VDub Polo 1.2 TDi CL - Princess Comes Home

[VipinLJ]

The fully functional mid has two trip meters, which comes in latest CL models too. HL had it from beginning.

He he. That really is new information for me. I can't believe that I had the car for almost 6 months now and did not know that it had two trip meters. I used to be disappointed with the fact that it had only one trip meter whereas even my humble Getz has two (even though it does not show any of the other info).

 

[VipinLJ]

Polo 1.2 TDI vs Punto 1.3 Multijet 75hp

Recently, I had the opportunity to drive my girl's Punto 75hp for more than a 300kms.

Where the Punto is better than the Polo:​

1. Engine noise - The Punto definitely sounds more refined compared to the Polo.

2. Steering - The hydraulic unit in the Punto is a dream. Steering response and feel are wonderful. You will never lose confidence. There are a couple of places in Trivandrum with sharp turns (eg. on the way to KIMS hospital from Kumarapuram) where, in the Polo, at high speeds, you kinda get the feeling of understeer and you need to slow down but in the Punto, no such problems at the same high speeds.

3. Stability - The Punto is much more stable than the Polo at high speeds (the Polo itself is very stable when you compare it to other cars from Hyundai and Maruti). Body roll in the Punto is absent (the Polo has slight body roll at high speeds)

4. Clutch - Lighter than the Polos. After driving the Punto for so long and after I go behind the wheels of my Polo, I was wondering how the clutch of the Polo felt so heavy all of a sudden.

5. Brakes - The brakes of the Punto are much better than the ones on my Polo. The are much more confidence inspiring, especially at higher speeds.

6. Turbo lag - The turbo lag is much less in the Punto than in the Polo. Good for city drives.

7. The doors of the Punto feel slightly heavier than the Polo.

Where the Polo is better than the Punto:​

1. Outright acceleration - After the initial turbo lag, the Polo picks up her skirts and sprints. The Punto is slower in the dash to hundred probably because of the gearing and the car being heavier (not sure if the Punto is heavier than the Polo but it feels that way).

2. Build quality - The Polo has a better overall build quality than the Punto. The quality of plastics in the Polo are much better. The switchgear in the Polo also feel better than the ones in the Punto.

3. Travel comfort - The passengers in the Punto said that they prefer the Polo, expecially the people in the back seat. Even the driver's seat of the Polo felt better than that of the Punto (the Punto had an odd hump at the lower part of the back rest which gave me a bad neck pain after a while (because I could not rest my head against the head rest)).

4. Gear shift quality - The Polo has nice, crisp gear shifts whereas the Punto has a smooth but vague shift. The gear lever in the Polo slots into place crisply.

5. The steering of the Polo is better if it is for girls because of the lightness of the EPS in the Polo.

6. A/C - The A/C in the Polo is an absolute chiller. The A/C in the Punto is also not bad but the one in the Polo is better.

7. Music system - The stock music system in the Polo is better than the one in the Punto.

7. The Polo also has a more spacious boot compared to the Punto.

 

[sanke1]

Awesome comparison mate. So Polo is not bad compared to Punto.

One more point: Polo looks far better than mouse faced Punto. Polo is more widely modded.

 

[VipinLJ]

Awesome comparison mate. So Polo is not bad compared to Punto.

One more point: Polo looks far better than mouse faced Punto. Polo is more widely modded.

Hey. Definitely. The Polo is not and never will be bad compared to the Punto. In a straight line, the Polo is faster but around curves, the Punto fares better. The Polo is a very capable car in the right hands.

Regarding looks, the Polo looks masculine (read handsome) whereas I also kinda like the mousy looks of the Punto Especially the beautifully modded (not mechanically) Abarth Puntos from Bangalore and Cochin.

PS: My Polo was christened Princess by my girl, not me. I think the Polo is a masculine car

 

[VivekRj.Dieselhead]

Re: Polo 1.2 TDI vs Punto 1.3 Multijet 75hp

Recently, I had the opportunity to drive my girl's Punto 75hp for more than a 300kms.

