VW Polo keeps on delivering unbeatable value
As the Golf has gestated into something which is quite different from the original concept, but still firmly an ‘everyman’s’ car, so too has the Polo and it continues to be a massive player in the savagely competitive supermini segment.
The new Polo is very clean of line and easy on the eye and, like more of its’ ‘normal’ rivals, such as the Fiesta, Corsa, Yaris, Clio et al, is very spacious for what it is, and surprisingly able.
We recently tried the 1.2 TSI five door version and, as regular readers will know, we at Examiner Motoring have a bit of thing about small capacity petrol engines and although the tester was not one of the recent generation of modern three cylinder units — which are beginning to proliferate in this segment — the 90 bhp four cylinder we tried was very liveable with indeed.
A cracking engine, it will fit the bill for many people in that it is both economic and peppy at once and I would say it might well be the pick of the bunch for many people. With the increasing realisation among buyers that diesel is not the be-all and end-all when it comes to engine choices, particularly when you’re not covering 40k+ kilometres annually, engines like this will become more to the fore in times to come.
We had a five-door with a bunch of kit on it and I have to say that pretty much everything about the Polo appealed to both heart and mind. One small complaint was the ‘front assist’ emergency system which warns you when other vehicles are too close, which tends to come to life unexpectedly and with implications for your heart rate.
From the simple but terribly effective dashboard layout, to the five door practicality, the decent boot and the overall comfort levels - which are greatly assisted by great grip levels and excellent handling - the whole package is a strong one.
More youthful drivers might not like the absence of ‘flash’ in the Polo — it is a very mature supermini, but everyone else will find a rock solid buying proposition.
On top of that, have a look around next time you’re out and about and see how many older Polos are still plying their troth around the place and you’ll realise these things have as solid a residual value as is out there.
