When we are doing good things, we want them to be seen and recognised. We try to hide the bad things simply because we do not want them to be associated with us.
And it works pretty much the same way when we know we just purchased something good. We want everyone around us to realise the new purchase we just made. Problem is magnifying the good things can be a tad hard because we don’t really want to portray ourselves as arrogant piss heads and even if we wanted to just brag about our new buy, we probably wouldn’t know how to do it.
But in the case of the latest crossover from Volkswagen, it’s a different story. The CrossPolo, as it’s called, just lets you rub off its charm and cheekiness so naturally that you won’t even realise how cool you actually look when driving it. And flaunting the new car purchase would be a walk in the park. I mean, seriously, look at the car in Magma Orange!
And it works pretty much the same way when we know we just purchased something good. We want everyone around us to realise the new purchase we just made. Problem is magnifying the good things can be a tad hard because we don’t really want to portray ourselves as arrogant piss heads and even if we wanted to just brag about our new buy, we probably wouldn’t know how to do it.
But in the case of the latest crossover from Volkswagen, it’s a different story. The CrossPolo, as it’s called, just lets you rub off its charm and cheekiness so naturally that you won’t even realise how cool you actually look when driving it. And flaunting the new car purchase would be a walk in the park. I mean, seriously, look at the car in Magma Orange!
The first CrossPolo that saw daylight was dubbed the Polo Fun - an extension of the Polo Mark 4 lineup. When the car underwent a facelift, the CrossPolo was also produced as a successor to the rather hideous crossover. Fast forward to some five years later, the CrossPolo emerged together with its Polo brethrens at the 2010 Geneva Motorshow - only this time, the car demonstrated a visual layout that was much more appealing.
The VW CrossPolo may blend off-road styling with a mini factor well but it doesn't come across as a hardcore car with the off-road attitude that many people have come to perceive SUVs to be. Instead, the fourth variant of the Polo family adds a cheeky but no less charming tinge of ruggedness to the stylish supermini - perhaps something that has been missing in the Polo stable for quite a while now.
Exterior
The car tested here is essentially a Polo that sports a funkier look with added overall boldness. And with a slightly raised ride height of 15mm, the CrossPolo resembles a mini SUV. The plastic cladding upfront, roof rails as well as a set of striking 17-inch wheels portray an image that's more of an outdoor lifestyle rather than it is as an off-roader. Simply put, it's the kind of car you would drive to a beach rather than through the depths of the rocky jungle.
The VW CrossPolo may blend off-road styling with a mini factor well but it doesn't come across as a hardcore car with the off-road attitude that many people have come to perceive SUVs to be. Instead, the fourth variant of the Polo family adds a cheeky but no less charming tinge of ruggedness to the stylish supermini - perhaps something that has been missing in the Polo stable for quite a while now.
Exterior
The car tested here is essentially a Polo that sports a funkier look with added overall boldness. And with a slightly raised ride height of 15mm, the CrossPolo resembles a mini SUV. The plastic cladding upfront, roof rails as well as a set of striking 17-inch wheels portray an image that's more of an outdoor lifestyle rather than it is as an off-roader. Simply put, it's the kind of car you would drive to a beach rather than through the depths of the rocky jungle.
Of course, the CrossPolo has more of a rugged and sporty character than that of the standard VW Polo, making it a very cool package. Function meets form too, with the plastic guard surrounding the body to give it the 'toughness' it requires to stand out from its regular siblings and to protect the car from any damages should you decide to rough it out on Tarzan's home ground.
Standing at 3987mm x 1698mm x 1488mm (L x W x H), the Polo with a little rugged attitude is just slightly longer and taller than the regular Polo. As a result, it is far from being in the league of compact SUVs but it is undoubtedly a cool-looking car. The cosmetic bits do their part in adding to the visual appeal and there is no doubt that the younger crowd will be attracted to it.
Interior
The funky looks carry on inside the car. While a two-tone fabric seats come as standard, the test car you see here came with leather upholstery, complemented with orange stitching. You get a good sense that you're in a Volkswagen, credit going to the functional layout, straightforward dashboard and up-close windscreen.
Standing at 3987mm x 1698mm x 1488mm (L x W x H), the Polo with a little rugged attitude is just slightly longer and taller than the regular Polo. As a result, it is far from being in the league of compact SUVs but it is undoubtedly a cool-looking car. The cosmetic bits do their part in adding to the visual appeal and there is no doubt that the younger crowd will be attracted to it.
