Everything you need to know about the Volkswagen Polo Vivo
Everything you need to know about the Volkswagen Polo Vivo
Martin Pretorius
Even though the Volkswagen brand has moved somewhat upmarket in recent years, they haven’t lost sight of their original mandate: building cars for the people. The range might be peppered with posh offerings like the Arteon and Touareg, but the bulk of Volkswagen’s sales success stems from their strong presence in the entry-level market segment. This is where the Polo Vivo plays a dominant role, for a host of good reasons.
Cast your mind back to 2009, and put yourself in Volkswagen South Africa’s position: the evergreen CitiGolf has finally reached the end of its road, and there’s an all-new, very sophisticated Polo on the way. How would you best fill the gap at the entry level to your product range? The obvious answer would be to use the same recipe which gave the Citi its long life, but to apply it to a more-modern car.
The resulting car, renamed the Polo Vivo, became an immediate hit. Taking the older-generation Polo, and then simplifying its equipment levels and stripping out some sound insulation, didn’t change much about the inherent merits of the car itself, but it did allow Volkswagen to drop its price. As an added bonus, this also allowed them to position the (then) new-generation Polo slightly more upmarket, leading to increased profitability and more perceived prestige.
A new Polo also means a new Vivo
With the arrival of the latest-generation Polo in 2018, Volkswagen South Africa seized the opportunity to revitalise the Vivo as well. As before, the latest Vivo is essentially a de-contented and simplified previous-generation Polo, with older-technology non-turbo engines used in the bulk of the range.
Consequently, the current Vivo isn’t quite as well-equipped or refined as the full-fat (older) Polo on which it is based, but it’s still more than up to the task of dominating its market segment. It is also commendable that Volkswagen managed to keep its pricing roughly equal to that of the first-generation Vivo, in spite of its higher equipment levels and greater sophistication.
Polo Vivos are available in six distinct hatchback variants (the Vivo sedans were dropped when the current generation arrived), using a selection of four petrol engines, and with five trim levels. The range opens up with the 1.4 Trendline, which uses a four-cylinder, non-turbo engine that produces 55 kW and 130 Nm, mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. This is the most basic Vivo you can get, but for its list price of R 189 400, you still get ABS, 2 airbags, air-conditioning, power steering, an adjustable steering column, remote central locking, front electric windows, and an audio system with Bluetooth- and USB functionality.
The 1.4 Comfortline represents a small step upmarket, and takes power from its similar 1.4-litre engine up to 63 kW and 132 Nm for its pricetag of R 200 500. Added comfort- and convenience items include an audio system upgrade with steering wheel controls, an on-board computer with outside temperature display, and front fog lamps.
Moving into plusher realms are a trio of 1.6-litre variants, with 77 kW and 153 Nm. There’s a 1.6 automatic which costs R 231 800, with the same trim level as the 1.4 Comfortline, but with a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox instead of the standard 5-speed manual. All 1.6-litre derivatives receive an enhanced safety pack, with stability control and tyre pressure monitoring included in their standard trim – these items are optional on 1.4-litre variants.
Next up is the 1.6 Highline, which receives sports seats, a touchscreen infotainment system, 16-inch alloy wheels, and a leather-trimmed steering wheel. The 1.6 Highline retails for R 225 500, while the similarly-specced Vivo 1.6 Maxx costs R 234 000 and adds some body cladding, silver-painted roof rails, and different alloy wheels for a crossover-like appearance.
One area where the current Vivo differs from its predecessor is in the availability of a higher-performance model. It’s called the 1.0TSI GT, and features the 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine as used in various other Volkswagen models. In this application, it’s paired to a 6-speed manual gearbox, and produces 81 kW and 200 Nm – not quite enough to qualify it as a hot hatch, but certainly enough to be fun-to-drive. Being the range-topper, the R 258 100 Vivo GT comes with everything you’d find in a Highline, and adds cruise control (optional in other Vivos) to the standard kit. Leather upholstery is optional across the range.
Into the future
Volkswagen knows when to leave well enough alone, so the basic Vivo recipe is unlikely to change any time soon. There may be some spec adjustments, however, with higher-trim equipment possibly trickling down to the less-expensive variants, and some special editions to maintain interest in the range.
But, seeing as this Vivo generation is still very fresh and extremely competitive in its market segment, we won’t see any major changes soon. This bodes well for resale values as well, and is yet another reason why the Vivo is so popular. Good value for money, solid build quality, slow depreciation, proven mechanicals, and a decent driving experience: no wonder the Vivo lives at the top of our national sales charts!