Crash test Volkswagen Polo sedan. Crash test Volkswagen Polo Sedan Crash tests Volkswagen Polo sedan

Child restraints

Pedestrian safety

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Side impact:

Pedestrian safety:

The new version of the compact Polo hatchback comes out in the classic Volkswagen style. Despite the fact that, in total, all the changes in the appearance of the new Polo do not even amount to restyling, in fact, the car has changed quite seriously and now, without stretching it, it can be called a “little Golf”. We managed to drive the 2014 Volkswagen Polo and evaluate all the changes.

It’s very Volkswagen-like, to update the car so that no one notices anything... A bright blue test car was waiting for us right at the Munich airport - it was this color that became the calling card of the restyled version and the Fresh package, which will be offered to customers only in the first year of sales . A car of this color will be used for all promotions of the model.

According to Volkswagen representatives, the new Polo is like a small VW Golf, not only in terms of design, but also in terms of technology, comfort and safety. Of course, this positioning also affected the price. But in our country, the new Polo starts with the same price tag as before the restyling.

Tradition is extremely important to Volkswagen. The Germans never allowed drastic design updates and experiments. New generations of all models have been carefully verified so that any conservative client will never turn away from the company.

It’s not in vain, oh, it’s not in vain that the designers added a new bright color to the Polo range - it is by this color that buyers will be able to identify that this is a restyled car, and not the previous one. After all, you have to look for changes almost with a magnifying glass. Yes, the geometry of the front and rear optics has changed a lot, yes, new wheels have appeared, but the main feature is the LED elements in the optics. However, cars with such headlights will go on sale a little later, but for now ordinary halogens shine from there.

We advise future owners of the new product to take a closer look at the new color, otherwise no one will notice that they bought a restyled Polo. However, the conservatism of design Volkswagen already is not surprising: Germans know better what their customers value.

There are no revelations in the design of the Volkswagen CrossPolo pseudo-SUV. It also has its own signature color, which replaced bright orange. As usual, the “off-road” car is distinguished by roof rails, perimeter moldings and luxurious seventeen-inch wheels. There is only one minus - to fit on such wheels winter tires It won't be easy.

As for the “civilian” version of Polo, in Ukraine it will be available with 15-inch wheels. You will have to order an inch more, but there are no 17-inch ones at all. By the way, they didn’t skimp on stock tires in the regular and Cross hatchbacks: in the first case, they use Dunlop tires, and in the second - Goodyear. But CrossPolo has better wheels, of course.

The restyled VW Polo strives for the VW Golf in every way. It is interesting for those buyers who do not want a car the size of a Golf, but are willing to pay for similar or similar equipment. That's why new hatchback equipped with other dashboard, steering wheel and other pleasant options.

For testing, we were provided with a car with a light interior, which looks very attractive. In practice, we have already established that light plastic does not feel as good tactilely as it looks, and the door cards give the impression of being a little flimsy and cheap. But this is where the complaints about the interior of the new VW Polo end: in all other senses it has evolved.

To begin with, the Polo is now sold with exactly the same steering wheel as the Golf. The steering wheels are identical both in appearance and functionality. Multimedia systems are also making progress. In the photos you see the top version with navigation software and a 6.5-inch screen. There is a simpler version with a five-inch screen and without navigation software: it is also found in different versions of the VW Golf and SEAT Leon. The lacquered gray plastic framed by the radio and climate control unit looks very good: the coating is pleasant and durable.

The dashboard has also been upgraded, and again in the direction of the VW Golf: even a color monitor with a 3D matrix is ​​available as an option. In general, the interior of the new Polo constantly evokes analogies with its “big brother”; the car has caught up to its level, both in design and equipment.

Among the pleasant little things, the care for passengers, that is, for their things, is immediately noticeable: there are spacious pockets in the doors, deep cup holders, a folding armrest with a drawer and a deep glove box, as well as pull-out trays under the front seats. There is even floor lighting, which creates a special coziness in the evening. Rear passengers have their own lighting.

As usual with Volkswagen cars, I didn’t have to get used to driving a restyled hatchback. The discreet design hides high ergonomics and standardization. On the one hand, it’s a bit boring, because once you’ve driven one of the brand’s cars, you can consider that you’ve driven them all. On the other hand, in any Volkswagen models you start to feel at home and no longer learn anything new.

