Drive shows that comfort is key

ALTHOUGH the covers have just been pulled off the new Polo, we joined VW’S development team in South Africa for an early taste of the supermini in Issue 1,469.

Our drive confirmed that the Polo is shaping up to be the most comfortable version of the supermini VW has built to date.

The model we drove featured a 94bhp 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo, paired with a five-speed manual gearbox. We found the engine to be best suited to gentle progress, with a gearchange or two required to really up the pace.

A softer set-up means there is more body lean in corners, but the ride is supple; you can immediately tell that comfort and refinement have been the focal points on the new Polo.

What our 25-minute drive on mostly long, straight, dusty roads confirmed was that the new Polo is more grown-up than ever, and has never felt more like a junior Golf.