Volkswagen’s turbocharged 94bhp 1.0-litre engine deserves to be the
pick of the range. Although that doesn't sound like much power, it
easily handles town work, pulling strongly from low revs and willingly
revving when you need a turn of speed to dart through traffic. Head out
onto faster roads and you'll need to work it harder, but it never feels
out of its depth.
There’s a more powerful turbocharged 113bhp 1.0-litre petrol, which
is a great engine that picks up eagerly from low revs and doesn't have
trouble keeping up with traffic on the motorway. But the modest gains in
acceleration aren't quite worth the extra financial outlay this engine
asks for over the 94bhp unit.
All Polos get an 8.0in colour touchscreen as standard, but sat-nav is only standard on SEL trim.
The system is the latest Volkswagen unit and has done away with physical shortcut buttons that flank the screen, featuring instead touch-sensitive surfaces. While this might look flash, it’s actually harder to use on the move, because you’re less sure of what you’re pressing, thus forcing your eyes away from the road for longer.
Otherwise, the system is great to use, with good response times and a sharp, bright screen that is visually impressive. The way the menus are structured also makes it extremely easy to navigate and memorise.
The latest version of VW’s digital instruments Active Info Display features on the Polo. It’s every bit as crisp as the main infotainment system and just as easy to understand, and it’s possible to configure it to your needs. It’s likely to be an option across the range, but we don’t know how much it will cost at this stage.
The system is the latest Volkswagen unit and has done away with physical shortcut buttons that flank the screen, featuring instead touch-sensitive surfaces. While this might look flash, it’s actually harder to use on the move, because you’re less sure of what you’re pressing, thus forcing your eyes away from the road for longer.
Otherwise, the system is great to use, with good response times and a sharp, bright screen that is visually impressive. The way the menus are structured also makes it extremely easy to navigate and memorise.
The latest version of VW’s digital instruments Active Info Display features on the Polo. It’s every bit as crisp as the main infotainment system and just as easy to understand, and it’s possible to configure it to your needs. It’s likely to be an option across the range, but we don’t know how much it will cost at this stage.
Quality inside is some of the best in class. It features soft-touch
plastic covering the top and front of the dashboard, classier plastics
for the dash trim and around the air vents, as well as VW's
traditionally slick switches that look built to last.
There are now eight dash colours to choose from, so your interior
needn’t look like everybody else's. The only disappointment is that the
doors feature textured but brittle-feeling plastics rather than soft,
dense surfaces and stand out from such impressive materials elsewhere.
