMs, cruise control and auto wipers.

POLO HIGHLINE PLUS | FEATURES OVER COMFORTLINE

Rs. 8,49,000 (Turbo Petrol MT) | Rs. 9,60,000 (Turbo Petrol AT) | Ex-Showroom August 2021

Safety & Entertainment

Functional

Style

Cornering Lamps

Cruise Control

R16 Alloy Wheels

Steering-Mounted Controls

One-touch Up/Down Windows

Leather Steering & Gear Knob

Hill Start Assist (AT)

Auto AC w/ Rear AC Vents

Chrome Interior Details

Electronic Stability Control (AT)

Remote Open/Close Windows

 

Auto-dimming IRVM

Rain-sensing wipers

 

Android Auto & Apple CarPlay

Electrically Foldable ORVMs

 

7-inch Touchscreen

Front Armrest 

 

Voice Command 

Rear Power Outlet

 

 

The upgrade from the Comfortline turbo to Highline Plus turbo is almost justified. But, most of the additional features are good-to-have. If you wish to have these features, then the VW Polo Highline Plus is worth buying over the lower variants.

Volkswagen Polo Highline Plus vs GT TSI Variant - Price and Features Comparison

VW POLO GT vs HIGHLINE PLUS | PRICE COMPARISON

 

HIGHLINE PLUS

DIFFERENCE

GT TSI

1.0 TURBO MT

Rs. 8,49,000

-

NA

DIFFERENCE

Rs. 1,11,000

 

-

1.0 TURBO AT

Rs. 9,60,000

Rs. 39,900

Rs. 9,99,900

 

The top-of-the-line Polo GT TSI variant is only available with an automatic transmission option, and costs Rs. 40,000 more than the Highline Plus automatic. The GT TSI variant comes primarily with cosmetic features like black ORVMs, black rear roof spoiler, black interior but with an added black rear spoiler and black ORVMs. Surprisingly, this variant doesn’t get rear AC vents, front centre armrest and rear 12v power socket. Keeping that in mind, the Highline Plus variant becomes a little difficult to recommend. Buy the GT variant only if you like styling elements and don’t mind the missing features.

Also Read - Maruti WagonR Variants Explained - Which Variant To Buy?

POLO GT | FEATURES OVER HIGHLINE PLUS

Rs. 9,99,900 (Turbo Petrol AT) | Ex-Showroom August 2021

Black Rear Spoiler

Black ORVMs

(-) Front Armrest

(-) Rear 12v Socket

Black Interior Trim

(-) Rear AC Vents

Which Variant Of The Volkswagen Polo Petrol Should You Buy In August 2021?

Now let’s sum it all up. The base variant only gets the normal petrol engine and barely enough features for the asking price. Skip this one and consider at least the Comfortline trim with the turbo petrol engine. The non-turbo engine will feel underpowered outside the city limits and the turbo isn’t all that expensive.

If you want some more creature comforts, then you can go with the Highline Plus, although it doesn’t offer as much value as the Comfortline.

VOLKSWAGEN POLO MANUAL | RECOMMENDATION

Variant

VFM Rank

Price

Recommendation

Trendline

Rank 3

Rs. 6,16,500

Not recommended

Comfortline

Rank 4

Rs. 7,11,000

Better upgrade to Comfortline Turbo

Comfortline Turbo

Rank 1

Rs. 7,41,000

Top recommended

Highline Plus Turbo

Rank 2

Rs. 8,49,000

Worth upgrading

 

With the automatic transmission, again, the Comfortline turbo is our top recommendation. The Highline Plus automatic is worth upgrading for the additional features even though it’s not a total VFM package.

The GT variant adds some cosmetic features to the feature list but takes away the front centre armrest and rear AC vents in exchange. We do not recommend buying the Polo GT petrol.

VOLKSWAGEN POLO AUTOMATIC | RECOMMENDATION

Variant

VFM Rank

Price

Recommendation

Comfortline Turbo

Rank 1

Rs. 8,51,000

Top Recommended

Highline Plus Turbo

Rank 2

Rs. 9,60,000

Worth Upgrading

GT Turbo

Rank 3

Rs. 9,99,900

Not recommended

What Are The Engine Specifications Of The Volkswagen Polo Petrol?

The Polo’s 1.0-litre normal petrol engine makes only 76PS of maximum power and 95Nm of peak torque. In this segment, this engine is the least powerful and has a torque-to-weight ratio of less than 100Nm per tonne. This engine offers a claimed fuel efficiency of 17.74kmpl, which is just better than what the Jazz offers.

