Polo struggles uphill

[caveman]

I have a 1.4 Polo Match which is 9 months old and done 4,000 miles. Generally I am happy with it's performance although I am not too impressed with the fuel consumption.
My main gripe is that it really struggles up hills. On the same journeys I could go up the hills in 3rd. gear with my 1.0 Turbo Clio but am changing between 2/3 with the Polo and constantly revving and labouring.
Is it a known issue with these cars re. Torque / Gear ratios or do I have an issue.
I'd welcome your thoughts. Cheers.

[Eshrules]

Have you got a link to the type of Clio you had? I'm struggling to find a 1.0T. The 1.4 pushes 83bhp, which should be more than enough for any hill if you know how to use your gears. My 93 polo had half that power and I never struggled - apart from the time I came up the A616 with a full set of seats in the back

[Kar Krazy]

As it's only 9 months old, it must still be under warranty. I'd take it back to the VW dealer and get a technician to sit in with you whilst you demonstrate the problem. They should fix it at no cost to you.

[caveman]

OK, I made a mistake with the Clio as it was 2008 08 RENAULT CLIO 1.2 DYNAMIQUE 16V TURBO 3d 100 BHP and I suppose 100BHP is that much pokier than the 85 I have. I will have it serviced in March and will ask about this problem then.
I just wanted to get some feedback as to whether this a know trait of this car as it is more than nippy enough on the flat.
Unfortunately I will be unable to demontrate to a technician the sluggish behaviour uphills as where I live in Essex it is dead flat.

[Eshrules]

OK, I made a mistake with the Clio as it was 2008 08 RENAULT CLIO 1.2 DYNAMIQUE 16V TURBO 3d 100 BHP and I suppose 100BHP is that much pokier than the 85 I have. I will have it serviced in March and will ask about this problem then.
I just wanted to get some feedback as to whether this a know trait of this car as it is more than nippy enough on the flat.

that makes more sense.

How did the polo perform on the test drive and is the struggling uphill a recent fault or has it been present since you got it?

Without wanting to patronise, you're driving a car with nearly 20 less bhp and no turbo - it will lack torque compared to the renault.

[zollaf]

i think the polo is a bit heavier than the little clio as well, being made from better metal rather than foil.

[caveman]

When I bought the car I didn't realise that there would be such a difference. My thinking was that I was swapping one small hatchback for another except this one was well put together. I would not have sensed the difference on my test drive because as I have said, there aren't any hills here and the car performs well on the flat. It is only on my visits to the South Downs that it is so obvious. Whether it is purely the 20% power difference or gear ratios too, I do not know. I know the situation arises rarely but it is really annoying and I feel that I am driving an old jallopy.
I wouldn't hesitate to buy another VW but unless I can get a Polo with a larger engine or a good deal on a Golf I will look elsewhere, which is a shame.

[zollaf]

are you revving the engine when trying to get up these hills. sometimes you need to just get up the rev range to get into the power, rather than keeping the rev low and dropping out of the zone.

[Eshrules]

When I bought the car I didn't realise that there would be such a difference. My thinking was that I was swapping one small hatchback for another except this one was well put together. I would not have sensed the difference on my test drive because as I have said, there aren't any hills here and the car performs well on the flat. It is only on my visits to the South Downs that it is so obvious. Whether it is purely the 20% power difference or gear ratios too, I do not know. I know the situation arises rarely but it is really annoying and I feel that I am driving an old jallopy.
I wouldn't hesitate to buy another VW but unless I can get a Polo with a larger engine or a good deal on a Golf I will look elsewhere, which is a shame.

There isn't that much difference in the specs of the car, but you've changed from a turbo direct injection to a direct injection - they require different driving styles.

I was assuming during the test drive you'd have taken it on the motorway, during which time you'd have noticed the difference in cars and power delivery - hills or no hills, that was my only point.

It may be worth getting the car checked for faults, but as Zol suggests, it may just need you to amend your driving style accordingly.


http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/facts-and-figures/renault/clio/hatchback-2005/43939/

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/facts-and-figures/volkswagen/polo/hatchback-2009/51857/

[caveman]

Thanks guys for all your help. I'll get it looked at in a couple of months. But I have to say that it is the worse hill climber that I have had in small hatchbacks and that is coming from a Saxo, 2 Clio's & 2 Clio Turbo's. But it is the classiest of the bunch.

