Look at the best-selling cars in the UK and you’ll notice two things: first, that more
and more people are choosing SUVs, and secondly that the Volkswagen Polo is consistently a
top performer.
In fact, the Polo is the second-best selling Volkswagen worldwide, behind the Golf. And
this latest version faces some very tough competition, not only from within the VW Group
with the Seat Ibiza and Skoda Fabia, but also from the Ford Fiesta.
In this review, we’ll tell you what the latest Polo is like to drive, what it’s
like inside and how easy it is to live with. And remember if at the end of our review we’ve
convinced you to buy a Polo, then head over to the new car deals section on whatcar.com
to see how much money we can save you – remember, it could be thousands of pounds.
First, though, let’s take the Volkswagen Polo out for a drive.
There’s a fairly daunting range of six petrol and two diesel engines to choose from in the
Polo, but our favourite is the 1.0-litre TSI. It might only have 94bhp available and three
cylinders, but it has the best combination of performance, CO2 emissions and fuel economy.
It pulls strongly in town and can also hold its own on the motorway, but you will need
to work it hard on faster roads.
Where the Polo really shines is in its ride comfort, which matches the very best cars
in this class. Its suspension takes the sting out of potholes and speed bumps, even at low
speeds, and it can smooth out rougher surfaces at higher speeds.
The Polo doesn’t quite top the either the Ibiza or Fiesta for class honours when it
comes to handling, but it does offer precise steering, secure handling and plenty of grip
– giving you confidence to thread it through a series of tight turns.
What will strike you, too, is just how quiet the Polo is when you’re cruising along.
There’s very little wind or road noise which finds its way inside, and no knocks from the
suspension on rough surfaces.
It’s very easy to get comfortable inside this Polo, and there’s lots of adjustment
in this driver’s seat and steering wheel. That all means that no matter what size or
shape you are, you should be able to find a good driving position, and that will keep
you feeling fresh even after a long journey.
These thin front pillars make looking out of the front and to the side easy, and even
looking over your shoulder to reverse gives you a fairly good view. Nevertheless, parking
sensors come as standard on SEL models and above, and a reversing camera is on the options
list on all models bar the entry-level S car.
The quality in here is right up there with the class best. Everything you touch feels
well made and built to last, and there’s lots of soft-touch plastic covering the top
and front of the dashboard. You can also personalise your car with eight colours. The only disappointment
is that compared with the rest of this interior, these door plastics feel a bit low rent.
All Polos get this 8.0-inch colour touchscreen as standard, and it handles most of the car’s
functions meaning there are precious few other buttons dotted about. There are also no shortcut
buttons to help you navigate your way around, and the touchscreen can be difficult to use
on the move.
Otherwise, though, the system offers good response times and crisp graphics, and the
way the menus are laid out is logical. You can also specify an Active Info Display screen,
which replaces the car’s analogue dials with a configurable screen instead.
No other car in this class can match the Polo when it comes to front space, because there’s
just so much of it. A couple of tall adults can sit here without their heads brushing
the ceiling, and there’s lots of adjustment in these seats. This interior is also nicely
wide, so you won’t be rubbing shoulders with the person sitting next to you. There
are also lots of places to put your odds and ends, like this area in front of the gear stick, deep door pockets & this glovebox.
It’s a similar story for those in the rear, because the Polo is again extremely spacious.
Two six-foot adults can sit behind similarly tall drivers without their knees brushing
the backs of the seats in front, and with a decent amount of space above their heads.
Both rear doors have generous pockets, too. As with most small cars, though, fitting three
people back here will be a squeeze.
The Polo’s boot is on a par with the Seat Ibiza’s but is far bigger than both the
Fabia and Fiesta’s, meaning you should be able to get a couple of suitcases in here
without any trouble. SE and SEL cars also get an adjustable boot floor, so there’s
no loading lip to lift heavy bags over. This is a practical space, too, because the car’s
wheel arches don’t intrude into its space.
The Polo costs a little more to buy than the equivalent Ibiza, Fiesta and Fabia, but it’s
not all bad news because the Volkswagen will also hold onto its value better than those
rivals, and that means PCP deals are much more competitive.
We’d choose the 94bhp 1.0-litre petrol engine and team it with SE specification. This is
one up from the entry-level S models and gets you 15-inch alloy wheels, electric rear windows
and a leather steering wheel, as well as the air conditioning and electric front windows
which come on every Polo.
No matter which version you go for, you’ll get automatic emergency braking as standard,
which contributed to it being awarded a full five-star rating from Euro NCAP.
The Polo is a truly impressive small car. It has good interior quality, great infotainment
and a comfortable ride, and it’s more spacious inside than most rivals. For plenty more on
the Polo, including our full online reviews of it and its key rivals, head to whatcar.com,
and remember to click on our new car deals section and see how much we can save you on
your next car.
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