Volkswagen Polo: Know its alternatives

With a starting price of RM 74,990, the Polo is the most affordable Volkswagen available in the country. It is also among the best hatchbacks that you can buy right now. There are two variants of the Polo - Comfortline and Comfortline Vienna. Both of them are powered by a 1.6-litre engine which comes mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox. The Polo carries itself well courtesy the contemporary design. However, it might not be able to please everybody. So, today we’re going to have a look at a few of the alternatives of the VW Polo that you should consider.

 

Mazda 2 Hatchback

The Mazda 2 Hatchback is a bit on the expensive side with a starting price of RM 75,866 which goes all the way up to RM 92,886 for the range-topping model. But it is worth having a look at. Talking about looks, this hatchback features Mazda’s ‘KODO - Soul of Motion’ design language and therefore is one hell of a car to look at. Mazda has also tried to make its interior as unique as its exterior by using an all-black treatment with the red stitching on the seats, dashboard, and centre console. We really like the unique instrument cluster which shows off its single dial (tachometer) at the centre of the console and digital displays on its either side.

The Mazda 2 Hatchback specs reveal a 1.5-litre SkyActiv-G, 4-cylinder petrol engine that produces 114 PS of max power and 148 Nm of peak torque and is mated to Mazda’s SkyActiv Drive six-speed automatic transmission.

Honda Jazz

The new Jazz is a stylish hatchback with a pair of large headlamps separated by a blacked out wide front grille with Honda’s logo done in chrome located at the centre. The sporty front bumper gets a couple of LED daytime running lights. And there are two alloy wheel designs. The interior of the Jazz also gets an all-black theme but to break the monotony Honda has used silver accents here and there. The instrument cluster is nicely designed and there’s a touch panel for controlling the automatic air conditioning.

Powering the Honda Jazz is a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol mill that churns out 120 PS of max power at 6,600 revs and the peak torque of 145 Nm kicks in at 4,600 revs. It is coupled with Honda’s Earth Dreams Technology CVT unit which promises to deliver outstanding fuel efficiency and quick throttle response.

In Malaysia, there are four Jazz variants available - 1.5L S, 1.5L E, 1.5L V, and 1.5L Hybrid - with a starting price of RM 70,242 for the base model.

Kia Rio

After winning the iF Design Award 2017, the Kia Rio is still one of the best-looking hatchbacks available in the country. It has a distinctive appearance thanks to the signature Kia front grille and very attractive bi-projection headlamps. The rear end of the Rio has been done very well and everything looks to be in proportion. There is even a roof-mounted rear spoiler to add a bit of sportiness to the car. The interior is, again, done in an all-black theme. The layout is very simple and neat. The visibility is pretty great. The use of materials inside the cabin is decent. The steering wheel has many mounted controls and can be adjusted for both tilt and telescopic movements. The instrument cluster is also very tidy and features a 3.5-inch LCD screen for displaying necessary information.

Moving to the Kia Rio specs, it comes with a 1.4-litre engine that has been tuned to churn out a max power of 100 PS at 6000 revs and generate a peak torque of 133 Nm at 4000 revs. There is only a single transmission option with this engine and that’s a 6-speed automatic unit. Kia is offering 5 years warranty and unlimited mileage warranty with the Rio.

The Kia Rio variants in Malaysia are limited to one - 1.4L EX - which is available at a price of RM 78,888. There are 4 different colour options - Signal Red, Clear White, Silky Silver and Smoke Blue.