Insurance Group: 13
MPG: 65.7
CO2: 112
0-62 Mph: 11.5 secs
BHP: 89 BHP
Range: 650 miles
PROS: The Polo SEL 1.6 TDI gives you a great combination of performance and running costs. With the SEL version you get a whole host of standard equipment. A very spacious and reliable car.
CONS: The car is the most expensive in the range, but arguably not the best. The handling is not the most fun and the Polo can't match the Ford Fiesta when it comes to driving excitement.
The 1.6 litre four cylinder engine produces a modest 89 bhp. This gives the Polo a top speed of 112 mph and it can do 0-62 mph in a respectable 11.5 seconds. Although not slow, it would have been nice to see a sub-10 seconds 0-62mph time on a top-of-the-range Polo like this.
The Polo is comfortable to sit in, either on long or short journeys. The handling is not as sharp as the Ford Fiesta, but light steering means it is very easy to drive.
The engine noise is minimal and the visibility is very good. The dashboard is easy to navigate and very well built.
The Polo is a good looking car, owing much to its bigger brother the Golf in the looks department. This SEL top of the range version offers various features and driver aids as well.
These include air conditioning, electric and heated mirrors, electric windows, ABS, traction control, MP3 connectivity, front fog lights and alloy wheels.
An electric sunroof, climate control, heated seats, rain-sensing wipers and a satellite navigation system are amongst the optional extras.
This is a very safe and secure car. The Polo is as practical as it is reliable, as you would expect from Volkswagen.
It has a spacious and airy feel inside the cabin, meaning it is a great family car. It will seat four adults easily, although the 3-door version means entering/exiting the car can be tricky. The boot is also a good size at 280-litres and the back seats fold flat, increasing this space to 952-litres.
The car comes with an engine immobiliser, an alarm, deadlocks and locking wheel nuts making it very secure. The Polo also scored an impressive five stars in the Euro NCAP tests.
The warranty will last for 3 years, or 60,000 miles and repairs will not be frequent due to the Polo's exemplary Teutonic build quality.
The Polo SEL 1.6 TDI is the top-of-the-range diesel, and the price reflects that. At £15,610 it is a fairly expensive purchase, but the running costs will make up for that.
The car only emits 112g/km of CO2 so road tax will be very cheap. It is in tax band C and insurance group 13 - which is also pretty low.
Fuel costs will be extremely low, as the Polo does a very impressive 65.7 mpg on the combined cycle.
Volkswagen's great reputation means that the car retains it's resale value very well and the build quality means that maintenance costs will be very low.
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