News / 20 August 2024 / Albert du Toit

New VW Polo Vivo launched in South Africa – Pricing and features

The current VW Polo Vivo family has received its first major update since its release in 2018.

The hatchback was treated to a selection of cosmetic enhancements as well as new comfort and safety features.

As before, the line-up still comprises five derivatives including the flagship GT, however, the Trendline, Comfortline, and Highline specifications have now been renamed the base, Life, and Style, respectively.

Pricing for the updated Vivo remains identical to before, with its barrier to entry pegged at R266,600.

Everything new

The biggest changes to the new Vivo come through in its outer design.

The revised city car sports a restyled grille and front bumper with chrome finishes, the new two-dimensional VW emblem on the nose, updated daytime running lights pulling triple duty as fog lights and cornering lights, and new headlights from the Life model upwards.

At the rear, it gets the same two-dimensional VW emblem and a new antenna, and the model badging that was usually located on the edge of the tailgate is now positioned in the centre.

A redesigned selection of alloy wheels ranging from 15 to 16 inches then completes the exterior overhaul, however, the base model still wears its usual 14-inch steel rims.

Inside, the VW comes with a restructured instrument cluster, a new 9-inch infotainment screen, new seat covers, and a multifunction steering wheel in all variations.

In addition, depending on the model, the Vivo now offers driver and passenger seatbelt recognition, electronic stability control, new front-side airbags, and tyre-pressure monitoring.

Given that this is simply a facelift and not a new generation, the updated Vivo retains the engine selection of its predecessor.

The base model is sold with a 1.4-litre petrol motor good for 55kW and 130Nm, matched with a five-speed manual gearbox. It reports an average fuel usage of 5.7l/100km and achieves a top speed of 171km/h.

The Vivo Life is equipped with the same driveline uprated to produce 63kW and 132Nm. The higher output translates to a consumption of 5.9l/100km and a maximum of 177km/h.

Alternatively, the Life is also available with a 1.6-litre petrol mill churning out 77kW and 135Nm paired to a six-speed automatic transmission. It drinks fuel at a rate of 6.6l/100km and pips 188km/h.

The Vivo Style gets the same 1.6-litre unit as the Life, however, in this application it partners with a five-speed manual shifter, bringing consumption down to 6.2l/100km while top speed remains 188km/h.

At the top of the Vivo hierarchy sits the GT model, which is the only one with a turbocharged 1.0-litre block that develops 81kW and 200Nm.

Similarly, it boasts an exclusive six-speed manual box, and despite the high output, the GT returns the lowest fuel usage of the lot at 4.8l/100km while simultaneously providing the highest top speed at 196km/h.