TheVolkswagen Polo Mk4is the fourth generation of theVolkswagen Polosuperminicar produced by the German manufacturerVolkswagen.It was marketed from early 2002 to 2010 in most countries except Argentina and the USA. It was manufactured inSouth Africauntil 2017, it was sold as thePolo Vivo.[3]The Mk4 replaced theVolkswagen Polo Mk3,while the Polo Vivo replaced theCiti Golf.In 2018, the Mk4 was replaced by theVolkswagen Polo Mk5Polo Vivo. InBrazil,It was manufactured until 2014 with a second facelift called 9n4, It was replaced in 2017 byVolkswagen Polo Mk6.

Volkswagen Polo Mk4
Overview
ManufacturerVolkswagen
Also calledVolkswagen Polo Vivo
Production2001–April 2010 (Germany)
2002–2014 (Brazil)
2002–2017 (South Africa)
AssemblyGermany:Wolfsburg
Spain:Pamplona
Belgium:Brussels
Slovakia:Bratislava[1]
Brazil:Sao Bernardo do Campo[2]
South Africa:Uitenhage
China:Anting(SAIC-VW)
Angola:Luanda(Ancar)
Kenya:Thika(KVM = Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers, Polo Vivo)
Body and chassis
ClassSupermini(B)
Body style3-doorhatchback
5-doorhatchback
4-doorsedan
LayoutFront-engine, front-wheel-drive
PlatformVolkswagen Group A04 (PQ24)
RelatedSEAT IbizaMk3
SEAT CórdobaMk2
Škoda FabiaMk1
Škoda FabiaMk2
Škoda Roomster
Volkswagen Fox
Powertrain
Engine1.2 LI3(petrol)
1.4 LI4(petrol)
1.6 L I4 (petrol)
1.8 L I4 (t/cpetrol)
2.0 L I4 (petrol)
1.4 L I3 (t/cdiesel)
1.9 L I4 (diesel)
1.9 L I4 (t/c diesel)
Transmission5-speedmanual
6-speedmanual
4-speedautomatic
6-speedautomatic
Dimensions
WheelbaseSedan: 2,465 mm (97.0 in)
2002–07 3-door: 2,460 mm (96.9 in)
2008–09 5-door: 2,454 mm (96.6 in)
LengthSedan: 4,198 mm (165.3 in)
2002–04 5-door: 3,897 mm (153.4 in)
2005–07 5-door: 3,926 mm (154.6 in)
2008–09 5-door: 3,916 mm (154.2 in)
Width1,650 mm (65.0 in)
HeightSedan: 1,501 mm (59.1 in)
2002–07 Hatchbacks: 1,465 mm (57.7 in)
2008–09 5-door: 1,467 mm (57.8 in)
2008–09 3-door: 1,452 mm (57.2 in)
Chronology
PredecessorVolkswagen Polo Mk3
SuccessorVolkswagen Polo Mk5

Overview

edit
Pre-facelift Volkswagen Polo E (UK)

Launched in September 2001 at theFrankfurt Motor Show,[4]the fourth generation Polo[5](internal designationTyp9N) was made available in early 2002.[citation needed]In keeping with Volkswagen's aim of floor pan sharing it shares its platform with theSEAT Ibiza6L,SEAT Córdoba6L,Volkswagen GolThird Generation, also called G5 or N.F.- Not to be confused withVolkswagen Golf- andŠkoda FabiaMk1. The car is all new, and bears more structural resemblance to the 6K than the 6N,[citation needed]outwardly the most recognizable change is the quad round headlights similar to theVolkswagen Lupo.

At a length of over 3,900 mm (153.5 in), the South African-built Polo Vivo is longer than the first generation of its larger sibling, theVolkswagen Golf Mk1,3,820 mm (150.4 in) in length.

