The Volkswagen Polo that runs on Indian roads today has been around for a decade. Launched in 2010 in the competitive hatchback space, the car has received features and updates to keep it afresh with the competition. And as far as engines go, the Polo might be a record holder in terms of the number of engines offered over the years. Starting from the 1.2 MPI and 1.2 TDI, it moved on to the 1.6 MPI, 1.6 TDI, 1.5 TDI, 1.2 TSI and the 1.0 MPI. And no prizes for guessing what this review is about. Of course, the Polo gets a new engine. It’s an all new 1.0 litre 3 cylinder turbo petrol unit that will be shared with the Vento sedan and the Skoda Rapid. Let’s get into the details of the Volkswagen Polo 1.0 TSI.

Volkswagen Polo 1.0 TSI Exterior

While the Polo is now old, it still has aged gracefully. It has a timeless design with that typical European flavour. The last update saw new bumpers, lights, front grille and body cladding. The front now resembles the GTI which is not a bad thing at all. The 10 spoke alloy wheels look sporty as well. The rear features LED tail lamps with nice detailing, roof spoiler, rear wiper and a restyled rear bumper with a faux diffuser. Our test car was the ‘TSI Edition’ with a black roof, black ORVMs and TSI decals on the doors. This Flash Red exterior paint shade also looks funky and I wish I too had more colour options when I bought my 1.2 TSI.

Volkswagen Polo 1.0 TSI Interior

The interior is familiar Polo territory. Nothing has really changed. You get an all black layout with silver finish on the centre console. Fit and finish is top notch there are quite a few hard plastics at places. The flat bottom steering is nice to hold and I like the old school instrument cluster with analogue dials, as compared to the digital ones offered in current times. The feature list includes auto climate control, 6.5 inch touch screen infotainment with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, rain sensing wipers, rear AC vents, cruise control etc. It however misses out on features like auto headlamps, rear view camera and push button start, some of which are standard fare today in premium hatchbacks.

The front seats of the Polo are supportive and have adequate comfort. The driver’s seat also gets height adjust and seat travel is good as well. The Polo offers a very good driving position too. The same cannot be said for the back and rear seat space isnt a Polo strength. While the rear bench itself is well shaped and comfortable, taller passengers will be starved for legroom and knee room. Sitting behind a tall passenger makes things even more difficult. The rear seat gets adjustable headrests though. The 294 litre boot has good depth and is spacious for a hatchback.

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