Where the Punto is better than the Polo:​

1. Engine noise - The Punto definitely sounds more refined compared to the Polo.

2. Steering - The hydraulic unit in the Punto is a dream. Steering response and feel are wonderful. You will never lose confidence. There are a couple of places in Trivandrum with sharp turns (eg. on the way to KIMS hospital from Kumarapuram) where, in the Polo, at high speeds, you kinda get the feeling of understeer and you need to slow down but in the Punto, no such problems at the same high speeds.

3. Stability - The Punto is much more stable than the Polo at high speeds (the Polo itself is very stable when you compare it to other cars from Hyundai and Maruti). Body roll in the Punto is absent (the Polo has slight body roll at high speeds)

4. Clutch - Lighter than the Polos. After driving the Punto for so long and after I go behind the wheels of my Polo, I was wondering how the clutch of the Polo felt so heavy all of a sudden.

5. Brakes - The brakes of the Punto are much better than the ones on my Polo. The are much more confidence inspiring, especially at higher speeds.

6. Turbo lag - The turbo lag is much less in the Punto than in the Polo. Good for city drives.

7. The doors of the Punto feel slightly heavier than the Polo.

Where the Polo is better than the Punto:​

1. Outright acceleration - After the initial turbo lag, the Polo picks up her skirts and sprints. The Punto is slower in the dash to hundred probably because of the gearing and the car being heavier (not sure if the Punto is heavier than the Polo but it feels that way).

2. Build quality - The Polo has a better overall build quality than the Punto. The quality of plastics in the Polo are much better. The switchgear in the Polo also feel better than the ones in the Punto.

3. Travel comfort - The passengers in the Punto said that they prefer the Polo, expecially the people in the back seat. Even the driver's seat of the Polo felt better than that of the Punto (the Punto had an odd hump at the lower part of the back rest which gave me a bad neck pain after a while (because I could not rest my head against the head rest)).

4. Gear shift quality - The Polo has nice, crisp gear shifts whereas the Punto has a smooth but vague shift. The gear lever in the Polo slots into place crisply.

5. The steering of the Polo is better if it is for girls because of the lightness of the EPS in the Polo.

6. A/C - The A/C in the Polo is an absolute chiller. The A/C in the Punto is also not bad but the one in the Polo is better.

7. Music system - The stock music system in the Polo is better than the one in the Punto.

7. The Polo also has a more spacious boot compared to the Punto.

I think your comparison is quite balanced, i liked it.
Well acceleration in low speeds is low because of the gear ratios and weight of the car( you are correct).

 

[VipinLJ]

Re: Polo 1.2 TDI vs Punto 1.3 Multijet 75hp

I think your comparison is quite balanced, i liked it.
Well acceleration in low speeds is low because of the gear ratios and weight of the car( you are correct).

Yes Vivek. The Punto feels heavier than the Polo and that is a good thing BTW, the long drive in the Punto was a revelation. The driving dynamics of Fiat is beautiful. Now I understand why people who own a Fiat stick with Fiat.

The only downside I felt was the poor shape of the back rest of the driver's seat and the rubbery gearshift. Is the seat the same in the higher versions of the Punto too (my girl has the base model Punto)?

 

[VivekRj.Dieselhead]

Re: Polo 1.2 TDI vs Punto 1.3 Multijet 75hp

Yes Vivek. The Punto feels heavier than the Polo and that is a good thing BTW, the long drive in the Punto was a revelation. The driving dynamics of Fiat is beautiful. Now I understand why people who own a Fiat stick with Fiat.

Like i said many times, firstly punto's gear ratios make it sluggish in the low end but those gear ratios are also responsible for effortless driving in city(less gear shifts), secondly whenever you need performance(not 0-100) its always there from 3rd and above gear. Thanks for understanding fiat owners, people usually think that we are fanboys. BTW my punto is my family's first fiat. These rapid performance diff. makes it stand apart. You won't believe one of my friend(essesse on the forum) have many times did drag with his punto 75(won too), but still i would say that punto is not a drag machine.

The only downside I felt was the poor shape of the back rest of the driver's seat and the rubbery gearshift. Is the seat the same in the higher versions of the Punto too (my girl has the base model Punto)?

I think its subjective so no comments. Never experienced in lower models. Rubbery gearshifts bothers you in the early days and later you become use to them. So its just a matter of time, how long you take to understand the machine.

