04 Apr 07
Much of the appeal of the BlueMotion is that you'll be seen in one of the greenest cars around - there's not much to recommend it as a driving experience.
There's one more incentive, however: the BlueMotion 1 model comes in under the 100g/km barrier and into Band A for tax purposes, qualifying for complete exemption from annual vehicle excise duty. That puts it alongside the likes of the Honda Insight, diesel Smart Fortwo and electric cars such as the G-Wiz, with far fewer compromises.
The problem is, to achieve that 99g/km figure, and the claimed 74.3mpg, the BlueMotion 1 has no air conditioning and a rather stripped-out interior, in the interests of saving weight.
This is where the BlueMotion 2 comes in: it adds air con, along with rain-sensing wipers, remote central locking and a feel-good leather steering wheel - but this tips the balance to 104g/km, 70.6mpg, Band B and £40 a year - the same as a regular Polo 1.4 TDI, which just squeezes into that same tax band.
That £40 a year levy isn't going to break the bank, though, and both Band A and Band B cars are expected to qualify for exemption from the London congestion charge in the near future.
For a starting price of £11,995 (BlueMotion 1), you do get twin front and side airbags, a CD player and electric front windows; the BlueMotion 2 weighs in at £12,845 with its extra equipment. Both three- and five-door versions are available, and there's a choice of black, grey, silver and white paint colours.
All in all, it's a very workable package. It may not be quite perfect, and it's not exactly a budget supermini, but like the Biopower Saabs, the Polo BlueMotion is a step in the right direction and a signal that major manufacturers are trying hard to find solutions to a problem that won't go away unless they do something about it.
