Features / 13 September 2024 / Michael Taylor

Updated VW Polo Vivo vs Chery Tiggo 4 Pro – VW’s new competition

The new VW Polo Vivo has officially gone on sale in South Africa, but one thing that hasn’t changed about the model is its price tag.

Despite adding several new features to the hatchback, the company elected not to raise its starting price of R266,600 to reflect the new additions, and there’s a good reason for that.

While Volkswagen has long been one of the country’s best-selling brands, its market share has started to decline in recent times thanks in large part to its ever-growing showroom stickers, putting its fleet outside the reach of many salaries.

At the same time, new automakers from China have been steadily growing over the last few years thanks to an influx of cars that ostensibly have powerful engines, extensive spec sheets, and affordable prices.

VW has acknowledged that these new models have a convincing sales pitch and that the cost of its own line-up is starting to lose its competitive edge, which is why the manufacturer has elected to keep the Vivo’s price where it is for now.

To put things in perspective, the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, which is one of the top 10 best-selling cars in South Africa, starts at R279,900, which is only R13,300 more than the Polo.

Had VW gone ahead with a price increase for the update, it’s quite possible that the two cars would be almost identically priced, despite the fact that the Vivo is tailor-made for the local market in terms of affordability.

With all that in mind, it’s worth examining what the VW Polo Vivo offers in 2024, compared to what you can now get from a Chinese crossover for a similar price.

Engines

The Vivo is available with four different engines, starting with a 1.4-litre petrol plant good for 55kW and 130Nm.

This connects to a five-speed manual gearbox and reports an average fuel consumption of 5.7l/100km.

Alternatively, there is an uprated version of the 1.4-litre mill with 63kW and 132Nm, which consumes slightly more at 5.9l/1ookm.

Next is a 1.6-litre drivetrain with 77kW and 135Nm, which can be paired with either the manual or a six-speed automatic, giving it a fuel tab of 6.2-6.5l/100km.

The range-topping Vivo GT, meanwhile, has a 1.0-litre turbo with 81kW and 200Nm, and a six-speed manual gear selector, with its thirst for fuel working out to 4.8l/100km.

In contrast, the Tiggo 4 only has two powerplants, kicking off with a 1.5-litre petrol unit putting out 83kW and 138Nm.

This can be had with a five-speed manual which manages 7.0l/100km, or a CVT transmission that does 6.8l/100km.

There’s also a more powerful 1.5-litre turbo block, which pumps out 108kW and 210Nm and is exclusively sold with an auto-shifter.

One of these is the CVT, while the other is a seven-speed dual-clutch box that will return a consumption of 6.7l/100km.

Features

Comparing the base specs of both cars, buyers can expect a minimum of daytime running lights (DRLs), a multifunction steering wheel, manual aircon, cloth seats, an infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, four speakers, ABS, hill assist, electronic stability control, tyre-pressure monitoring, and two airbags.

The entry-level VW also comes with 14-inch steel wheels, a 9.0-inch central screen, and front electric windows.

On the other hand, the starting Chery Tiggo 4 Pro in LiT trim boasts LED DRLs, 16-inch alloy rims, a 10.25-inch display, all-electric windows, a reverse camera, and rear parking sensors.

Anyone who picks up the Polo’s mid-range Style trim can also look forward to 16-inch alloys, cruise control, six speakers, and four airbags.

The Vivo GT further throws in larger 17-inch alloys, rain-sensing wipers, and automatic headlights.

As for the Tiggo 4 Pro Elite, it benefits from 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic LED headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, keyless entry and start, artificial leather upholstery, an electric driver’s chair, a wireless charger, six speakers, onboard navigation, cruise control, six airbags, a 360-degree camera, a sunroof, ambient lighting, and a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster.

Pricing

The South African pricing for the updated VW Polo Vivo is as follows:

VW Polo Vivo hatch 1.4 – R266,600
VW Polo Vivo hatch 1.4 Life – R288,500
VW Polo Vivo hatch 1.6 Style – R318,000
VW Polo Vivo hatch 1.6 Life – R320,200
VW Polo Vivo hatch 1.0TSI GT – R356,000

This includes a 3-year/120,000km warranty with roadside assistance and a 5-year/150,000km engine warranty.

The local pricing for the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro is as follows:

Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5 LiT Manual – R279,900
Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5 LiT Auto – R314,900
Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5T LiT Auto DCT – R359,900
Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5T Elite Auto – R386,900
Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5T Elite Auto DCT – R415,900

Each purchase comes with a 5-year/150,000km warranty, a 3-year/30,000km service plan, a 5-year/unlimited-kilometre roadside assistance plan, and a 10-year/1-million-kilometre engine warranty.