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Volkswagen Polo (From Winsford Guardian)
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Volkswagen Polo
4:20pm Thursday 12th November 2009
Overall
rating: 4 stars
This is the fifth-generation Volkswagen Polo and it takes the long-standing supermini to new levels of efficiency, refinement and, most obviously, size. The once diminutive city car has ballooned - it's now easily as big as a mark 3 Golf.
Yet despite the bigger road footprint, Volkswagen has managed to make this Polo lighter than the last. It's also introduced a range of highly efficient three- and four-cylinder engines, all of which combines to make the latest Polo an extraordinarily frugal family runaround.
However, VW's focus on massive fuel economy and low CO2 means the Polo arrives with some worryingly weedy engines. The range starts with two 1.2-litre three cylinder motors with either 59bhp or 69bhp and 128g/km CO2 emissions, followed by a 1.4-litre four cylinder with 84bhp. All three offer pretty bland driving and no real urgency, but will do the trick for anyone who'll spend the majority of their time pootling to the shops in their Polo.
Better is the 1.6-litre TDI diesel available with 74bhp, 89bhp or 104bhp and just 109g/km CO2. It's got more go and mid-range motorway pulling power, but the characteristics of an oil-burning engine rarely bring the best out of a supermini, and the Polo is no exception.
Our pick - and the zestiest drive - is the Twincharged 1.2-litre TSI. This 104bhp three cylinder engine is both turbo and supercharged and brilliantly blends a little performance with excellent fuel economy. It feels like it has the thrust of a conventional 1.6 and is flexible enough to impress in all circumstances, be it town, motorway or back road.
Mated to this new TSI engine, VW is offering as an option a dual clutch DSG gearbox for the first time in a supermini. It's smooth-shifting, but we wouldn't recommend it. It's expensive for a start, and seemed to strangle the zip of the little motor because it's been geared to be as green as possible. It also seems pretty ridiculous to have a seven speed DSG - you just don't need that many gears with an engine that generates just 129lb ft torque. We'd stick with the slick manual.
Anyone after the greenest and cheapest possible option should opt for the diesel Bluemotion version, out in 2010, which will be capable of an incredible 87g/km CO2. Meanwhile, for the enthusiast, Volkswagen promises a Polo GTI with the 168bhp 1.4-litre TSI under the bonnet.
What's to like
1. Top notch refinement
2. Super frugal engines
3. sharp looks
What's not to like
1. Expensive
2. Not as funky as a fiesta
3. Weedy entry level engines
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Volkswagen Polo
Volkswagen Polo
Volkswagen Polo
Volkswagen Polo
See also
Environment
rating: 5 stars
The Polo boasts stunningly low emissions across the board. The greenest option will be the Bluemotion which has such low emissions - 87g/km CO2 - that it won't cost a penny to tax. What's really impressive though, is that even the most fun-to-drive model, the TSI, beats most competitors with just 129g/km.
Styling
rating: 4 stars
There's a sharpness and attitude here that the previous, bland Polo missed out on. The looks - more mini-Golf than ever before - are elegant and timeless, but the Polo strikes you as a mature car which doesn't have the 'youth' appeal that VW likes to talk up. It doesn't have the funk of the Fiesta, either.
Handling
rating: 3 stars
The Polo handles safely, has a very rigid chassis and is nicely adjustable through corners. It's ruthlessly competent, but there's a sanitised feel and not a lot of driver involvement. VW knows that for most Polo buyers that'll do nicely, but there are livelier superminis out there though, notably the Fiesta or the Mazda 2.
Comfort
rating: 5 stars
Very refined, very quiet for a supermini, and the ride is soothingly smooth unless you opt for the bigger 17-inch wheels which cause some intrusion. The driving position is totally adjustable, making it easy to get comfy.
Quality
rating: 5 stars
What did you expect? The switchgear feels precise and looks extremely robust, and the cabin benefits from high-end textiles with just a bit of plastic panelling low down dropping the standard slightly. Paint finish, panel fit all achingly precise. A modern Polo will last for many years.
Performance
rating: 4 stars
The Polo's saved in this area by the new 1.2-litre TSI engine, which offers nippiness while not ruining VW's efforts to bring range-topping frugality. Zero to 62mph takes 9.6 seconds and a 119mph top speed is perfectly respectable. The super-green, naturally aspirated petrol motors really are uninspiring though, and the diesel alternatives don't suit this city car well.
Roominess
rating: 5 stars
Excellent cabin space, particularly in the rear, although headroom is a little tight for anyone over six foot. Luggage capacity is enhanced by a removable boot floor that deepens the load bay.
Costs
rating: 5 stars
Range beating thanks to a line-up of incredibly efficient engines, most of which are capable of 50mpg and have very low emissions. All Polos will be in low insurance groups also the lowest benefit-in-kind company car rate.
Value
rating: 3 stars
It's expensive compared with rivals, but you are paying for quality. The basic S spec isn't generously equipped - 14inch wheels, basic CD stereo - so you'll probably want to upgrade to the more expensive trims (SE, Mode or SEL) and this quickly adds cost.
Stereo
rating: 4 stars
Both are first rate modern systems and the sat-nav is particularly intuitive to use (one of our test cars was German and we could still work it out). But to get sat nav and the good stereo with iPod plug-in and Bluetooth, you'll need to shell out for the higher-end editions of the Polo.
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