 

[Rightnow]

Re: Polo 1.2 TDI vs Punto 1.3 Multijet 75hp

Regarding looks, the Polo looks masculine (read handsome) whereas I also kinda like the mousy looks of the Punto

Polo looks more beautiful no doubt, but Punto's front gives more character to the car. Polo looks quite robotic. If only Punto's rear was not that weirdly swollen, it could have been the most beautiful hatch today.

Well acceleration in low speeds is low because of the gear ratios and weight of the car( you are correct).

Polo itself isn't very fast, and if punto is slower then God knows how sluggish punto would feel. BTW Punto is 5kg heavier than polo as per carwale site's car comparison.
I haven't driven punto yet but I regard stability of polo as excellent and if punto fares even better, punto makers please take a bow!

@Vipin, what about the suspensions? Which car is better in NOT transforming the bumps inside?

 

[GM88]

I have also driven the Punto diesel extensively as one of my close cousin has a Punto diesel and we keep driving each other's rides. As rightly said, pick up wise Punto 75hp feels a little sluggish in the first 2 gears as compared to Polo. But its the highway ride of the Punto which completely blows you away. I mean even Polo is better than most other hatchbacks when it comes to ride, but Punto is in its own league. Amazing stability,completely glued to the road and add to it the Hydraulic steering is just a driver's delight. Though feels a little heavy in day to day city use and in that the Polo's peppy steering is a boon. And another thing rightly pointed out by you is that the braking in the Punto is surely more efficient than the Polo. There is one thing which troubles me when I drive the Punto, its the long clutch travel and I have a habit of keeping my left foot rested lightly on the clutch itself most of the times(I know its a bad habit but can't help it) and my feet starts aching in no time due to the position and long travel of the clutch lever in the Punto. No troubles per se in the Polo regarding the same. Its just the fit and finish inside which lets Punto down a bit. It somehow just doesn't feel as premium as the Polo. Both are gorgeous looking cars though.

 

[VivekRj.Dieselhead]

And another thing rightly pointed out by you is that the braking in the Punto is surely more efficient than the Polo.

Oh I never knew about this.

There is one thing which troubles me when I drive the Punto, its the long clutch travel and I have a habit of keeping my left foot rested lightly on the clutch itself most of the times(I know its a bad habit but can't help it) and my feet starts aching in no time due to the position and long travel of the clutch lever in the Punto.

This is surely a trouble in initial days of ownership, but you becomes ok as soon as you become used to the machine.

 

[VipinLJ]

Like i said many times, firstly punto's gear ratios make it sluggish in the low end but those gear ratios are also responsible for effortless driving in city(less gear shifts), secondly whenever you need performance(not 0-100) its always there from 3rd and above gear. Thanks for understanding fiat owners, people usually think that we are fanboys. BTW my punto is my family's first fiat. These rapid performance diff. makes it stand apart. You won't believe one of my friend(essesse on the forum) have many times did drag with his punto 75(won too), but still i would say that punto is not a drag machine.



I think its subjective so no comments. Never experienced in lower models. Rubbery gearshifts bothers you in the early days and later you become use to them. So its just a matter of time, how long you take to understand the machine.

Punto used for drags? No. The car is supposed to be driven in a calm and sedate manner (which doesn't necessarily mean slow). The Punto is easier to drive around in the city due to the reasons you mentioned. I find the Punto easier to drive in the city due to the lower turbo lag.

Polo looks more beautiful no doubt, but Punto's front gives more character to the car. Polo looks quite robotic. If only Punto's rear was not that weirdly swollen, it could have been the most beautiful hatch today.


Polo itself isn't very fast, and if punto is slower then God knows how sluggish punto would feel. BTW Punto is 5kg heavier than polo as per carwale site's car comparison.
I haven't driven punto yet but I regard stability of polo as excellent and if punto fares even better, punto makers please take a bow!

@Vipin, what about the suspensions? Which car is better in NOT transforming the bumps inside?

