Volkswagen Polo
Is the lowest-powered Polo a bargain?
DESPITE LOSING OUT to the new Seat Ibiza in our 2018 Car of the Year Awards, the latest Volkswagen Polo is still well and truly loved here at What Car?. No other small hatchback, the Ibiza included, offers such a refined driving experience in such a practical package.
But does this air of class pervade right down to the cheapest model? After all, one of the biggest reasons for buying a car like this is price; you shouldn’t have to spend a lot to get a good runabout.
To find out, we’ve driven the Polo with its entry-level engine, a naturally aspirated, three-cylinder 1.0-litre petrol unit that makes 64bhp. This kind of configuration was pretty common a decade ago but has become increasingly rare, due to the rapid development of more powerful turbocharged petrol engines of similar size.
This 1.0 65 in S trim costs about £2000 less than the cheapest turbocharged Polo model, the 1.0 TSI 95 SE. It’s also very cheap to insure and returns 58.9mpg economy on average.
However, as you might expect, the removal of the turbocharger from the 1.0-litre engine has a massive effect on performance. The engine builds revs lethargically and never finds the same get-up-and-go as its boosted brethren. This is no surprise, because it has 50% less torque, and that lesser shove comes in at higher revs, so you need to work it harder.
And even when you know all of that, the Polo still feels slower than its official 0-62mph time of 15.5sec would suggest.
That dearth of punch is a hindrance around town and a real frustration when you venture onto the motorway.
At least the engine is impressively refined when you eventually get up to speed, with very little of the pronounced thrum that you often hear from three-cylinder engines.
Nevertheless, the 1.0 65’s shortcomings make the 1.0 TSI 95’s premium look wholly reasonable. And if that’s beyond your budget, there are still better options. The exact same turbocharged engine can be had in the equally virtuous Ibiza from £14,595 and in the excellent Skoda Fabia for as little as £12,980.