Release in North America

edit
Volkswagen Polo clean diesel

In January 2009,Volkswagen Group of AmericaCEO Stefan Jacoby announced that the Polo will finally reach North America to join the vehicle line-up as a true entry-level car below theRabbit.However, the Polo Mk4 was never released in the North American market, leaving the speculation for its successor, the Polo Mk5. When the Mk5 was introduced in European markets, it was not made available for US sale. Due to the increased demand for SUVs, VWoA management confirmed the Mk5 was not slated for a US introduction in the foreseeable future. If the Mk5 had been introduced in the US, it was anticipated to be built at Volkswagen's plant inPuebla, Mexico,alongside the Jetta andNew Beetle.As of 2016, there are still no plans to introduce the Polo Mk5 or future generations of the Polo in the US.[6]

Models and specifications

edit

The model range includes the norm for current Volkswagen models, from the Comfortline to the Trendline and Highline, whilst featuring an extensive list of extras that had now become norm in mid-sized small cars. Items such as ABS, power steering, front and side airbags and front and rear head restraints were standard on all models and ESP, brake assistance, air conditioning, satellite navigation etc. were optional on higher spec models.

It is the first Polo generation to use a semi-automatic air conditioning system, withautomatic climate control,named Climatic, that adjusts the interior temperature automatically to the value set on the control panel, whereas the air distribution and air blower speed are adjusted manually. A fully automatic air conditioning system, named Climatronic, was also offered.[7]

It was available with a choice of a five-speedmanualgearbox, a six-speed manual gearbox, only for the sporty 1.9-litre 130 PS (96 kW) diesel model, or with a four-speedautomaticgearbox, used only in combination with the 1.4-litre 75 PS (55 kW) petrol engine.[7]A six-speedsemi-automatictransmission (Tiptronic) was added from mid-2006, after thefacelift,also available only with the 1.4-litre 80 PS (59 kW) or with the 1.6-litre 105 PS (77 kW) petrol engines.[8]

There was also acrossoverversion of the Polo, with off-road styling, named Polo Fun (Polo Dune in the UK, Polo Soho in Spain, CrossPolo in South Africa), released in 2003 - despite its appearance the car was never available with4WD.

Engines

edit

The Polo was available with several petrol and diesel engines: a 1.2 Lthree-cylinderpetrol enginewith 55 PS (40 kW; 54 hp) or 64 PS (47 kW; 63 hp) (depending on the number of valves per cylinder, two or four) and a 16-valve 1.4 L4-cylinderwith 75 PS (55 kW; 74 hp) or 100 PS (74 kW; 99 hp) petrol engine, the last one on the 16V-badged model.

Both turbocharged and unturbocharged diesel engines were available such as the 4-cylinder 1.9 L SDI (Suction Diesel Injection) which also offered 64 PS (47 kW; 63 hp) but with 125 N⋅m (92 lb⋅ft) of torque, slightly more than some petrol powered units. As well as the unturbocharged SDI engine, newerTDIPDturbodieselunits were also available, these being a 1.9 L with 100 PS (74 kW; 99 hp) and a three-cylinder 1.4 L model (the 1.9 with one cylinder less) with 75 PS (55 kW; 74 hp). A sporty 1.9 TDI PD model, named Polo GT, was launched in 2004, with 130 PS (96 kW; 128 hp).

Sedan

edit

Asedanversion was launched in November 2003.[9]It was produced inBrazil,South AfricaandChinaand exported to the rest ofLatin AmericaandAustralia,as well as toEurope.With the introduction of the Polo Classic saloon in the Australian market in 2004, the Chinese version, has the distinction of being the first Chinese-built car to be produced inright-hand drive.[10]

Compared to the hatchback model, the Polo Sedan (also "Saloon" or "Limousine" ) is completely re-styled from the B-pillar rearwards. The window line has a slight upward incline and the roof features Volkswagen's trademark curves and the concise styling of the C-pillar provides aspects that are actually reminiscent of a coupe. At the rear, the large horizontally divided rear lights and sculptured panels complete a design that is classically Volkswagen.

Overall, the Polo Sedan is 28 centimetres longer than the hatchback version (4179 mm vs 3897 mm). Consequently, with the rear seatback in place, the Polo Sedan offers 461 Litres of boot capacity (211 litres more than the hatchback siblings) and with the rear seats folded down, 1127 litres of storage capacity is available.

