Volkswagen Polo Sedan 1.0 TSI (2024) Price & Specs
The Volkswagen Polo Sedan 1.0 TSI has quietly arrived in South Africa, slotting in above the 1.6-litre naturally aspirated derivatives. Here’s how much the turbocharged model will cost you…
Been waiting for a turbocharged version of the sole saloon that VW offers in South Africa? Well, the Volkswagen Polo Sedan 1.0 TSI has quietly touched down in Mzansi, shipping standard with an automatic transmission and slotting in above the 1.6-litre naturally aspirated derivatives.
As a reminder, this generation of Polo Sedan – which is known as the Virtus in India, where it’s built at the company’s Chakan facility – launched locally in September 2022. At that point, the only motor on offer was the Wolfsburg-based firm’s naturally aspirated 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder petrol unit, generating 81 kW and 152 Nm.
Now, however, the three-box version of the Polo is available with VW’s familiar turbocharged 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder petrol engine, which here delivers 85 kW to the front axle through a 6-speed automatic transmission (VW’s AQ250 Tiptronic unit rather than the 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox used in the Kariega-built Polo hatchback). Peak torque comes in at 178 Nm (as opposed to the 200 Nm made in the Polo hatch), which is on offer from 1 750 to 4 500 r/min.
VW claims a 0-100 kph sprint time of 11.5 seconds and a top speed of 190 kph. The claimed combined fuel economy, meanwhile, is listed as 6.3 L/100 km. Available in the Life trim level, the Polo Sedan 1.0 TSI is priced from R421 100, which represents a R29 300 premium over the manual-equipped 1.6 MPI Life derivative (and a R38 200 premium over the automatic 1.6 MPI in base form; the 2-pedal version of the 1.6 MPI Life was dropped from the range a few months back).
So, what sort of standard equipment can we expect from the Polo Sedan 1.0 TSI Life? Well, the specification list mirrors that of the 1.6 MPI Life model, which means the newcomer ships standard with items such as a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system (linked to an 8-speaker sound system), wireless smartphone charging, “Climatronic” single-zone air-conditioning, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, cruise control, hill-start assist and keyless entry and start.
From the outside, the Life specification is distinguishable by its 16-inch “Scimitar” alloy wheels, front foglamps and chrome package, with the latter incorporating bright finishes for items such as the exterior door handles. As with the rest of the Polo Sedan range, the local colour palette includes 5 exterior hues: Candy White, Wild Cherry Red, Carbon Steel Grey, Reflex Silver and Rising Blue.
The Polo Sedan 1.0 TSI’s standard safety features include dual front airbags, ABS, electronic stability control, automatic LED headlights, cornering lights, a rear-view camera, rear parking sensors, tyre-pressure monitoring and rear outboard ISOfix child-seat anchors.
This new derivative’s arrival effectively pushes the Polo Sedan line-up to 4 derivatives, though we understand that a 1.0 TSI Style variant is on the cards, too, taking that number to 5. While the latter has yet to appear on the local configurator, pricing is expected to come in at R454 900. The Style specification will add items such as 17-inch “Tritz” alloys, rain-sensing wipers, leatherette upholstery, height adjustment for the driver’s seat, a rear centre armrest, an electro-chromatic rear-view mirror and a sunroof.
How much does the Volkswagen Polo Sedan 1.0 TSI cost?
Volkswagen Polo Sedan 1.6 MPI 5MT – R360 500
Volkswagen Polo Sedan 1.6 MPI 6AT – R382 900
Volkswagen Polo Sedan 1.6 MPI Life 5MT – R391 800
Volkswagen Polo Sedan 1.0 TSI Life 6AT – R421 100
Volkswagen Polo Sedan 1.0 TSI Style 6AT – R454 900
All derivatives ship standard with a 3-year/120 000 km warranty and a 3-year/45 000 km service plan.
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