By overall parameters the new VW Polo is no different from the previous one: the 2 mm difference in size did not affect anything. The front seats are so spacious that even people 190 cm tall can comfortably fit here.

The steering wheel extends quite decently and it is rare that someone will not be able to choose the optimal configuration for themselves. But after driving 100 km, we still discovered one thing weak point– a seat that is almost perfect at first glance is tiring. Perhaps it should have been adjusted better, but this shortcoming was identified already on the way to the airport.

There is not enough space on the back seat. A tall passenger will fit there and will not complain about the torment, but on a long journey he will prefer to take tickets to a reserved seat carriage of the train. Your knees tightly support the back, you sit straight, fortunately, you don’t rest your head on the ceiling. What can you say, it’s B-class and B-class in Africa.

The trunk in European versions of the VW Polo is slightly larger, since it does not have a spare wheel. Therefore, in the test car we found a false floor, and even a decent-sized niche under the floor. In our cars, this space will be taken up by the spare wheel.

In terms of the level of equipment, the Volkswagen Polo after restyling cannot be called a role model in the class, but the hatchback still has certain advantages over its competitors. While Korean offerings in this class focus on features (heated steering wheel, ventilated seats, etc.), Volkswagen pushes other technologies to the masses: adaptive suspension, turbocharged engines, adaptive cruise control and even a preventive system. collisions.

The most noticeable innovation for the buyer will be adaptive cruise control and the Front Assist collision avoidance system. The latter monitors all cars ahead and informs the driver in case of unsafe approach sound signal, dampens the gas pedal and sharpens the brakes. Adaptive cruise control keeps a safe distance and is able to completely stop the car if necessary. The system will resume movement as soon as the vehicle in front starts moving. The system works great and allows you to relax even on country roads.

Already the basic equipment of the restyled VW Polo has ESP system(at Volkswagen it goes by the name ESC) and a vehicle holding system after side impacts, which helps the driver stabilize the car. The base also includes a set of four airbags: a pair of front airbags and a pair of side airbags for the driver and front passenger. A set of rear side airbags is available as an option. A rear view camera is also available as an option, which was not previously offered for the Volkswagen Polo. The restyled hatchback has “learned” to control tire pressure and recognize driver fatigue.

Immediately when the hatchbacks were issued, we were told not to get too carried away diesel engines, since there won’t be any in Ukraine. Of course, this did not stop us from driving them for fun, but we still paid more attention to the 90-horsepower 1.2 TSI engine. But before sharing our impressions, let’s talk about the engine range.

The base VW Polo 2014 will receive a liter three-cylinder naturally aspirated unit producing 75 hp. His partners only have a five-speed manual transmission. The motor is available only in the Trandline configuration.

Immediately behind it is a liter turbo unit with a capacity of 110 hp, which will equip both Polo and CrossPolo. Two transmissions are offered for it - a six-speed manual transmission and a seven-speed DSG. Expected to be on sale in Ukraine only from November. From November to motor range“Polo” will also appear in the 1.8 TSI, but only for the VW Polo GTI modification. At the same time, the 1.4 TDI diesel engine will be released in power versions of 75 or 105 hp. For the latter, only one gearbox is available – a five-speed manual. These engines are no longer new, they comply with Euro-4 requirements. The Germans found it inappropriate to adapt the DSG for them, so only manual boxes, only for corporate clients.

Volkswagen's main bet is on the 1.2 TSI with a seven-speed DSG robot. Importers expect the greatest interest among Ukrainians for the 1.2 TSI 90 hp. and DSG.

New 90 hp TSI unit behaves great. This is not to say that it is more than enough - you should be careful when overtaking. But if you compare it with the naturally aspirated 1.4, which was used in the pre-restyling Polo, in any case, progress is evident - the new Polo drives well. In the city, the combination of this engine with a five-speed manual transmission is also on par, since the long torque platen allows you not to switch too often. But on the highway, five gears are not enough - at 110 km/h the tachometer already shows about 3,000 rpm, which negatively affects consumption. But with the seven-speed DSG “robot” it’s a different matter - even at 130 km/h the engine spins up to 2,000 rpm, and on the autobahn you can reach the full 170 km/h. Accordingly, a car with DSG consumes 0.5 - 1 liter less. At quiet ride on the highway it is quite possible to get 5.5 liters of consumption and 6.5 - 7 liters in the city without traffic jams. The feeling of driving with a “robot” is very pleasant.

