VW Polo BlueMotion: final report

Arrived: June 2008
List price (including options): £13,355
Average economy: 58.2mpg

The VW Polo BlueMotion has been -

Christmas was a busy time, travelling down from Warwickshire to visit my parents in Kent and up to Ilkley in Yorkshire for a family birthday. The Polo took everything in its stride, including getting lost in Leeds, and despite a four and a half hour stretch at the wheel did not feel like an ordeal.

We're loving the -

VW dealer experience. The Polo went in for its first service just before Christmas. The level of customer care could not be faulted. Simple things like returning phone calls and inspiring confidence that everyone at the dealer knew what they were doing. All the staff I met were polite, efficient and helpful and the car came back from its service spotless inside and out at a cost of £170.57.

But not so impressed by -

Just before it was due to be serviced the offside front tyre developed a puncture. Annoyingly it happened on a Saturday afternoon miles from home. It seemed sensible to try and change the wheel for the spare rather than risk driving on the faulty tyre.

Getting the wheel off wasn't easy, the bolts holding the wheel on had individual plastic covers to prise off (and lose if you are not careful). The jack felt flimsy and fiddly to use while separating the wheel from the hub required gentle persuasion from a rubber-headed mallet - not included in the tool kit.

I was hoping that the tyre could be repaired but my local tyre fitter checked and the carcass had a short split that couldn't be plugged. Fortunately 165/70 Dunlop economy tyres are not too expensive at £55 each.

We're looking forward to -

It is the end of the test period so we've had to give 'our' Polo back. Despite our initial reservations about the tall gearing and economy-biased tyres the BlueMotion did not feel particularly compromised in everyday driving. There hardly seemed to be any compromise required to enjoy day-to-day motoring at an average of nearly 60mpg.

The Polo isn't the sort of car you fall in love with instantly but the more you use it the more you appreciate its virtues. Living with it has been so painless that we were sorry to see it go.

John Lambert