Test: Volkswagen Polo

The Volkswagen Polo is not the most famous number one in the Netherlands, but has been regularly in that spot in the recent past. That was the last time in 2018. A year later, he only had to tolerate the improbably successful Tesla Model 3, but in 2020 the Volkswagen was even expelled from the top three. That happened again in 2021. A fourth place is still very good, but it shows that a German compact hatchback in a car landscape ravaged by tax measures, corona crisis and chip shortages no longer automatically takes the lead. The current sixth generation of the Polo appeared in 2017 and, like all its predecessors, will receive a facelift after a few years. The previous generation of the Polo had little to do with it, but that is different now. We note different headlights, a new grille and a thicker front bumper, two-piece taillights and a rear bumper that now houses separate reflectors.

Significant changes
There are also changes in the interior. For example, there is a new steering wheel, which we saw earlier in the Golf. We also find its ‘sliders’ for the temperature, albeit in a separate panel and only if the buyer opts for automatic climate control. A digital instrumentation is now standard, the dashboard lighting went from red to white and options and equipment have been fiddled with, which results in, among other things, the disappearance of the possibility to give your interior a color other than black. Nothing shocking, but significant changes nonetheless.
What remains is that the Polo inside is just as solid as the outside. You can call it boring, but the straightforward interior still looks modern. Also thanks to the dashboard made of soft plastic, the quality impression is also excellent. The Volkswagen has a fast and logically arranged touchscreen, which can also be expanded with modern functionality such as wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Civilized

From a technical point of view, nothing actually changes to the Polo, because mild-hybrid technology saves Volkswagen for a while for larger models. This means that the 1.0 TSI with 95 hp is traditionally the engine that most buyers end up with. Below that there is the atmospheric base engine with 80 hp, which is a real showroom decoy and the 110 hp engine is simply too expensive for many buyers. With the ‘mid-engine’, the Polo is the least powerful car in this test, but for Dutch conditions it is all fine. Certainly for a small three-cylinder engine, the block is also very civilized, while the DSG automatic transmission, available for an additional fee, switches quickly and without shock. However, there are also drawbacks. For example, the DSG is slightly better adjusted than before, but it still has the tendency to switch up very quickly. At 50 km/h, the box is already in 6. That often means a somewhat moped engine, but also a sometimes clumsy, jerky response if suddenly you have to accelerate and the box has to switch back several gears in one fell swoop. Also from a standstill there is a noticeable delay, which can be annoying at busy intersections or roundabouts. Nevertheless, the Polo as a total package remains a very fine car. It is certainly not exciting or playful, but in everything it feels like a serious, comfortable and mature car. On the highway we keep it out in this car, also because the noise level here remains pleasantly low.
A strong point of the current Volkswagen Polo is its space. That starts at the front, where the Volkswagen gives the limbs plenty of air. And on the back seat of the Polo you can sit comfortably up to a length of about 1.90 meters. The Volkswagen is also an excellent choice if it includes a pram, because with 355 liters the Polo luggage compartment is spacious. This makes the Polo usable as a full-fledged family car.