Firstly i do own a polo (1.4cl), as does my sister (1.0cl), we previously owned a golf (1.6cl). Clearly this may indicate a possible subjectivity to my views. However i will concede this car is not perfect in any right. We have had the cars for a few years now so we have a pretty good idea about how they handle, run, their quality and looks.
Handling I have driven a few other similar cars all different makes but all similar engines and all hatch backs. I believe that the polo didnt handle as well as one or two of the others but is solid and you always know what the car is doing. The suspension is average witha a fair ride but a bit sloppy on corners. At any speed it does certainly have more grip than expected but probably not worth testing to find out anyway!
Running As a car it has relatively high running costs for its class (about 25mpg). Petrol consumption is quite poor especially when in traffic. It is efficient when driven on motorways and when the engine is warm it isnt as bad as many would make out, but be aware it is higher than other cars per mile.
Cost Insurance is quite high but this comes down to the price of the car. Which quite obviously is quite high. The standard model is higher than that of say a Corsa, but it does have a better reliability and bulid quality. Its options however are the same or worse forcing the proce to increase more.
Quality They are bulit to quite a high quality. When you shut the door it thumps not rattles. On the motorway noise is kept to a minimum. The finish is good, clean lines, typically German, so no clever ness just functions well and suits it purpose, and when you do press a button the a quite solid. Cars these days are all similar in build quality as they all comprise of similar safety features and are all partner companies to one another.
Looks I believe the polo has average looks, which are simple and srong. It doesnt look aggressive but neither does it look like a girly car much like a micra or yaris! On the interior it is again simple and lacks inspiration but maybe that isnt soo important if it doesnt actually matter if it doesnt effect the driving.
Summary The VW polo is proabably one of the best cars in its class, when it comes to overall performance, looks, safety and quality. However i do believe its cost and cost effectiveness need improving as does its look as the new models are becoming a bit "wishy washy" (pardon the phrase!). I love my car but feel alot more could be done to make it stand out against its competitors. It is extremely reliable and fulfils all requirements that i can see in a hatchback, so it has to be quite a good car, even if its not special!
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This is a better re-edit - excellent. Useless fact though; Seat's Ibiza which is known to have inferior build quality is currently rebadging itself as the Polo in South Africa...Bye for noo N
ccindy_24 21.10.2003 20:35
wishing for a car :-) tc ~Cindy
Nar 15.10.2003 22:52
HI Olly, this is a good review but there are a few things you should perhaps rethink. Firstly, you mention that your sister and your family both own VW cars but you dont mention in what engine capacity - a 1.4 Golf and a 1.4 Polo are greatly different despite the same engine. Also, you dont mention a figure of fuel consumption - I owned a Seat Ibiza and found that on average I was getting 40.5 mpg on the 1.4 engine version - which is essentially the same car as your Polo - however the Quality was markedly worse - so Partner companies in that respect dont follow with the same quality Im afraid (Toyota owns a part share of Dahaitsu and you can often tell that the Yaris is better built than its close relation Dahaitsu YRV) You've made a good start to a review which you could add to later. Hope some of this helps. N
Advantages: Surprisingly powerful engine for a 1.4, economical and of course its a VW promising reliability and good residuals. Disadvantages: Too easy to utilise engine's power and spoil economy!
confusion 17.09.2003 (04.11.2003)
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Oct 15th, 2003
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