JAMES RENE
Age 34 Job Electrical engineer Drives Citroën C4 Cactus
“My partner and I have a two-year-old and are due a second child, so we need a new car that’s roomy, practical, comfortable and easy to drive in the city and on long trips.
“On the first three points, this new Polo definitely lives up to expectations. It looks sharper and more grown-up. I’d prefer to have the larger Golf, but realistically the Polo is now big enough to meet my needs.
“Inside, space is quite generous and the boot is adequate; it has a capacity of 351 litres, which is up 25% on the old Polo, much more than the Ford Fiesta and almost identical to the Seat Ibiza. A buggy and some shopping will fit.
“Which has the better PCP deal will probably decide whether I buy the Polo or Ibiza, although the Polo’s interior is better, in my opinion.
“The infotainment touchscreen is glazed, so it’s very responsive. There’s the option of sat-nav, and you can use your smartphone through the optional Apple Carplay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring apps. “The Polo’s rear doors open wide enough for me to easily fit child seats, and the Isofix anchoring points in the rear are so easy to use.
“The turbocharged 1.0-litre engines in the Polo produce up to 150bhp, which is much more than the weak, naturally aspirated 1.0 in my C4 Cactus, so that’s another tick.”