[Eshrules]

Thanks guys for all your help. I'll get it looked at in a couple of months. But I have to say that it is the worse hill climber that I have had in small hatchbacks and that is coming from a Saxo, 2 Clio's & 2 Clio Turbo's. But it is the classiest of the bunch.

Perhaps one ought to stick to the saxos and clios then

The fault can't be that bad if it can wait a couple of months to be investigated ;)

[Kar Krazy]

Way back in the 1980s I drove a Mk1 Polo with the smallest engine. The quality was really good compared to the Fords and Vauxhalls of the time, but I was amazed at how astoundingly slow it was.

[Eshrules]

surely 'slow' is subjective? One can only go as fast as the speed limits allow and I never found my (simply wonderful) little Polo underpowered. I think modern engines have made drivers incredibly lazy IMHO.

[caveman]

If you're going along a country B road at 60 mph and your then faced with a hill or maybe two. My Clio's (I knowIkeep harping on about them) would comfortably drive up them in third gear. In my Polo I am labouring in third and the engine is racing and loud in second.
It is the only bit of the car I don't like as the quality etc. is so much better that Renaults. It is not enough to warrant me returning to Renaults or as suggested I should get it looked at NOW or it cannot be a big enough issue.
I only sought feedback on this forum to find out if it was a trait of the car re gear ratios or something else.

[Kar Krazy]

surely 'slow' is subjective? One can only go as fast as the speed limits allow and I never found my (simply wonderful) little Polo underpowered. I think modern engines have made drivers incredibly lazy IMHO.

You're right, it's not about top end speed. When I said slow I meant unable to accelerate noticeably in any gear compared to my car at the time, which was a 10-year-old 1968 Mini - and that was not a fast car with only 850cc! ;)

[ChicksFan]

I agree with your comments on this cars lack of hill climbing ability.

Having run a Peugeot 206cc for the last 10 years my wife fancied a change and decided on a VW Polo Match Edition 1.4 petrol manual on a 13 plate. According to the trip computer it averaged 52mpg on the 200 mile run back down to Leicestershire. It has a mixture of new/nearly new Chinese tyres on it but it drives just fine. The cruise control makes for relaxing motorway driving and Pat likes the reversing sensors and Bluetooth phone connection.

I was concerned that it had been on the variable servicing regime but was assured that this was in accordance with dealership recommendations. The first service had been carried out at 30,000 miles (yikes!), and the dealer has just serviced it again at 37,000 before we took it away. We paid £8,100.

It will get more frequent oil and filter changes with us and we'll see how we get on with it. The naturally aspirated 1.4 petrol engine seems rather tame after my 2.0 TDI estate and has less poke than the 110 bhp 1.6 16v Peugeot too. It is necessary to change down to 4th, or even 3rd on steeper hills but we'll get used to that. It will lead a pampered life. How are you getting on with yours now caveman?

[caveman]

I agree with your comments on this cars lack of hill climbing ability.

Having run a Peugeot 206cc for the last 10 years my wife fancied a change and decided on a VW Polo Match Edition 1.4 petrol manual on a 13 plate. According to the trip computer it averaged 52mpg on the 200 mile run back down to Leicestershire. It has a mixture of new/nearly new Chinese tyres on it but it drives just fine. The cruise control makes for relaxing motorway driving and Pat likes the reversing sensors and Bluetooth phone connection.

I was concerned that it had been on the variable servicing regime but was assured that this was in accordance with dealership recommendations. The first service had been carried out at 30,000 miles (yikes!), and the dealer has just serviced it again at 37,000 before we took it away. We paid £8,100.

It will get more frequent oil and filter changes with us and we'll see how we get on with it. The naturally aspirated 1.4 petrol engine seems rather tame after my 2.0 TDI estate and has less poke than the 110 bhp 1.6 16v Peugeot too. It is necessary to change down to 4th, or even 3rd on steeper hills but we'll get used to that. It will lead a pampered life. How are you getting on with yours now caveman?

Although at the time distressful, I had the good fortune of having the car written off. The pay-out and a bit more allowed me to buy another Polo. This new model was a 1.2 turbo TSI the equivalent of the 1.4 Match but with a helluva lot more oomph - especially up hills. Chalk and Cheese.