Under the bonnet is Volkswagen's 1.6-litre multi-valve engine that delivers 101 hp (75 kW) of power at 5500 rpm and peak torque of 140 N⋅m (100 lb⋅ft) at 3250 rpm. Transmission is a five-speed manual.

Standard features including dual front and side airbags, semi-automatic air conditioning, CD player, ABS brakes and remote central locking with engine immobiliser.[11]

Facelift

edit

In May 2005, the Polo Mk4 was facelifted, creating the Mk4F (internal designationTyp9N3) moniker, with new headlights, taillights and a different hatch, which resembled other recently launched models in the Volkswagen line-up of the time. TheTyp9N3 came in six different trims, ranging from the basic E model to the GTI. Like its predecessor, the standard models use the same engine range from the 1.2 L 55 PS (40 kW) 3-cylinder engine to the 1.9 L 100 PS (74 kW; 99 hp) TDI engine. A 9N3 model Polo with a 2.0L 8v petrol engine shared with the Mk4 Golf 2.0, was also available specific to the South African market from 2005-2007, badged under the 'Highline' trim.[12]

Polo GTI

edit

With the introduction of the Polo Mk4, the Polo GTI Mk3 was discontinued and was given no direct replacement. It was not until late 2005 that the Polo GTI was reintroduced. It was unveiled on 21 October 2005 at theAustralian International Motor Show.It featured a 20-valve turbocharged 1.8-litre 150 PS (110 kW; 148 hp) petrol engine which had been used in models such as the Golf GTI Mk4 and thePassatMk5.

Its styling bears some resemblance to the Mk5 Golf GTI, with a blacked out central "scoop" in the bumper surrounding the honeycomb grille. In this new model the fully digital climate control is optional and xenon lights are not available, unlike the Polo GTI Mk3 which featured them as standard. Although faster than the previous model, the Polo GTI Mk4 is less powerful than the top versions of theOpel/Vauxhall Corsa,BMW MINIand its stablemateSEAT Ibiza,most of which come with engines with a maximum output above 180 PS (132 kW; 178 hp). This led Volkswagen to quickly beef up the Polo further to create the Polo GTI Cup Edition, which was tuned to around 180 PS (132 kW; 178 hp) and featured more aggressive styling.

Polo Vivo

edit

On 11 March 2010, Volkswagen South Africa announced that theVolkswagen Citi Golfis being replaced by a version of the Mk 4 Polo, thePolo Vivo.It is available with a choice of two 1.4-litre engines (55 kW & 63 kW)[13]and a 1.6-litre engine (77 kW).[14]The Polo Vivo is sold in both 3-door and 5-door versions and as a saloon.

In comparison to the Polo Mk4, the Polo Vivo has a restyled front bumper and grille, deleted scuff strips on the bumpers and sides of the car, and side indicators relocated from the wing mirrors back to the front fenders. This restyling gives the Polo Vivo some of the elements of thedesign languageused in other contemporary VW models. It is manufactured at VW'sUitenhageplant in South Africa, which sources 70%[15]of the Vivo parts locally. This model was discontinued in 2018 and this marked the first generation, replaced by a new model based on the Mark 5 Polo.

CrossPolo/ Polo Fun / Polo Dune / Polo Soho

edit

There was also acrossover-inspired version of the Polo, similar to theRover Streetwise,with "off-road" styling, namedPolo Fun(Polo Dunein the UK,Polo Sohoin Spain,CrossPoloin South Africa), but despite its appearance the car was never available with4motionfour-wheel drive.

A mini SUV-styled (but still two-wheel-drive)CrossPoloversion of the Mark IVF was also produced as a successor to the Polo Fun for several markets.