In terms of suspension and steering, the VW Polo after restyling did not present any unpleasant surprises. This is a typical Volkswagen in every sense: obedient, collected, comfortable and without sporty excesses. That is, it is an excellent everyday companion that will not give you any unpleasant surprises or tire you out.

Video | Crash test of Volkswagen Polo from Euro NCAP

To protect the driver and passengers, the Volkswagen Polo model features passive and active safety systems.

They differ depending on the selected configuration; the effectiveness of the measures taken can be judged from official crash test data.

When designing and manufacturing the Volkswagen Polo, they were guided by the requirements of the Economic Commission for Europe at the United Nations - UNECE. They regulate the protection of the driver and passenger in the event of a frontal and side impact, the fastening of child seats, the operation of warning systems when leaving the road, and emergency braking.

Based on these requirements, the manufacturer has provided the following basic protection measures that are equipped with every Volkswagen sedan Polo:

• The ABS system operates in emergency and normal braking modes, controls brake fluid pressure;
• Airbags - one each for the driver and front passenger;
• Three-point belts on all seats, the front ones can be adjusted in height;
• Height-adjustable headrests - 2 in front and three for rear passengers;
• If the driver's seat belt is not fastened while the engine is running, an audible and indicator warning will sound.

For better machine control, which directly affects safety, basic configuration Volkswagen Polo has front disc brakes, anti-lock ABS system. The vehicle is protected from theft using an electronic immobilizer.

Additional options

In addition to the basic means of ensuring protection and better controllability of the machine, the manufacturer has provided additional measures. They are conventionally divided into two types - the first are installed depending on the selected configuration, the second can be purchased as a separate package of options. Important: Changing security options is not possible.

Additional protection for Trendline, Drive, Comfortline, Highline and GT:

• Rear disc brakes are installed;
• ESP stabilization for better directional stability, control control during maneuvers, only for 7-automatic transmission (Drive, Highline and GT configurations);
• Front mounted fog lights with turn signal (Highline and GT only).

The optional Safety package includes rear and front parking sensors and side airbags, but only for the front passenger and driver.

Its cost is 20,990 rubles.

Volkswagen Polo crash test results

The most objective data on the safety level of the Volkswagen Polo are presented in the results of the Euro NCAP crash test. This particular vehicle model has not been tested by the IIHS.

The Kaluga-assembled Volkswagen Polo sedan was crash tested by ARCAP (Russia) only in 2010. The results may differ from the actual performance of the latest model. Therefore, only official data from Euro NCAP can be considered.

The vehicle speed in a frontal collision is 64 km/h, there are two types of obstacles - solid and deformable. The maximum impact area does not exceed 40% of the vehicle width. A side impact occurs at a speed of 50 km/h. The degree of impact on a pedestrian when driving a car at 50 km/h is also checked.

Driver and adult passenger

Most of the results were at a good level. During a frontal collision, the impact energy was compensated by belts and airbags. In a full-width frontal impact, the driver is not injured, but when encountering a deformable obstacle, minor damage is possible.

Test results:

• Deformable obstacle – 7.6;
• Frontal collision - 7.8;
• Side impact – 16;
• Rear impact - 2.4.

The performance of the emergency braking system in urban conditions is good.

Rear passenger and child

No damage to the six-year-old mannequins (at child seat) and a ten-year-old child. The seat belts worked well, protecting all parts of the body. Data confirmed in frontal and side impacts. When the front passenger airbag was turned off to install a child seat in the rear, the driver was notified.

Results:

• Front kick – 15;
• Side impact – 8;
• Holding a child seat – 12.

Two types of child seats were used in the tests - for a child of 6 and 10 years old.

Collision with a pedestrian

When hitting the front of a car, injuries to pedestrians are minimal. There are some problems when colliding with edges windshield. The most dangerous areas are near the outside rear view mirrors.