Trust me. The Polo is not as slow as people make it out to be. The Polo engine revs more than the multijet engine. If you rev the engine to around 4500-5000 rpms (just before the redline), the car flies like someone gave it a shot of adrenaline. The Polo is actually under-rated in that department. Agreed the Swift is a fast car but the Polo can keep up with it in a dash to the ton (mebbe not be faster but still).
Regarding suspension. Well. I felt the Punto transferred lesser bumps compared to the Polo. But that was purely my feel. I don't know about my passengers. But they did say they liked travelling in the Polo better. Now I don't know if that is because of the seats or suspension. I'll ask them when I see them this coming week and update it here.
And regarding the stability. Yes. Fiat has got that and the steering spot on. Best in class stability and steering feel/response. Nothing else comes to my mind (I haven't driven the Figo and plus, the Figo is one segment lower).

I have also driven the Punto diesel extensively as one of my close cousin has a Punto diesel and we keep driving each other's rides. As rightly said, pick up wise Punto 75hp feels a little sluggish in the first 2 gears as compared to Polo. But its the highway ride of the Punto which completely blows you away. I mean even Polo is better than most other hatchbacks when it comes to ride, but Punto is in its own league. Amazing stability,completely glued to the road and add to it the Hydraulic steering is just a driver's delight. Though feels a little heavy in day to day city use and in that the Polo's peppy steering is a boon. And another thing rightly pointed out by you is that the braking in the Punto is surely more efficient than the Polo. There is one thing which troubles me when I drive the Punto, its the long clutch travel and I have a habit of keeping my left foot rested lightly on the clutch itself most of the times(I know its a bad habit but can't help it) and my feet starts aching in no time due to the position and long travel of the clutch lever in the Punto. No troubles per se in the Polo regarding the same. Its just the fit and finish inside which lets Punto down a bit. It somehow just doesn't feel as premium as the Polo. Both are gorgeous looking cars though.

True GM88. My thoughts exactly. If you want a really fun-to-drive car, the Punto is the winner. But overall, I like the Polo better. It feels like a segment above the premium hatch segment. But that is just my thought.

And please GM88. Try to change that habit. Because it is not good for the clutch. It WILL result in premature wear of the clutch if you ride the clutch. I hope I have not offended you. I really do hope you will take what I am saying in the nice sense because I mean it in the nice sense. After all, what are friends for?

 

[GM88]

Oh I never knew about this.

This is surely a trouble in initial days of ownership, but you becomes ok as soon as you become used to the machine.

I guess so. Now whenever I drive the Punto, I make a conscious effort to place my left foot down on the floor so as to prevent it from aching sometime later.

True GM88. My thoughts exactly. If you want a really fun-to-drive car, the Punto is the winner. But overall, I like the Polo better. It feels like a segment above the premium hatch segment. But that is just my thought.

And please GM88. Try to change that habit. Because it is not good for the clutch. It WILL result in premature wear of the clutch if you ride the clutch. I hope I have not offended you. I really do hope you will take what I am saying in the nice sense because I mean it in the nice sense. After all, what are friends for?

No offence taken mate. Yes we are here to help each other out. Thanks for the suggestion. 5 out of 10 times I do make a conscious effort not to keep my left foot rested on the clutch pedal but inevitably the rest of the times it goes there sub-consciously as a habit from the very beginning of my driving days. Though have been lucky enough of not having any premature failure of the clutch plate in my previous cars. Same goes with the Polo as of now. Had got it checked during my first service in April, and it seemed to be doing just fine. But yes, its something I keep working on to prevent it. But doing this, takes away the joy of driving for me as my mind is busy checking where my left foot is resting on. So lately have decided not to give it a thought that heavily.

 

[VipinLJ]

I guess so. Now whenever I drive the Punto, I make a conscious effort to place my left foot down on the floor so as to prevent it from aching sometime later.




No offence taken mate. Yes we are here to help each other out. Thanks for the suggestion. 5 out of 10 times I do make a conscious effort not to keep my left foot rested on the clutch pedal but inevitably the rest of the times it goes there sub-consciously as a habit from the very beginning of my driving days. Though have been lucky enough of not having any premature failure of the clutch plate in my previous cars. Same goes with the Polo as of now. Had got it checked during my first service in April, and it seemed to be doing just fine. But yes, its something I keep working on to prevent it. But doing this, takes away the joy of driving for me as my mind is busy checking where my left foot is resting on. So lately have decided not to give it a thought that heavily.

I'm glad you took it in the right sense mate. It will harm the clutch. But if you rest your foot only very lightly on the clutch pedal, I don't think much harm will come out of it. It would've helped if the Polo had a clutch rest. The Getz has one and now I know how useful it is. I have even thought of making one on my own but I lack time unfortunately.


