Volkswagen Polo Range
Though Volkswagen have tinkered with their Polo supermini in the last few years, substantially improving upon it is a tough task. Yes, you could throw technological gimmickry at the thing in a bid to instil even more of a big car feel, but the Volkswagen has long been near the top of its class in terms of price and jacking the asking fee up still further would only alienate loyal customers. So it is that the Germans have stuck in recent times to merely finessing what has been something of a winning formula for them, albeit one that may now have a tougher time of it since Volkswagens introduction of the smaller Fox model.
The smart front end introduced in 2005 is now the family face of Volkswagen, with a deep grille forming the point of a V-shape which then continues up through the bonnet to the base of the windscreen pillars. The reshaped headlights lose the cute look of the old Polo in favour of something wielding a little more gravitas, the circular headlamp cutting into the bumper to give a resolutely contemporary look. Prices start at £7,690. If you havent tried a Polo for the last few years, you may also notice some visual changes to the rear.
| Build |  |
| Comfort |  |
| Depreciation | |
| Economy |  |
| Equipment |  |
| Handling | |
| Insurance | |
| Performance | |
| Styling | |
| Value | |
"The Polo still feels like a £25,000 car thats just emerged from a hot-wash cycle"
One obvious weak point in the old Polo line up was the inclusion of the archaic 1.9-litre 64bhp SDI diesel engine. We regularly advised buyers to steer well clear of this budget unit, a powerplant that could be wheeled out to show how far modern diesels had come. Wheezy, harsh but frustratingly gutless, this engine had little to recommend it and Volkswagen have thankfully wielded the axe, replacing it with a far superior 70PS 1.
4-litre TDI unit. The old 75PS 1.4-litre TDI has been treated to a sprucing and is now good for 80PS, creating a pair of three-cylinder TDI diesel options. The frugal BlueMotion model uses this engine, plus a series of extra tweaks to record an impressive 74.
3mpg combined fuel consumption figure. Theres also a 100PS 1.9-litre TDI turbodiesel and, like both the 1.4-litre diesels, its fully Euro4 compliant.
If youd prefer a petrol-powered engine, Volkswagen offer 60 and 70PS 1.2-litre units, plus an 80PS version of the 1.4-litre powerplant and a 1.6-litre unit developing 105PS.
For those who must have the ultimate Polo and dont mind paying around £15,000, theres a GTI variant featuring a 1.8-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 150PS. Theres even a mock-4x4 model called the Dune, if you like that sort of thing and are prepared to pay a premium that pitches it around the £13,000 mark. This comes in 1.
4-litre guise with either the 70PS diesel or the 80PS petrol unit. Ordinary Polos comes in either E, S, SE or Sport guises and are priced from £7,690. Diesel models cost from £10,780. An integral aspect of the Polos appeal is the drive to downsize.
That may sound odd given that the cars girth has noticeably swelled, but it now caters very well to drivers no longer interested in running something Mondeo-sized without making them feel as if theyve suddenly become a member of the underclass. Swap from a Passat to a Polo and you certainly wont feel as if your station in life has taken a dive; youll just feel as though youve taken an informed decision to drive a smaller car. No more, no less. With 270 litres of boot space, the Polo, especially in five-door form, can realistically function as family transport, with rear legroom particularly generous.
Park yourself behind the steering wheel and youll witness a level of fit and finish that was once unseen on supermini class cars. It takes enormous corporate confidence to build something this tasteful and without resort to gimmickry to pull the punters in, but Volkswagen have pulled it off with aplomb. All models get power steering plus a tiltable and telescopic steering column, pretty much guaranteeing comfort behind the wheel. Plusher models get an adjustable height drivers seat.
Invisible laser welding makes the roof, rear wing and sills look all of a piece and also contributes to Volkswagens claim that the Polo has better structural rigidity than any car in its class, although as a rather outsized Supermini, one hesitates to identify exactly which class that is. The key themes behind the Polo are the worthy (but slightly dull) avenues of safety and environmental friendliness. Both are top notch, all Polos being fitted with anti lock brakes with electronic braking assistance, twin front and side airbags, ISOFIX child seat mountings and a passenger airbag that can be deactivated when a child seat is fitted. Overall? Well, yes, you can buy cheaper, but the Polo feels worth every penny feeling like a £25,000 car thats emerged from a hot wash cycle.
Whether you view the Polos small premium as money well spent depends on your personal perspective on Volkswagen Group products. If you think this is a fleecing, buy a SEAT or Skoda. Personally, Id be happy paying the small premium for a finish like this.
Facts At A Glance
CAR: Volkswagen Polo range
PRICES: £7,690-£15,765 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 4-13
CO2 EMISSIONS: 99-186g/km
PERFORMANCE: [1.2 60PS] 0-60mph 14.5s / Max Speed 100mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.2 60PS] (urban) 36.7mpg / (extra urban) 55.4mpg / (combined) 47.1mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags, ABS with brake assist
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/heightmm [5dr] 3897/1650/1465mm