Pedestrian damage assessment:

• Head – 15.9;
• Pelvis – 4.8;
• Legs – 6.

The damage to the car was not global. During a frontal impact, the doorway shifted by 2 mm, there was no deformation of the welding seams. The front part is completely crushed, the engine has not moved beyond the subframe.

Reading time: 6 minutes.

Autobahn attendants will understand: first you rush along the highway, and then suddenly a traffic jam of hundreds of cars grows. “Crawling” past a mangled “graveyard” of scrap metal with your eyes open in surprise. And when you see a crowd of safe and sound owners of damaged cars and their passengers, you feel a little relieved. Of course, the outcome is different for this type of accident. Therefore, tens of thousands of cars undergo modern crash tests before entering the industrial assembly line.

Already from the name of the concept it becomes clear what this procedure is. This is a real simulation of a standard road accident in order to obtain information on the level of damage to the car, driver and passengers. Interestingly, mannequins imitating people began to be seated in cars only in 1966. Before this, human bodies or dead animals served as experimental subjects.

Crash tests sound sporty. It is not surprising, because for racing competitions this “ceremony” is an integral part of motorsport. Without passing it, the racing team will not receive a license to participate in competitions from the motorsport committee.

As for the usual passenger cars, then there’s the same problem: not a single model will leak onto automobile market until the procedure is completed. If factories that produce cars from assembly lines ignore crash test regulations, they will face serious fines and other sanctions.

Features of the EuroNCAP test

There are enough international organizations involved in crash testing. They are scattered all over the world. In Europe alone, there are as many as six laboratories conducting scrupulous research into vehicle safety. One center is located in France, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK. A couple more, which includes the famous automobile society ADAC, dating back to 1903, are located in Germany.

All European laboratories are united into one organization EuroNCAP, which stands for “European New Car Assessment Program”. EuroNCAP experts conduct four types of crash tests:

For example, a doorway after a frontal impact was reduced by only a couple of millimeters. For the same one it was 15 mm, and for the “first” Focus it was 20 mm. On top of everything else, the door opened freely and unhindered, and is now in excellent health. All thanks to a clever door bracket, which, even as a result of severe deformation, will not get stuck in the lock.

The steering column also responded superbly to impact. Instead of shifting back, as happened with the “French” and “American” mentioned above, the “steering wheel” moved forward by 52 mm.

The airbag made it possible to show off the Volkswagen Polo sedan good result according to the criterion of damage to the head and chest, evenly distributing and reducing the load on the bodies of mannequins. The driver's indicator reached 583 units, and the passenger's indicator reached 414.

There were no problems with the belts either. Considering that the “green” crash test zone is at 2 mm, the driver’s displacement of the calibrated ribs by 25 mm and the passenger’s by 23 mm only moved slightly away from the standard. Although the lower spar curled up into a “sea” knot, taking on the full brunt of the blow, it fulfilled its main purpose, namely the operational absorption of kinetic energy, with a bang. As for the upper spar, the high-strength steel alloy was only slightly deformed.

The massive subframe and the far from weak bumper beam bracket were crushed, just like the entire front part on the driver’s side, but there was not a scratch on the bottom. The floor under the driver's mat received almost no damage, and the weld seam is like new.

WITH battery there were no surprises either. Main brake cylinder did not reach the goal: "" only flew up slightly, and no deformations could be found on the body even with the naked eye. It’s the same story with the wires - nothing broke or shorted. As a result: even after a powerful impact at a speed of 64 km/h, the sedan left all its electrical equipment intact.

Thus, here they are: 14.3 points worked out: two “fours” for the head, hips and knees, 3.6 for the chest, 3.7 for the legs and feet. An extra point is removed from the total due to the presence of dangerous metal structures behind the steering column casing. The sedan's overall score is only half a point lower than that of the European hatch!

Interestingly, a prototype was first tested at the EuroNCAP test site Kaluga sedan, the mass of which was 140 kilograms more than that of the “serial” model. But even with the not quite correct fitting of the mannequins, he gave a result of 11 points.

The crash test allowed us to draw a conclusion about how the driver and passenger should sit in order to minimize the number of injuries in an accident. The most important criterion is the position of the backrest - the closer it is to the vertical, the greater the chance of getting minor bruises in an accident. It is also recommended to tighten the upper belt fastener all the way.