Interior
The funky looks carry on inside the car. While a two-tone fabric seats come as standard, the test car you see here came with leather upholstery, complemented with orange stitching. You get a good sense that you're in a Volkswagen, credit going to the functional layout, straightforward dashboard and up-close windscreen.
The CrossPolo is solidly built with soft-touch materials used to enhance the quality of the cabin. More importantly, the feel-good quotient is strong enough to forgive the fact that the car is light on luxury. Even if it means you don't get automatic lights, Bluetooth, USB or the other little conveniences you might expect from a German carmaker, the CrossPolo is difficult to fault.
For one, the driver has a more commanding view of the road ahead compared to the regular hatch. The other is the roomy interior with ergonomic cockpit that is easy to reach, logical and fuss-free.
Speaking of roomy, thanks to the increase in its height dimensions, occupants will get to enjoy more headroom all round. The only set-back is that the rear remains to be most comfortable for two passengers while three would be a bit of a squeeze. While the car's cargo capacity may not sound like much at 280 litres, it is capable of efficient space utilisation. Knock the rear benches down and the space increases a couple of notches from the said 280 to 952 litres, enabling more than just your grocery bags to be hauled around.
For one, the driver has a more commanding view of the road ahead compared to the regular hatch. The other is the roomy interior with ergonomic cockpit that is easy to reach, logical and fuss-free.
Speaking of roomy, thanks to the increase in its height dimensions, occupants will get to enjoy more headroom all round. The only set-back is that the rear remains to be most comfortable for two passengers while three would be a bit of a squeeze. While the car's cargo capacity may not sound like much at 280 litres, it is capable of efficient space utilisation. Knock the rear benches down and the space increases a couple of notches from the said 280 to 952 litres, enabling more than just your grocery bags to be hauled around.
The Drive
Using the same 1.2-litre turbocharged direct-injection powerplant as the Polo Sport, the CrossPolo churns out a total of 105bhp and 175Nm of torque, propelling the car to the century mark in a respectable 9.9 seconds, a mere 0.2 seconds slower than the Polo Sport.
But the figures mentioned here aren't really the vital factors because the main aspect that allows the car to pull off in such a linear fashion is the seven-speed DSG automatic transmission. It delivers effortless and creamy progress on the go while sipping slowly on petrol. Mash on the throttle and its snappy response and revvy turbo engine see to the fact that the car puts through its paces and runs through the gears in a joyful and exact manner.
Using the same 1.2-litre turbocharged direct-injection powerplant as the Polo Sport, the CrossPolo churns out a total of 105bhp and 175Nm of torque, propelling the car to the century mark in a respectable 9.9 seconds, a mere 0.2 seconds slower than the Polo Sport.
But the figures mentioned here aren't really the vital factors because the main aspect that allows the car to pull off in such a linear fashion is the seven-speed DSG automatic transmission. It delivers effortless and creamy progress on the go while sipping slowly on petrol. Mash on the throttle and its snappy response and revvy turbo engine see to the fact that the car puts through its paces and runs through the gears in a joyful and exact manner.
Despite having a slight increment in its dimensions, the CrossPolo doesn't disappoint round curves too. The rather stiff suspension set-up offers an exceptional stability when cornering at higher speeds, giving you the kind of confidence needed to tackle the twisties. And it certainly doesn't harm with a direct steering that is uncommon to cars in its segment.
Conclusion
The CrossPolo's design is both eye-catching and sophisticated in a way that will no doubt appeal to the young or the image conscious. It is a well-built cool car that is fun and easy to pilot, even in tighter spaces. It may be short on equipment but it's a no nonsense type of car that does not trade features with its drivability.
While it may be close to 5% more expensive than the Polo 1.2 (which is $129,000 now), we reckon you can't simply put a price tag on looking cool.
Conclusion
The CrossPolo's design is both eye-catching and sophisticated in a way that will no doubt appeal to the young or the image conscious. It is a well-built cool car that is fun and easy to pilot, even in tighter spaces. It may be short on equipment but it's a no nonsense type of car that does not trade features with its drivability.
While it may be close to 5% more expensive than the Polo 1.2 (which is $129,000 now), we reckon you can't simply put a price tag on looking cool.
