PoloDriver

Online-only magazine iMotor tests the new Polo against the Ford Fiesta, in its new issue out today. Threading the TDI version of the small VW through the streets of London, the interactive motoring publication also asks bystanders what their opinions are of the two cars.

You can watch the video road test and read the more detailed comments about the car, look through photos of the new Polo, as well as rating it or slating it by clicking here.

Ahead of a market launch in 2010, Volkswagen will once again show the new Polo BlueMotion at the IAA 2009 in Frankfurt from 15 to 27 September. Premiering what will be a production version of the new economy model (the previous incarnation was a concept), the new eco Polo will be on show with the latest versions of the Golf BlueMotion and Passat BlueMotion.

Calling the new models ‘the world’s most fuel-efficient cars in their classes’, VW is also showcasing a range of BlueMotion Technologies exhibits at their home expo, of which the Polo is a small part. The part it plays, though, isn’t quite so small. One of the major forces in the German maker’s economy army, it will build on the reputation of its predecessor and also set new benchmarks, such as the 85.6mpg fuel economy figure.

Economy: VW is staging world debuts of the latest BlueMotion models at the IAA Frankfurt 2009. Production version of the new Polo BlueMotion (at the back of the picture) will appear

Armed with a new 1.2-litre TDI engine producing 74bhp, it should be the most fuel-efficient five-seater in the world. Emissions are down to 87g/km of CO2 when compared with a regular new Polo TDI, and Volkswagen claim that it would cost a person driving the Polo BlueMotion the 545km route from Berlin to Frankfurt just 19 euros in fuel costs. With a theoretical range of 1,363kms (over 840 miles) from its 45-litre tank, that driver won’t be stopping for fuel until at least twice that distance has been covered. And, with a regenerative energy braking system and Stop-Start, the new Polo BlueMotion will be as much about technology as economy.

Top speed is 173km/h, and as the average German driver (according to the German Federal Bureau of Statistics) covers 11,000kms per year, then going on the figures above, the new Polo BlueMotion should only need filling up just eight times per year. Prices and exact specification for the UK market will follow shortly. In a Polo double debut at the Frankfurt event, Volkswagen will also be pulling the covers off the new three-door model at the same time, ahead of its market introduction in early 2010.

Predictably, it’s not either as radical as we’d hoped, or as sporty, but the just-announced new Polo three-door is nonetheless a good looker. Building on the sharp suit of its new five-door relative, its taut, clean lines are a departure from the rounded, dated lines of its predecessor.

Unveiled ahead of a Frankfurt Motor Show debut, Volkswagen state that the new, less family friendly version of the latest Polo with its longer doors, new side window styling of the row of side windows and the dynamic lines of the sporty C-pillars give the car a ‘near coupe-like appearance’. We’ll just settle for quietly handsome, thanks, with a hint of SEAT Ibiza SC from the back.

It does show that the renders by Motor Authority posted a few months ago were very accurate. Volkswagen is a car maker known for conservatism, but while the new Polo is every inch the mini Golf everyone claims it is, it has got a mature and classy style all of its own, with sharper detailing.

And, as the ‘dull Polo vs funky Fiesta’ style debate rages on in forums across the internet, we’re on the side of the Fiesta haters. Yes, while the Polo doesn’t appear as cutting edge as its Ford rival, it will undoubtedly slip into old age more gracefully, while the Fiesta will, we fear, have one facelift too many.

So, what else is new on the three-door Polo?

Not much – it’s pretty much the same specification technically as the five-door. With the same footprint, quality and refinement as the ‘family’ model, it should prove as successful as its forebears, and reliably add a new chapter to the model’s heritage story. Production in right-hand drive form begins at VW’s Pamplona plant (long a Polo production facility) in late October, with the first cars arriving here at the turn of the year.

As well as being technically the same as the five-door, the newer car echoes it in trim levels, too. The UK gets four – S, SE, Moda and SEL – and prices are tipped to start at £9,400, rising to £14,000 for the top-spec SEL. Kit is good, with standard ABS, ESP, CD player and electric windows. SE adds air-conditioning, 15-inch alloys wheels, and a six-speaker stereo with iPod connectivity.  SEL cars get 16-inch alloys, fog lights, leather trim on interior parts, a multifunction computer and a tyre pressure-warning indicator.

