Volkswagen Polo Review

The Review

Long Term Review (3 Years Plus) Hatchbacks Volkswagen Polo Polo V - (2009) 1.4 (85 Hp) DSG

It may be small - but it packs some punch!

Summary

Having downsized to a VW Polo Match Edition 1.4L a few years ago, my initial concerns about its size and fearing the lack of space quickly disappeared. For a small car, it's still feels pretty spacious inside and meets my needs perfectly.

Practicality and Comfort

There is a generous amount of space inside - especially for the driver and front passenger. It can feel slightly less spacious in the back if you are on the taller side and require more leg room. However you can comfortably get 3 adults in the back - although can feel a little snug.

Although I went for the sports model, when it comes to the interior, it’s pretty standard. There are no real frills - just simple lines and well made with good quality materials.

Pros:

Boot space is relatively good with adjustable floor bed so you can lower should you need to make it deeper. One of the other benefits on driving a hatch back is the extended boot space which can be achieved by dropping the back seats.

One of the key selling points for me was the split backseats. You can still carry a passenger or 2 in the back whilst still benefitting from the extra boot space when transporting larger items. I found this to be pretty rare when I was initially deciding on which small car to go for.

Cons:

I did not opt for the Sat Nav which was a bit of a miss. Although the car has a built in hands free kit which is linked to the speakers – it’s not integrated. It sits on top of the dash – is removable - and feels like an afterthought. I guess it would have featured as part of the built in Sat Nav were I to opt for that.

I would have also wanted both front and rear parking sensors - my model only has rear. Again another miss I feel.

Performance and Handling

This is the first automatic I have owned and compared to other cars I have driven it’s a pretty smooth ride and packs some punch! You can definitely feel the difference when the car is in sports mode. The kickback – yes you can feel the elevation from standard mode - may be minor compared to the more powerful cars, but it’s a pleasure to drive and very nippy on the road!

Would I recommend it? YES

Even after 6 years - all in all I would say the VW Polo Match Edition is a pretty solid drive, spacious for the driver and aesthetically pleasing. It feels pretty agile, stable and solid even at higher speeds – and handles the road well.

Personally I think it is still one of the best when it comes to small cars. The fact this model has only had minor tweaks to its appearance over the last few years means VW must be doing something right!