Volkswagen Polo Owners Manual: Driving with an automatic gearbox

First read and observe the introductory information and safety warnings 

The gearbox changes the forward gears up and down automatically.

Driving down hills

The steeper the gradient, the lower the gear you will need. Lower gears increase the braking effect of the engine. Never allow the vehicle to roll down mountains or hills in the neutral position N.

• Reduce your speed.

• Push the selector lever from position D to the right into the Tiptronic gate   .

• Gently push the selector lever to the rear to change down gear.

• OR: shift down a gear using the paddles on the steering wheel   .

Stopping the vehicle and pulling away when driving uphill

The steeper the incline, the lower the gear that is required.

If you wish to stop the vehicle or pull away when driving uphill you should use the Hill Hold Assist function   .

Vehicles without Hill Hold Assist: When you stop the vehicle on an incline and a position is still selected, the vehicle must always be prevented from rolling by depressing the brake pedal or by applying the handbrake. The brake pedal or the handbrake should not be released until you start to pull away  .

Kickdown

The kickdown mechanism enables maximum acceleration in the selector lever positions D and S, or in the Tiptronic position.

If the accelerator pedal is depressed fully, the gearbox will automatically shift to a lower gear, depending on the speed and engine revs. This will make use of the full vehicle acceleration  .

The gearbox does not shift up to the next gear until the engine reaches the maximum engine speed for the gear.

WARNING

Rapid acceleration can cause loss of traction and skidding, particularly on slippery roads. This can cause you to lose control of the vehicle, which can lead to accidents and serious injuries.

• Always adjust your driving style in accordance with the flow of traffic.

• The kickdown function or fast acceleration should only be used if the visibility, weather, road and traffic conditions permit.

• You should never endanger other road users through the acceleration of your vehicle or through your driving style.

• Please note that the driven wheels can start to spin and the vehicle can skid if the TCS is switched off, especially if the road is slippery.

• Switch the TCS back on after acceleration.

NOTICE

• If you stop the vehicle on an incline, do not attempt to stop it from rolling back by depressing the accelerator while a position is still selected. The automatic gearbox could overheat and be damaged.

• Never allow the vehicle to roll in position N, particularly if the ignition is switched off. The automatic gearbox will not be lubricated and could be damaged.