Polo Vivo GT Timely Reminder Of How Much Fun Driving Can Be

It's not every day that The Citizen Motoring drives a car like the VW Polo Vivo GT.

Car manufacturers' constant pursuit of technological excellence and connectivity has resulted in high levels of hygiene in many of their products. In a world where updating your car's software sometimes requires more information than fuel, cars with personality are a dying breed.

So we enjoyed a week in the Volkswagen Polo Vivo GT. The VW Polo Vivo GT has a bold character that is hard to beat, uncomplicated driving pleasure combined with breathtaking elegance and a rich heritage.

Polo Vivo GT and GTI

The GT moniker reserved for the Polo Vivo is at odds with the equally consistent performance offering of the GTI. But they've managed to carve out a small niche in Volkswagen's long line of iconic hatchbacks, which are woven into automotive folklore in their own way.

The GT, the locally produced second-generation flagship Polo Vivo that will be available from 2018, has recently received some design updates. Although it may not be obvious, it is important that you keep your 13-year body plan up to date.

Also Read: Volkswagen Polo and Polo Vivo units show off their performance

Externally, the Polo Vivo GT now features 17-inch Mirabeau alloy wheels and silver exterior mirror caps. The black GT stickers on the doors and trunk lid were replaced with silver ones.

VW has added an attractive new color to the Vivo range called Wild Cherry Red Metallic, but we think Ref Blue contrasts better with the silver stickers that covered our test car.

Also read: The premium Polo sedan fills the gap left by the VW Jetta

Sporty touch

In the interior, the fabric inserts and seams on the seats have changed from blue to red. The gear lever and handbrake feature gray stitching and the floor mats feature the GT logo.

The sporty theme is complemented by metallic silver racing-inspired pedals.

There's no denying that the Vivo's interior is dated, but the design updates add to its overall appeal. The bygone aesthetic is reminiscent of a bygone era where functionality was the focus of the cockpit.

Also read: The VW Polo shows why it is one of the most popular cars in Mzansi

The simplest infotainment system, with a knob above the three mechanical AC selectors, is about as good as the one in the center of the dash.

The simple theme continues in the toolbox. Next to the small TFT display there are two beautiful analog dials that show all the information you need on the monochrome main display. This data and the infotainment system can be controlled using buttons on the steering wheel. This is not what you would expect from an automatic mirror in a car with manual rear windows.

Driving is fun.

The choice we make in the next paragraph must be appropriate. What we're saying is that any doubts about the Polo Vivo GT standing out as the BlackBerry of the iPhone world will disappear once you use it. But these actions require turning the key (remember that?) and releasing the clutch (what?)... which doesn't fit the story.

We would rather use a younger engine again than other components. What sets the GT apart from its Polo Vivo sibling is the 1.0-litre TSI petrol engine adopted from the Polo. This three-cylinder windmill produces 81kW of power and a range of 200m, a significant improvement over the 1.4-litre Veg variants with 63kW/132Nm and the 1.6-litre Veg variants with 77kW/153Nm .

Also read: For R4,000 per month you can buy a VW Polo, Polo Vivo or Ford Fiesta.

Polo Budget Vivo GT

Although the engine is not as powerful as the GTI product, acceleration is always less than fuel consumption. The claimed fuel consumption is just 4.6 liters per 100 kilometers. This is the most economical car VW has to offer.

After driving a total of 290 km in and around Johannesburg, we were able to achieve a fuel consumption of 6.2 l/100 km. We find the numbers very convincing. But when we tried to challenge that claim by driving 71 kilometers from east to west of the Rand, we were surprised to not only live up to that claim, but also an impressive fuel consumption figure of 4.4L/100km achieved.

The TSI mill is mated to a six-speed manual transmission that sends power to the front wheels. This is the only six-speed manual transmission offered in the Polo and Polo Vivo range. And that goes a long way to giving the GT its character.

Also read: The Polo sedan is a real testament to today's generation.

The combination of clutch and gearbox makes manual shifting very easy and fun at the same time. Add to that the tremendous power and ease of use, and you achieve a level of driver satisfaction that is second to none. This taste factor more than loses some modern features.

Result

You don't consider yourself a car lover if the bold Polo Vivo GT isn't your thing.

Some argue that you can buy more Polos for R1300 than a Volkswagen Polo Vivo GT R341 800. But the 1.0 TSI 70kW Park range lacks the charismatic personality of the Polo GT. Therefore, VW's all-electric future must be assessed before it becomes obsolete.