Well, here it is - European know-how: the ability to conduct high-quality crash tests, design rigid bodies and adjust belt settings. Our “specialists” in this regard are like the moon.

A whole team of Germans, led by Ernst Glas, head of the working group at the factory laboratory, was dispatched from Wolfsburg to observe our tests. passive safety. And this is not counting Russian specialists from Kaluga and Moscow.

We’ll show you everything later,” Glas grins slyly. - In the meantime, can we check the landing of the dummies before the impact?

Let's find out the grip of a professional! In the same way, both Farid Bendjellal from Renault and Fiat Barberis checked their cars before our crash tests.

Your mannequins are like new, ours in Wolfsburg look less presentable. And your equipment is of the latest generation...

The power structure of the front end of the sedan and hatchback is the same. The deformation pattern is also identical: like the hatchback in the EuroNCAP crash test, the upper spar made of high-strength steel bent only slightly, and the lower spar took the brunt of the impact

We decided to conduct this crash test at the Dmitrovsky training ground - this summer the acceleration strip was covered with a transparent plastic canopy and became almost all-weather. But the catapult in Dmitrov is old: the car is pulled through a system of cables by the inertia of flywheels spun by an electric motor. In order to maintain the speed with the required error (plus or minus 1 km/h), calibration is necessary: ​​selecting the flywheel rotation speed experimentally. A few days before the impact, after three sighting accelerations (of course, in the direction opposite to the concrete cube), the electric motor failed! And when we quickly bought tickets to Togliatti to test the Polo at the VAZ passive safety laboratory, the good news came from the test site: it was repaired.

The driver's door not only opens after an impact from 64 km/h, but also closes without problems! A fastened driver of average height, if he places the back of the seat closer to the vertical and raises the upper point of the seat belt to the maximum, in such an accident only a bruise to the chest and scratches from the clutch pedal will occur (yellow threat level)

The “passenger” lightly rested his feet on the sloping lid of the glove compartment. And a properly deployed pillow helped reduce the load not only on the head (HIC - 414 units), but also on the chest

Your “driver” sits differently than in the crash test conducted by the EuroNCAP committee: now his forehead is 30 mm further from the top point of the steering wheel rim. Can you change the seatback angle? It would also be a good idea to raise the belts to their highest position...

Low-carbon steel with a tensile strength of less than 140 MPa in the Polo sedan accounts for only 38% of the body weight. The side members, sills, engine shield and part of the amplifiers are made of especially strong steel (tensile strength 140-300 MPa, parts painted blue). High-strength steel (300-1000 MPa, green in the diagram) goes to the upper side members, front bumper beam, sill inserts, roof reinforcements and support platforms for the front seats. And the outer panels of the B-pillars and the upper part of the sidewall are stamped from steel with a tensile strength of more than 1000 MPa (highlighted in red)

With our consent, the polygon specialists followed Glas’ recommendations: according to the EuroNCAP methodology, the middle position of the upper seat belt attachment point, as well as a backrest tilt of 25°, are mandatory only in the absence of manufacturer recommendations. And since Volkswagen recommends...

According to Glass, the power structure of the front part of the sedan is the same as that of the hatchback. Moreover, the Germans did not skimp on materials: the front bumper beam, upper side members, sill reinforcements, central tunnel and engine shield of the Polo sedan are made of high-strength steel. And the front and middle pillars of the body are stamped using the same technology as the most critical parts of Audi cars: metal heated to 950°C is pressed in cooled molds - such hardening gives the steel even greater strength and rigidity. Of course, these body parts are imported - they have not yet learned how to stamp them in Kaluga.

It is for these metal structures hidden under the injury-proof steering column cover that, following the EuroNCAP experts, we deducted one point for protecting the knees and hips

But there were still some savings. The steering column and lower dash design are hatch-like, as are the single-stage front airbags. But the belts of the Kaluga Polo are simpler, without pyrotechnic pretensioners. Therefore, the belt force limiters are set to a higher load. Will this result in “injuries” to the chest of the mannequins?

The battery has been checked and the ignition is on. Overclocking...