VOLKSWAGEN POLO vs B2-SEGMENT HATCHBACKS

NORMAL PETROL ENGINE SPECS COMPARISON

 

Polo

i20

Baleno/Glanza

Altroz

Figo

Jazz

Displacement

1.0L

1.2L

1.2L

1.2L

1.2L

1.2L

Cylinder

3

4

4

3

3

4

Cubic Capacity

999cc

1197cc

1197cc

1199cc

1194cc

1199cc

Maximum Power

76PS @ 6200rpm

83PS / 88PS (CVT) @ 6000rpm

83PS @ 6000rpm

86PS @ 6000rpm

96PS @ 6500rpm

90PS @ 6000rpm

Power:Weight

73.79PS/t

84.09PS/t

93.26PS/t

83.01PS/t

91.95PS/t

86.37PS/t

Peak Torque

95Nm @ 2950 - 3800rpm

115Nm @ 4200rpm

113Nm @ 4200rpm

113Nm @ 3300rpm

119Nm @ 4250rpm

110Nm @ 4800rpm

Torque:Weight

92.23Nm/t

116.51Nm/t

126.97Nm/t

109.07Nm/t

113.98Nm/t

105.57Nm/t

Manual

Transmission

5-speed

5-speed

5-Speed

5-Speed

5-Speed

5-Speed

Manual

Claimed FE

17.74kmpl

20.35kmpl

21.01kmpl

19.76kmpl

18.5kmpl

16.6kmpl

Automatic

Transmission

-

CVT

CVT

-

-

CVT

Automatic

Claimed FE

-

19.65kmpl

19.56kmpl

-

-

17.1kmpl

 

On the other hand, the Polo’s 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine makes a healthy 110PS of power and 175Nm of class-leading torque. We strongly suggest buying the Polo with this engine as it doesn’t cost a lot but offers way better torque and performance without compromising on the fuel efficiency. The Polo turbo petrol is also available with a 6-speed torque-converter automatic transmission.

Also Read - Hyundai Venue Diesel Variants Explained - Which One To Buy

VOLKSWAGEN POLO vs B2-SEGMENT HATCHBACKS

TURBO PETROL ENGINE SPECS COMPARISON

 

Polo Turbo

i20 Turbo

Altroz Turbo

Displacement

1.0L

1.0L

1.2L

Cylinder

3

3

3

Cubic Capacity

999cc

998cc

1199cc

Maximum Power

110PS @ 5000rpm

120PS @ 6000rpm

110PS @ 5500rpm

Power:Weight

102.61PS/t

120PS/t

105PS/t*

Peak Torque

175Nm @ 1750 - 4000rpm

172Nm @ 1500 - 4000rpm

140Nm @ 1500 - 5500rpm

Torque:Weight

163.25Nm/t

172Nm/t

133Nm/t*

Manual Transmission

6-speed

6-speed ACMT

5-Speed

Manual Claimed FE

18.24kmpl

20kmpl

18.13kmpl

Automatic Transmission

6-speed TC

7-speed DCT

-

Automatic Claimed FE

16.47kmpl

20.25kmpl

-

*Unofficial

What Are The Dimensions Of The Volkswagen Polo?

The Polo is a B2 segment hatchback and its length is almost 4m. In terms of width, height and wheelbase, the Polo is smaller than its market rivals. The Polo’s boot space is better than only the Figo’s. It comes with 14-, 15- and 16-inch wheel size options.

VOLKSWAGEN POLO vs B2-SEGMENT HATCHBACKS

DIMENSION COMPARISON

 

Polo

i20

Baleno/Glanza

Jazz

Altroz

Figo

Length

3971mm

3995mm

3995mm

3989mm

3990mm

3941mm

Width

1682mm

1775mm

1745mm

1694mm

1755mm

1704mm

Height

1469mm

1505mm

1510mm

1544mm

1523mm

1525mm

Wheelbase

2469mm

2580mm

2520mm

2530mm

2501mm

2490mm

Boot Space

280-lt

311-lt

339-lt

354-lt

345-lt

257-lt

Ground Clearance

165mm

170mm

170mm

165mm*

165mm

174mm

Fuel Tank

45-lt

37-lt

37-lt

40-lt

37-lt

42-lt

Tyre Size (Base)

175/70 R14

185/65 R15

185/65 R15 / 195/55 R16

175/65 R15

165/80 R14

175/65 R14

Tyre Size (Top)

195/55 R16

195/55 R16

195/55 R16

175/65 R15

195/55 R16

195/55 R15

*unofficial

What Are The Volkswagen Polo Exterior Colour Options?

The Volkswagen Polo is available in 7 exterior colour options:

  • White
  • Silver
  • Grey
  • Bright Red
  • Dark Red

Please note if you want the Trendline or Comfortline variants of the Polo in metallic shades like silver, grey and dark red, then they’ll add another Rs. 10,000 to the ex-showroom cost.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lakshya Khanna

Lakshya loves to talk about cars and, therefore, he's mostly in the front of the camera doing the talking. He's usually blunt in his opinion -- good or bad, and backs it up with logic. Lakshya is a senior member of V3Cars editorial team.

1 Comments

  1. A Ashok Vandrangi says:
    February 28 2022 20:03:27

    Very good review. Wish to get in touch with you.

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