On another note.

I just realised that the rear RHS side power window switch in my Polo does not work. I don't know for how long it hasn't been working. My mom discovered it recently when she was sitting in the backseat (my car is driven with only one person in it 85pc of the times and two people 14pc of the times and with three or four people in it only 1pc of the time). The light on the switch also does not work. But I can lower and raise the window using the control on the driver's side. So the winder is working fine. I think some sort of wire to the switch must have got disconnected or something. I'll ask the guys at the A.S.S to check it out when I give my car for the first service sometime next month.

 

[SankarNarayanan]

Hi Vipin,

VW will never launch Polo with 1.6L TDi. Do you know the reason? Small car tax waive off is 13% (A car should be under 4m and should have a diesel engine displacement less than 1.5L and Petrol engine displacement less than 1.2L). Add just 13% to exciting price tag of Polo then it will cost 1L. We can safely assume than a 1.6TDi Polo will be costlier by 1.2-1.5L OT if you compare it to Polo 1.2 TDi.

Your comparison between Punto and Polo are spot on. I test drove quite a lot of car in hatchback and sedan and finally settled for Dzire.

Why did i eliminate Polo:-

1) Very audible engine noise.
2) Turbo lag
3) Very average service experience

Why did i eliminate Punto:-

1) Mediocre performance
2) Unattractive interiors
3) Poor service experience and very low resale value.

Why did i chose Dzire Tour?

1) 6.75L and i get a 4.2m full fledged sedan.
2) 480L boot space for my subwoofers (Now 2 subwoofers)
3) Excellent performance and now negligibl turbolag from BS IV egine
4) At 1500 rpm one still gets the push to the seat feel

Negatives of Dzire:-

1) Mediocre Brakes (Will definitely upgrade)
2) Build quality

Regards,
Sankar

 

[VipinLJ]

Hi Vipin,

VW will never launch Polo with 1.6L TDi. Do you know the reason? Small car tax waive off is 13% (A car should be under 4m and should have a diesel engine displacement less than 1.5L and Petrol engine displacement less than 1.2L). Add just 13% to exciting price tag of Polo then it will cost 1L. We can safely assume than a 1.6TDi Polo will be costlier by 1.2-1.5L OT if you compare it to Polo 1.2 TDi.

Your comparison between Punto and Polo are spot on. I test drove quite a lot of car in hatchback and sedan and finally settled for Dzire.

Why did i eliminate Polo:-

1) Very audible engine noise.
2) Turbo lag
3) Very average service experience

Why did i eliminate Punto:-

1) Mediocre performance
2) Unattractive interiors
3) Poor service experience and very low resale value.

Why did i chose Dzire Tour?

1) 6.75L and i get a 4.2m full fledged sedan.
2) 480L boot space for my subwoofers (Now 2 subwoofers)
3) Excellent performance and now negligibl turbolag from BS IV egine
4) At 1500 rpm one still gets the push to the seat feel

Negatives of Dzire:-

1) Mediocre Brakes (Will definitely upgrade)
2) Build quality

Regards,
Sankar

Yes Sankar.

The Polo 1.6 TDI will be an expensive hatchback. I don't know how it will do when the Vento would be available for a similar price. Going with the Indian mentality, people would choose the sedan over the hatchback. I for one prefer a hatchback if it is cheaper than the sedan because I have hardly ever used the boot in my hatchback properly. He he. But if you do a lot of airport trips or vacations that involve driving a lot and staying away from home for long, a sedan would be useful.

Your observations regarding the Polo and Punto an Swift are spot on. But trust me mate. If the Polo is driven well, it can easily keep up with the Swift without breaking into a sweat. That is because the TDI engine revs more than the Multijet engine.

The reason we didn't consider the Swift were:
1. Build quality
2. Waiting period
3. Doesn't have the premium look
4. The Polo feels slightly better to drive (handling and steering feel)

But as usual, each car has it's own merits and demerits. It's upto the individual to come to a decision (which can be difficult at times)

I'm now contemplating between the Ecosport and Vento. Two different segments. Two very different cars.

This is life, I guess.

Regards,
Vipin