2014 Volkswagen Polo preview
The picture you see is the new version of the Volkswagen Polo. At first glance youd be forgiven for not knowing how different it is to the old version, thats until you take a much closer look.
From the outside even the most experienced automotive journalist would struggle to find any differences from the last model and thats because most of the changes are tucked away inside the car or out of sight. Some of the most important changes are to the Polos engine line up. Volkswagen has now bought in a host of small efficient petrol engines. One of these is the 1.0 ltr version you can find in the even smaller Volkswagen Up city car. As you would expect these engines are only best served if youre going to be spending most of your time driving around town. They do get up to speed on the motorway and are quite happy once theyve got there but getting there does take quite a bit of time and effort. So, if you want to go at higher speeds a little more often then youre probably better off opting for the 1.2 ltr petrol engine which gives you 89bhp. The unit is smooth, efficient and quite happy to overtake with more than one person on board. Even though we feel theres nothing wrong with this engine Volkswagen will be replacing it with a turbo charged 1ltr petrol.
Its fair to say that the Polo has never been a car thats dynamic to drive. However, Volkswagen have looked to address this with the new car by lowering the suspension by a few millimetres which does make a lot of difference to the handling. The composure is certainly more noticeable when going around corners. However, there is a downside to this as lowering the suspension can have an adverse effect on the ride and this is certainly evident in the Polo. Its a little more jittery than it was before. The steering is still a little vague and numb so its not going to be that much of a responsive hot hatch. One thing that is absolutely brilliant about this small car is the noise level when youre on the move. Theres barely any noise at all, theres little road or wind noise making the driver feel extremely relaxed.
If there is one thing that will really sell the Polo is the cabin. It feels so much more grown up than before and certainly posher than any of its rivals. This is thanks mainly to all the high quality and well sculptured materials around the cabin. They feel so much softer than what you would find in the likes of the Ford Fiesta. Even better than the material quality is the touch screen. On the basic model you get a simple 5 inch screen thats a little slower to respond and a bit fiddly when it comes to pressing some of the smaller buttons. However, from SE trims and above you get a substantial 6.5 inch screen which is so much better than anything else that the like of Ford or Vauxhall have come out with so far on their models. Its responsive, its quick and its the latest version that Volkswagen have put in any of their cars – its absolutely brilliant.
Youll also find that its really easy to get comfortable in the cabin. Every single Polo, even the cheapest one, has a steering wheel that goes up and down and in and out. It also has a driver seat that goes up and down so no matter how tall or short you are you should have no problem finding a decent driving position. Its also very easy to see out of the car with good visibility all around. In fact heres where the cars boxy shape actually works in its favour. There are no funny or awkward sticking out bits that you cant see out, over or around which make parking a whole lot easier.
While the front of the car is good in terms of space the back isnt quite so good. As a fully grown adult youll still have an adequate amount of headroom but when it comes to leg room its average at best and not as much as youd find in equivalent rival cars. If youve got slightly smaller passengers youll be absolutely fine. The doors open wide enough so that it is perfectly easy to get in and out without any trouble.
The boot, like the back part of the cabin, is only really average at best. Its certainly not the biggest in its class in terms of size (280-952 litres) but its a nice even shape. Theres nothing particularly clever about the boot. You do get, only on SE models and above, an adjustable floor which hides away decent underfloor storage. Folding the seats isnt a simple procedure either. Although you can just drop them in one quick movement you dont get a totally flat loading bay. If you want that then first of all youve got to flip the seat faces up and then drop the rear part – so its not really a one handed manoeuvre.
The Volkswagen Polo is actually cheaper, pound-for-pound, than direct rivals like the Ford Fiesta. On paper its probably not quite as cheap to run, however on fuel economy the Polo performs better than many of its main rivals. Entry level models do come with a fair bit of kit such as DAB digital radio, Bluetooth and a USB connection but we suggest opting for the SE model. The SE model brings with it things like air conditioning, 15 inch alloy wheels an adjustable boot floor and the larger touch screen. If you go for the SE Design trim then the additions are a little more cosmetic where you get things like front sport seats and alloy wheels. However, its with the SE L trim where the toys really start to play a role. Here you get things like parking sensors, cruise control and a front arm rest. In the latest Euro nCap crash test the Polo did very well indeed earning the full 5 starts and a load of praise for its protection of adults and child passengers alike.
In conclusion, there are two main issues with the Polo. Its not that fun to drive and its not the most practical when it comes to the back seat and the boot. However, for most people on a day-to-day basis none of this will matter. In so many other ways its a fantastic little car. Its got a cabin that blows the opposition absolutely out of the water and its affordable to run. It will also hold on to its value really well so it will be worth a decent amount when you come to sell it in a few years time. We say its one of the absolute best small cars out there.