Polo BlueMotion

edit

In 2006,[16]Volkswagen premiered itsBlueMotionrange with the emphasis of lower emissions and high fuel economy. Volkswagen's first car under the BlueMotion range is a modified 1.4-litre VW Polo TDI with longer gear ratios, aerodynamic changes and lightweight alloys with low rolling resistant tyres. The end result is a car capable of producing less than 100g/km of CO2with a stated fuel economy of 74.3 mpg (3.8 L/100 km) on a combined cycle. Volkswagen plans to use the platform set by the Polo on expanding their BlueMotion ranges which include theVolkswagen Golfand theVolkswagen Passat.

Safety

edit

The Polo in its most basic version for Latin America received 4 stars for adult occupants and 3 stars for toddlers fromLatin NCAPin 2012.[17]

Motorsport

edit

Volkswagen Racing rallied a PoloSuper 1600in the 2003Junior World Rally Championship,winning theTurkishround, withKosti Katajamäkias the driver.[18]The 1.6-litre engine developed 165 kW (224 PS; 221 hp) to the front wheels.[citation needed]

Volkswagen Racing in South Africa rallied aSuper 2000Polo, that won the South African Rally Driver and Navigator Championship for four consecutive years since 2005.[19]Its 2.0-litre engine delivered a maximum output of 191 kW (260 PS; 256 hp).[citation needed]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^"History - Volkswagen Slovakia, A.S".Volkswagen.sk. Archived fromthe originalon 2010-04-06.Retrieved2010-12-21.
  2. ^"Volkswagen Polo is no longer manufactured in Brazil".car.blog.br. 21 September 2014.Retrieved2022-11-23.
  3. ^"All Models < Model Categories < Volkswagen South Africa".Archived fromthe originalon 2015-06-17.
  4. ^"VW Polo: Die ersten Fotos"(in German). Spiegel Online. 13 August 2001.Retrieved25 March2016.
  5. ^"Historique, infos et photos: Tout sur les Volkswagen Polo 6N & 6N2 (1994-2001)".caradisiac.4 December 2021.
  6. ^Weernink, Wim Oude; Wortham, April (2009-01-16)."VW plans to sell Polo in U.S."Automotive News.Retrieved2010-12-04.
  7. ^ab"Self-Study Programme 263. Polo Model Year 2002"(PDF).VolksPage.Net. 2002-03-04. p. 28; 44.Retrieved2013-01-28.
  8. ^"Neue Sechsstufenautomatik für den VW Polo"(in German). Autosieger. 2006-08-23.Retrieved2013-02-07.
  9. ^"VW Polo Limousine: Niedersächsische Stufenlösung"(in German). Spiegel Online. 8 November 2003.Retrieved25 March2016.
  10. ^"Eight Chinese cars that flopped in Australia".CarExpert.6 June 2020.Retrieved2022-02-13.
  11. ^"Volkswagen Launches Polo Classic Sedan - AutoWeb News".Autoweb.au.Retrieved2010-09-10.
  12. ^"Volkswagen polo 2.0 highline 2005-7 - Car Specs - Volkswagen Polo Specifications - Information on Volkswagen cars and Polo specs for vehicles".
  13. ^VWSA."Polo Vivo Specifications".vw.co.za. Archived fromthe originalon 13 August 2010.Retrieved10 September2010.
  14. ^Irma Venter."VWSA launches Polo Vivo as CitiGolf replacement".Engineeringnews.co.za.Retrieved10 September2010.
  15. ^CAR Magazine (10 March 2010)."Volkswagen's budget offering emerges".carmag.co.za. Archived fromthe originalon 6 October 2010.Retrieved10 September2010.
  16. ^"VW Polo Bluemotion".Auto Express.Retrieved12 February2015.
  17. ^"Official results of the Volkswagen Polo + 2 Airbags 2012".LATIN NCAP - PARA AUTOS MAS SEGUROS.
  18. ^"FIA Rally News. Rally Of Turkey"(PDF).Rally Of Turkey. 2003-12-15. p. 15.Retrieved2013-01-30.
  19. ^Haley Harvey (2008-11-24)."You'll think you can"(PDF).Volkswagen South Africa.Retrieved2013-01-30.
edit
Preceded by Volkswagen Polo Mk4
2001–2017
Succeeded by