Five available extras for the Volkswagen Polo

By Martin Pretorius 

Many buyers want their cars to stand out in a crowd, which is why manufacturers offer an ever-expanding selection of optional extras for their new cars. The Volkswagen Polo has some pretty upmarket things on its options list, and we pick out five of the most desirable ones.

The criteria used in this selection process prioritized safety additions, with comfort and convenience being of secondary importance, and cosmetic improvements lowest on our list of priorities. Information was gathered on VWSA’s web page, by using the online configurator, and prices and specifications may change without prior notice.

We start off with a mid-level Polo 1.0TSI Comfortline manual, as this one offers most of the nice stuff as standard already. You’ll get a 6-speaker “Composition Colour” touch-screen infotainment system, 15-inch alloy wheels, and electric windows all round included in the base price of R270 800, but if you can do without these things, the Trendline is mechanically identical and R30 100 less expensive. Standard safety kit includes 6 airbags, stability control, and a 5-star Euro-NCAP safety rating.

To this we added the following:

1. LED Headlamps (R12 450)

These headlamp units feature dynamic range control, giving you the illumination you need just where you need it. Better vision means increased safety, so this one is a must-have.

2. Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Traffic Alert (R3 900) (BSM)

This is a small price to pay for the added security afforded by the car looking out for other traffic on your behalf. Blind spots (or rather, the failure to check them) cause a multitude of accidents on our roads, and it’s always a great help to have the car warn you of oncoming traffic when reversing out of a parking space as well.

3. Park Distance Control (R3 150) (PDC)

Always of great help when parking in a tight spot, this front- and rear PDC package is also a required option to specify the BSM. For roughly the cost of your insurance excess, you can avoid getting that scrape on the bumper altogether.

4. Cruise Control (R3 250)

The first convenience item on this list is must-have for cross-country drivers. The system on offer can be used a speed limiter, keeping you safe from those friendly folks in brown. It’s also a huge bonus on long open-road trips.

5. Multi-colour Active Info Display (R8 650)

Volkswagen’s configurable digital dashboard is a thing of beauty, and at first glance, it looks like a bargain at this price. But, to get this display screen, you’ll need to get the “Composition Media” infotainment system upgrade as well (R4 500). At least this upgrade also gives you an extra USB port and App-Connect smartphone integration as part of the deal.

Specifying our Polo Comfortline with these options adds R39 800 to its base price, for a new total of R310 600. Sure, it’s a lot of money for a small car, but you’ll have some of the most useful new gadgets that modern technology has to offer.

Some other cool things on the options list:

Panoramic sunroof (R10 950): Definitely not a necessity, but the new Polo does look cool with that glossy black roof.

Park Assist with Park Distance Control and Rear view camera (R6 900)

If you’re not sure if you’ll be able to fit into that parking spot, this nifty system can help you out. A competent driver will still be able to do it quicker, though.

Bonneville 17-inch alloy wheels (including the R-line package worth R17 150)

We’re solidly into Vanity’s territory here, but the Polo does look a little bland without the R-line kit. And those 17-inch wheels may compromise the ride quality, but it looks so nice...