Volkswagen's Polo Vivo needs no introduction in South Africa as it remains the first choice for many aspiring and experienced car buyers. Naturally, Vivo's competition will strive to reach the benchmark set, and we have to say that the competition has done fairly well in that regard. One such vehicle is the Hyundai i20, which is an example of how Hyundai has come a long way and can compete with the best.
Related: 3 Things we enjoyed about the updated Volkswagen Polo Vivo in December
Keeping this all in mind, we'll see how the Volkswagen Polo compares to the i20 in terms of pricing, standard spec for mid-range models and value for money. Let's take the Polo Vivo in 1.6 Life trim and the i20 in 1.4 Premium trim.
Hyundai i20 1.4 Premium auto - from R329 900
The current i20, as Hyundai describes it, is 'Sensuous Sportiness'. Its looks are more sculpted, and the cabin has more room than before. This vehicle is manufactured in India, so we get this specification for South Africa. Here's our review of the launch vehicles. For this comparison, we picked the mid-range 1.4 Premium auto.
Powertrain
Powering the i20 in this trim is a 1.4-litre 4-cylinder non-turbo petrol engine making 73kW and 133Nm. This power is channelled to the front wheels via a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission. Claimed fuel consumption is rated at 6.9 L /100km, with a theoretical range of 536km from the 37-litre tank. The i20's kerb weight is 998kg, which is pretty lightweight.
Standard Specification
The 1.4 Premium comes with the following standard specifications:
- 15-inch steel wheels with hubcaps
- Height-adjustable driver's seat
- Black cloth and artificial leather seats
- Rear air vents
- 8.0-inch infotainment system with 4 speakers
- Rearview camera
- Electronically operated side mirrors
- Auto down Driver's window, power windows front and rear
Practicality
The i20 has a 311-litre boot area that can be extended by removing the rear seat bench. It has seating for 5 and a space-saver spare wheel in the boot.
Safety
Based on the Latin NCAP rating, the i20 scored 3 stars. This trim has driver and passenger airbags, ISOFIX child seat anchors, ABS, and EBD.
Price and value
The 1.4 Premium Auto is priced from R329 900. Looking at monthly repayments, we'll conduct a quick calculation to see how much it costs to finance them. We'll calculate using our finance tool and set the parameters at 72 months, a 10% deposit, no balloon/residual, and a 12% interest rate. You can expect to pay R5 805 per month.
The purchase price includes a 4-year/60 000km service plan, 5-year/150 000km manufacturer's warranty, 2-year/50 000km additional manufacturer's powertrain warranty, and 7-year/150 000km roadside assistance.
Volkswagen Polo Vivo 1.6 Life Tiptronic - from R320 200
The Polo Vivo recently received a major update, bumping up the aesthetic appeal of the famous Mk.5 Polo, which is based on the second-generation Vivo. The Polo Vivo is manufactured locally in South Africa. Here's our review of the 1.6 Style manual to give you a better idea of the Polo Vivo. We chose the 1.6 Life Tiptronic because the pricing is close to the Hyundai.
Powertrain
The tried and trusted 1.6-litre MPI 4-cylinder petrol engine finds its home in the Polo Vivo, making 77kW and 153Nm to propel the 1102kg kerb weight shell. Power is sent to the front wheels via a 6-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. Claimed fuel consumption is rated at 6.5 L/100km to reach a theoretical range of 692km from the 45-litre tank.
Standard Specification
The 1.6 Life Tiptronic has the following notable standard specification
- 15-inch alloy wheels
- 9.0-inch Mirgor touchscreen infotainment with 4 speakers
- Front Power Windows, manual rear windows
- Height-adjustable driver's seat
- Halftone cloth seat trim
- Tyre pressure monitoring system
Practicality
The Polo Vivo has a 280-litre boot area that can be extended to 952 litres when the rear bench is folded. It has seating for 5 and a space-saving spare wheel in the boot.
Safety
Polo Vivo recently received a 4-star NCAP (New Car Assessment Programme) rating. This trim includes driver and passenger airbags, ABS, ISOFIX, stability, and traction control.
Price and value
The Polo Vivo 1.6 Life Tiptronic is priced from R320 200. We'll conduct a quick calculation of monthly repayments to see how much it costs to finance them. We'll calculate using our finance tool and set the parameters at 72 months, a 10% deposit, no balloon/residual, and a 12% interest rate. You can expect to pay R5 634 per month.
The Polo Vivo's purchase price includes a 3-year /120 000km warranty, a 5-year /150 000km engine warranty, and a 6-year anti-corrosion warranty. The service plan is an optional extra via the EasyDrive plans, which are available for you to pick and purchase.
Who wins?
This was a tough one but we'll give the sensible win to the Polo Vivo. The Vivo is cheaper than the i20 and lacks in the standard specification department and even on the value side with an optional service plan, but ultimately the Vivo makes up in the comparison in terms of safety with additional safety systems and better overall NCAP rating. Plus, the powertrain makes more power and is a bit more conservative at the pumps than the i20.
You can search AutoTrader for the latest Polo Vivo and i20 offerings and sell your car, too.
*The pricing stated here was correct when published and is subject to change without further notice.