The roar of the impact at a speed of 64.3 km/h was unusually loud - my ears were already ringing. When the smoke from the deployed airbag squibs cleared and the dust knocked off the wheel arches settled, it was time to applaud. The body welded in Kaluga is no worse than the Belgian one (the Polo hatchback was until recently produced at a plant near Brussels): the doorway was shortened by only two millimeters! This is less than the Logan (15 mm) and the first generation Focus (20 mm) that we tested. It is not surprising that the driver's door not only did not jam in the opening, unlike Logan, but it also opened and closed as if on a new car. And not a single opened seam!

The prints of the “faces” of the Hybrid III mannequins are exactly in the center of the cushions, the seats are level, the steering wheel has moved not back, but forward, by as much as 52 mm (in Logan and Focus, the steering wheel moved away from the driver by 15 and 5 mm, respectively). The high-speed video is exemplary. Soon the first results of processing data obtained from mannequins appeared. The integral criterion for head injuries HIC is 583 units for the “driver” and 414 units for the “passenger”. This is entirely within the green zone with a limit of 650 units. And one and a half times less than in Logan, where the equipment registered a HIC of 890 units.

The belts also worked normally: even without preload, the calibrated ribs on the “driver” shifted only by 25 mm, on the “passenger” - by 23 mm, which is only slightly more than the border of the “green” zone of 22 mm.

The spar did not crumple like an accordion, like the bumper beam bracket, but tied itself into a knot. However, he fulfilled his main mission - the effective absorption of collision energy - with honor.

The front end on the left side is completely crumpled, even the powerful subframe is distorted.

But there is not a wrinkle on the bottom

As a result, the Polo receives a full four points for head protection for fastened front occupants, and 3.6 points for chest protection. From four points for the protection of the hips and knees, we, like the EuroNCAP experts, deduct one point for metal structures located closely behind the steering column casing to the fullest extent of the methodology. We can only assess the risk of foot injury based on the results of a crash test of a European hatchback - alas, the test site specialists made a mistake and did not measure the displacement of the pedals in a free state, as required by the methodology, but immediately applied a load of 200 Newtons to them (this is how “locking” is checked) . The pedal units of the hatchback and sedan are identical: 3.7 points for protection of the legs and feet. Total - 14.3 points, only half a point less than the European Polo!

On the left side, the subframe “with meat” was torn out of the body.

By the way, Glas did let us look at the results of that trial crash test of the factory sedan prototype: a car with less carefully seated dummies and a test weight of 1400 kg (140 kg more than ours) earned more than 11 points. And serial - 14.3 points! Moreover, the correct fit of the mannequins within the tolerances of the EuroNCAP methodology also played a positive role. A slightly smaller angle of inclination of the back, a little closer to the mannequin’s chest to the unfolded pillow - and now the load on the sensor is not “orange”, but “yellow”. So know this, Polo drivers: you will be safer if you sit as upright as possible with your belt up! And how carefully Glas placed the “driver’s” legs: the left one exactly on the resting platform, the right one on the gas pedal... Of course, both the Frenchman Bendzhelal and the Italian Barberis were also attentive to detail. But Glas was not just attentive - he was scrupulous, meticulous in German.

This is the know-how, the “know how,” that distinguishes the world's leading automakers. How to design rigid bodies, how to calculate the joint deployment of airbags and the operation of belts, how to conduct crash tests... And here is the result: Volkswagen Polo showed the best result in the entire history of Autoreview crash tests.

Previous leaders Ford Focus first generation and Renault Logan, scored 12 points, and we did not apply penalties to them, although we should have, for the risk of injury to the lower part of the front panel. By the way, there is no particular point in testing the current Ford Focus - even in the basic Russian version it has two airbags and seat belt pretensioners, so it can be credited for the result EuroNCAP crash test: 16 points out of 16 possible.

And the Kaluga-assembled Polo, although not equipped with preload, protects its riders perfectly in the event of a displaced frontal impact. It remains to be seen how true the legend about the vaunted German reliability of Volkswagens is. Therefore, the second Polo sedan is already logging kilometers on the special roads of the Dmitrovsky training ground during an accelerated resource test. And it will all end with a traditional hit to the barrier, but at a speed of 15 km/h to estimate the costs of body repairs.