VW Polo BlueMotion: month 4

Arrived: June 2008
List price (including options): £13,355
Average economy: 57.3mpg

The VW Polo BlueMotion has been -

I've been using the Polo as my main transport so it has been all over the place. As well as local journeys it has taken me to Silverstone to drive some Hondas and down to Somerset to visit friends.

We're loving the -

The Polo is so undemanding to drive. You don't have to grapple with heavy or difficult controls. It is possible to hop in and just drive without needing to get acclimatised to the way the clutch bites or cope with tricky blind spots. When you're tired at the end of a long day such a user friendly nature is a weight off the mind. Even when you are awake the self-effacing nature means you concentrate on the road and not the car.

But not so impressed by -

The corollary of the Polo's easy-to-drive character is that it isn't the most involving car you can buy. The grip from the economy-optimised Dunlops is modest and the steering isn't the sharpest you can get. Then again the BlueMotion usually manages to raise a smile when nipping around town and a more driver-focussed design might prove more wearing to drive.

We're looking forward to -

A service is due shortly, so we'll see how good the local VW dealer is. Over Christmas I'll have some longish journeys as I visit my family - at least in the Polo I know it won't be too expensive. After that it won't be long before the Polo has to go back to VW. We'll be sorry to see it go.

John Lambert