The new cars certainly look great. They retain a lot from the old MK3's that I used to own. A little but chubby, a little bit of an awkward stance, but appropriate nonetheless and completely suited to their design specifications. Over the years however, this is car that has grown up and almost definitely come of age. It's a mini Golf - lets be honest.
I'll review the three separate incarnations of the Polo I drove in their own right, as I think they deserve their own paragraph or two.
Polo 1.0 60PS
This was introduced to me as what would be the best selling Polo of this era. In the sensible conservatism that VW typically engender in its Polo, I could understand why, but this doesn't mean that it was necessary a dull or unsurprising drive. In fact, the conservatism is one of the Polo's greatest assets and this hasn't changed with the 2014 variant.
The 1.0 leaves you a little bit wanting in the low down power department. The 'change down a few gears on a hill' approach does have its virtues however - the money saving attributes of this car really come to the fore. An average of mpg of well over 50 quite honestly has the potential to leave its diesel counterparts for dust...and there was enough of a revvy aftertaste when accelerating away to keep me smiling in between Tesco parking bays......
The 1.0 Polo is an enticing, affordable (if a little bit too sensible) package.
Polo 1.4 TDI
I have a bit of an affinity with VW's TDI's. They're as refined as they can be, solid and ultimately approachable from a driver's point of view. This one is an enjoyable drive, and feels a lot more solid and mature than it really is. The relative efficiency was the caveat - with diesel running costs being of course more expensive, an average of 45 mpg in the 1.4 TDI compared to 55 mpg in the 1.0 petrol makes a big difference. The TDI was probably my favourite car of the lot here, and the one I'd more than likely own if I got a chance, it's just that money wise I don't think it's the best option.
Polo 1.2 TSI SE
This was the most powerful Polo available to drive on the day and it was great to be behind the wheel of this. It was fun, but not exactly the most jaw dropping drive in the world. It still felt a little underpowered - I would have liked to have driven a GT version but chances are it would have felt similarly underpowered. Good ride though, and much more refined than previous versions of the Polo.
Verdict
The new incarnation of the Polo are exactly what they should be. Without being particularly spritely or exciting it manages to be a great drive just for being competent - and everyone knows that it will sell in good numbers in a very competitive sector. It is a bit boring, and the styling both inside and out leaves a bit to be desired, but it's cheap, economical, mature and a reliable choice.