Alternative review of Volkswagen Polo

Let's face it, in the majority of two-car families, the female in the partnership tends to drive the small hatchback and the male sets off to the office in the business saloon. Statistics show that around 65% of small hatchbacks sold in the UK are driven by women. That can mean a certain compromise on driving enjoyment - but many a harassed woman won't have time to notice. In any case, if the majority of your driving is from home, to school, to Brownies, football training and McDonalds, you might not care. All the same, having fun behind the wheel has to be a bonus and driving Volkswagen's peppy three-door Polo 1.6 Sport 105PS, would certainly ensure that. It's pricier, of course, than many of its stablemates. But it certainly seemed worth the premium to me.

The latest Polo might not be the most spacious in the supermini class, but it's still wide and tall enough to provide for a spacious enough interior to keep the car in the frame for families down-sizing from larger vehicles. Whichever model you choose, you will enjoy sporty but comfortable seats, plenty of niches for maps and oddments and a well thought out driving position. Even the most modest Polo enjoys the same look of quality as the more self-indulgent flagship variants. All the cars in the range feature body-coloured bumpers and door mirrors, although the sportier models like this one are enhanced with the usual integrated addenda for a more individual look. As you'd have a right to expect for this kind of money, there's plenty of equipment included at Sport level. Check off remote central locking with an alarm, an eight-speaker stereo, 15" alloy wheels, sports suspension, sports seats, a multi-function trip computer, climate controlled air conditioning and front foglamps. All Polos get Twin front and side airbags and ABS with Brake Assist, but it does seem a bit mean to charge extra for a centre three point seatbelt, even though most customers are unlikely to need it.

It's under the bonnet that the biggest difference lies. Expect to hit sixty in just over ten seconds en route to around 115mph, courtesy of a 16v 105PS engine - not that many people will put this to the test in every day driving! This engine is raring to go in all situations. To be fair, though, even the 1.2-litre models deliver obedient, instant throttle response and smooth, progressive power delivery. Whichever Polo you choose, it will perform like a larger, more expensive car. It rides like one, too, holding its own on the roughest of roads. My test 1.6 Sport was commendably quiet, enabling me to enjoy the excellent stereo, while full marks must go to the smooth 5-speed gearbox.

With little difficulty. The whole Polo package is an appealing one - and the driving experience afforded by the 1.6 Sport model is so good that you might even find your partner sneaking off to work early in your car...

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Volkswagen Polo 1.2 60 S 3dr Hatchback
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Volkswagen Polo 1.2 TDI Bluemotion 5dr Diesel Hatchback
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Volkswagen Polo 1.2 60 S 5dr Hatchback
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