Five engines will be initially be available. Three petrol units of 60, 70 and 85 PS can be chosen alongside two 1.6 TDI oil burners with 75 and 90 PS. The much-anticipated 1.2 turbocharged unit with 105 PS will follow shortly after. In a departure from the outgoing car, a 1.2 TDI BlueMotion model will also be offered in 2010, alongside the more traditional five-door version.

The classiest supermini is now also the safest. The new Polo has been subjected to the latest round of Euro NCAP crash tests, and has received the best possible score of five stars. Proud of its new baby, Volkswagen put together an unbeatable safety package early in the car’s development consisting of an optimised body structure, a highly effective seatbelt and airbag combination and driver-assist systems.

The safest compact car in the world (according to VW), the new Polo was subjected to a controlled collision with a barrier at a speed of 64km/h. The passenger cell remained virtually undamaged, and the crash dummies told a similar story; occupant protection and child safety were optimal, proof of a structurally rigid body achieved through the use of high and ultra-strength steels in the side structures and footwell.

The new small VW also scored highly when it came to pedestrian safety. Pedestrian safety requirements were taken into account when developing the fifth-generation of the Polo, and the newly designed ‘harp’ sheet metal behind the front bumper cover provides the deformation space necessary to minimise the severity of leg injuries.

Finally, the electronic safety and assistance systems that contribute to accident prevention or avoidance were also subject to scrutinisation by Euro NCAP. ESP is standard in the new Polo, and in addition to the raft of airbags and front head restraints that counteract whiplash, further helped the high scoring of the car.

The reviews are in, the group tests have been conducted, and the new Polo has finally been released for sale in Germany. With advance orders of over 24,000 units before the general public has driven the car, it looks to continue the success of its four predecessors. Volkswagen UK has also confirmed an ‘on sale’ date of 16 October, and released pricing details for the new car.

Available to order now in five-door form only for the time being, the stronger, and safer fifth generation Polo is also more efficient, more refined, and more comfortable than ever. Initially seen at the Geneva Motor Show way back in March, the new model is also the priciest Polo ever, with entry-level 1.2 S models pegged at £10,035. The top of the range 1.6 TDI SEL comes in at £14,910.

It lives up to its upmarket image and heritage then, but, more kit comes as standard, and it’s the most grown-up Polo yet. ESP is standard on all models, and as the car is both lighter and more technologically advanced than the model it replaces, it should offer good value for money and class-leading residual values, long a Polo virtue.

At launch, the new car is available in four flavours with five engines. Three petrol and three diesel can be slotted into S, SE, Moda, and SEL trims, with an ‘A/C’ model exclusively for buyers who are keen on climate control. All models come with four airbags and ABS, with the Moda designed to appeal to a younger audience than the Polo has previously attracted.

Once again bringing many ‘big car’ comforts to small car drivers, the new Polo can be specced with a wide range of optional kit including touchscreen satellite navigation, a DAB digital radio, tyre pressure sensors, and electronic climate control.

The much talked about (and arguably most exciting new Polo) 1.2 TSI turbocharged SEL with 104bhp comes late to the party, though; expect it to swagger in at the turn of the year. 2010 will also see the arrival of the latest GTI and BlueMotion models. The only question that needs asking is, when will the three-door break cover? Ah, that’ll be December.

Continuing the success of the outgoing car (which now dates from 2002 remember), Volkswagen anticipates UK Polo sales of around 7,000 units in 2009, increasing to around 37,000 in 2010. Full details of the new Polo can be found here; prices below.

S
1.2 59bhp/5 spd manual/£10,035.00
1.2 69bhp/5 spd manual/£10,645.00

S A/C
1.2 59bhp/5 spd manual/£10,635.00
1.2 69bhp/5 spd manual/£11,245.00

Moda
1.2 59bhp/5 spd manual/£11,385.00
1.2 69bhp/5 spd manual/£11,995.00

Moda A/C
1.2 59bhp/5 spd manual/£11,985.00
1.2 69bhp/5 spd manual/£12,595.00

SE
1.2 59bhp/5 spd manual/£11,385.00
1.2 69bhp/5 spd manual/£11,995.00
1.4 84bhp/5 spd manual/£12,450.00
1.4 84bhp/7 spd DSG/£13,650.00

SE TDI
1.6 74bhp/5 spd manual/£13,205.00

SEL
1.4 84bhp/5 spd manual/£13,575.00
1.4 84bhp/7 spd DSG/£14,775.00

SEL TDI
1.6 89bhp/5 spd manual/£14,910.00