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Volkwagen FOX - VW’s New City-Car From Brazil |
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Drives Well, Spacious, Decent Build, Flexible But Pricey, Poorly
Equipped Compared With Leading Contenders
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you want a good, basic, motor these days you are spoiled for
choice, and Volkswagen, with its new little Fox, has a mountain
to climb to win sales.
Yes, the Fox is a terrific little car which will ably perform a
wide range of tasks. Yes, the Fox is roomier than the Polo, the
next biggest car on VW’s menu, and bigger and £1,290 cheaper
than the VW Lupo, the city-car that it replaces.
But the VW Fox, with prices starting at £6,590 (€9,630), can’t
compete in terms of bang for your buck with class leaders like
the Kia Picanto from Korea, which starts at £5,695 (€8,320) and
gives you an amazing array of standard equipment for £7,595
(€11,100) including 5-doors.
Many buyers though will be unable to make the stretch to
contemplate buying a car with such a weak brand name as Kia, so
the Fox, and fellow Europeans like the Fiat Panda, Ford Ka,
Peugeot 107, and Citroen C1 do have a chance.
 The
Fox is a strong competitor, with neat looks, solid build
quality, terrific gearbox, and there’s loads of room, in the
back too.
There are two petrol engine choices currently, a 1.2 litre
3-cylinder 55 bhp motor and a 1.4 litre 4-cylinder 75 bhp power
plant. A diesel is expected, but hasn’t been confirmed yet.
There are two trim levels – the basic Fox which has power
steering, a CD player, ABS, twin airbags, and the upmarket Urban
Fox, which gets electric front windows, body coloured bumpers
and remote central locking. The only gearbox available is a
five-speed manual. The Fox is only available with 3-doors. Air
conditioning is extra.
On the road the 1.2 litre engine performed perfectly adequately,
with the steering suitably sharp and accurate and the ride was
comfortable. It cruises down the highway comfortably and
quietly, if not serenely. The 1.4 was statistically a better
performer, but not by enough to warrant extra spending, so go
for the 1.2.
The interior quality doesn’t compare with bigger VW’s but it
seems well designed and solidly put together. Luggage space is
exceptional, with an optional sliding rear seat to free up
carrying ability.
The Fox is built at VW’s plant in Curitiba, Brazil, 220 miles
from Sao Paulo. VW is anxious to point out that this doesn’t
mean any corner-cutting as far as quality is concerned. VW also
makes the Golf at this plant, and the factory has all the latest
robots and laser welding technology to produce a Fox with
exceptional body rigidity, and built in safety. VW decided to
build the Fox in Brazil to cut costs compared with the previous
Lupo city-car, but unfortunately, the economics of the project
have been torpedoed temporarily by the local currency’s recent
strength.
The Fox is a nice little car, but if you want value for money,
you’d better stop by the Kia dealership near you.
Volkswagen Fox 1.2
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Engine:
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1.2 litre 3 cylinder petrol
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Power:
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55 bhp
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Gearbox:
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5-speed manual
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Drive:
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front wheels
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Acceleration: 0-62/100 km/h
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0-62-100 km/h 17.5 seconds
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Top Speed:
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92 mph-148 km/h
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Fuel Consumption:
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claimed combined – 46.3 mpg-6.1 l/km
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CO2 Emissions:
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146g/km
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Length:
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3,828
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Width:
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1,660
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Height:
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1,544
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Suspension
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McPherson-Torsion beam
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Price:
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£6,590-€9,630 – on sale across Europe now
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Competition:
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Kia Picanto, Ford Ka, Fiat Panda, Toyota Aygo,
Peugeot 107, Citroen C1, Daihatsu Charade, Chevrolet
Matiz, Proton Savvy, Suzuki Alto.
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Would I buy one?
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Go for the Kia Picanto
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Rating:
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**** out of 5
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For:
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drives well, spacious, well built
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Against:
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pricey, relatively ill-equipped, only 3-doors
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CLEPA Technology Day 2009
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European Motor Show Brussels 17-25 January 2009
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Antonov looks East to China
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HYBRIDS |
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Environmentally friendly DLC coatings – the way to greater engine longevity and efficiency |
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