Category: Superminis 
Price Range: £12,460 to £12,960
Punchy 1.2 TSI, cabin quality, ride, interior's fine quality, classy looks.
Not as good to drive as the Fiesta, pricey, diesel's long gearing.
Fiesta is more fun, but the Polo is classier and a great all-rounder.
Volkswagen claims independent safety experts Euro NCAP will rule the new Polo as the safest supermini in its class. The omens are good: the Seat Ibiza that shares the Polo's platform has already been awarded the full five star overall verdict.
To help the Polo compete, it boasts a body significantly stiffer than the one it replaces. Engineers claim that, in a front head-on accident, the Polo will deform half as much as the old car.
For the UK, VW has fitted front and side airbags, and all models come standard with life-saving ESP on all models, something that can cost up to £400 extra on competitor's models.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Volkswagen Polo
wrote on 03 03 2008
wrote on 29 05 2006