VW Polo SE
I never have the first clue what colour car they are going to use in the photo alongside these words until I see the paper on a Sunday along with the rest of you. What I can tell you, however, is that after a good few years of writing this column, I have come to realise it will almost certainly be different from the colour of the car they sent me to test. Which is a shame, as the colour makes up so much of a car’s character that it’s almost impossible not to get swayed one way or another, especially when more and more cars nowadays are so similar in most other aspects.
Take this week’s VW Polo SE, which arrived in a completely unspectacular white. Like a blank canvas. A thought I then couldn’t get out of my head, no matter how hard I tried. Some cars look stunning in white, just not an entry-level VW Polo with clear glass windows. Moreover, it was a flat white, but unlike the coffee, there was no restorative kick hiding deep within. The interior was an equally flat black, like a luke-warm Americano, complete with hardly any extras. As much as last week’s Jaguar E-Pace was wildly over-spec’d, this poor Polo was woefully under-spec’d.
The new VW Polo SE. Once a new Polo hits the production line, VW really goes to town, creating so many options it’s almost impossible for a Polo junkie to kick the habit
With more volume on the outside comes more leg- and headroom for those in the front and back
‘Not VW’s problem,’ you may say. ‘You review what you’re sent and wear your best existential hat while you’re at it.’
Which is fine, I suppose, but how frustrating when there’s clearly a much better car in there waiting to get out, and this Polo comes in a whole rainbow of colours other than A4 white. There’s Honey Yellow, Reef Blue and Limestone Grey, just for starters. All of which can be accessorised by matching the interior dash, central manifold and door panels to the exact same shade. I’ve seen a bright red 2018 Polo that had precisely this option and it looked bloody fantastic. As did the cream interior, fully digitised cockpit and five-spoke sports alloys. There’s also the option of a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox (as opposed to my five-speed old-fashioned manual), which adds some welcome pizzazz.
Myriad Polos have come and gone over the years, with 12 million cars sold so far, including past World Car of the Year winners, best used car recommendations, Junior World Rally car entrants and various GT and GTi versions. In fact, sales continue to wax as opposed to wane with units shifted tipping the 700,000-a-year mark over the past half decade. All this is in no small part down to the fact that once a new Polo hits the production line, VW really goes to town, creating so many options it’s almost impossible for a Polo junkie to kick the habit. Take this latest Polo as a case in point. There are three current engines available and yet another six to come. That’s nine in all, with the range-topping new Polo GTi offering no less than 200hp under the bonnet.
Exciting stuff.
None of which I can report first-hand. What I can confirm (just about) is the crisp styling lines, which mark the Polo as back to its sporty, feisty best. There have been some seriously dud Polo designs over the past 43 years (the square-backed Mark II, for instance), but this latest incarnation is most certainly not one of them.
It’s wider and longer than before, with a newly extended wheelbase, all of which affords it a more predatory presence on the road.
The boot and luggage space also set a new Polo record both with rear seats up and flat. The tailgate, however, requires further attention as it requires an almighty heave to close and latch. Good for the bingo wings but not much else.
With more volume on the outside comes more leg- and headroom for those in the front and back. Plus, my nine-year-old assures me: ‘The headrests are more comfortable than a lot of others car we’ve had.’ He’s becoming more specific in his car critique week on week.
There have been some seriously dud Polo designs over the past 43 years (the square-backed Mark II, for instance), but this latest incarnation is most certainly not one of them
But none of this made up for the fact that my plain Jane, entry-level 2018 Polo felt generally dull, dull, dull. More bland design than grand design. And all this on the sunniest bank holiday weekend on record. Imagine what I might have written had it been the week before with all that torrential rain and those dark thunderous skies?
This was before I drove it, however. After which… well, the thing is, it’s amazing what a dinky three-cylinder petrol engine can chuck out nowadays, despite having only 1,000ccs to draw on. Providing you don’t skip a gear going up through the box, and hold on to the revs for a wee while longer than usual, even with this relatively modest engine the Polo is no slouch.
Also impressive is the fuel economy, which never dropped below 51.2mpg for the whole week, regardless of my efforts to try to make that happen. Handling was a little soft on cornering when it came to country lanes, but future heated-hatch versions will no doubt be stiffened up for such sport. Otherwise the ride was smooth, as were the steering and gearbox.
All in all then, an extremely affordable, super-reliable car, a bit bigger than any of its predecessors and good-looking in any colour other than polar-bear white. Not quite sure how that all ended up so positive, but there you are.