Vehicle: 2012 VW Polo Trendline

What's nice:

+ Right-sized, good looking.
+ More efficient than your laptop or computer.
+ Outstanding long-distance comfort.

What's not:
- Only 5 speeds, and only one of them works at any given speed.
- RCD 210 radio controls unfathomable, cost-cutting abounds.
- Expensive when optioned up.



As I mentioned in my earlier thread, I spent about a week in Turkey last week, mostly in Istanbul where the excellent public transit in and around the city centre made getting around very easy. But then we flew to Izmir and rented a vehicle from Sixt (as usual) to get us to and back from Pamukkale. I was fortunate to be given a VW Polo diesel, a typical entry-level subcompact you'd find in Europe and other countries where fuel is expensive and streets are narrow. As of this writing, Euro-diesel cost approx 3,80 TR/litre which translates to roughly $8 USD/US gallon. Ouch.



Certainly, efficiency is the name of the game here. The basic model comes with a 3 cylinder, 1,2 litre diesel motor that makes 75bhp and 180 Nm of torque. Not pretty numbers, but then again the Polo only weighs 1132kg unladen so it's a pretty light vehicle. Certainly, acceleration is more than adequate around town with 2 persons and luggage, although the gradients in western Turkey were gentle for the most part. On the motorways, I had no issues keeping a 150-160km/h cruising speed, the standard hwy speed in Turkey (and for me, in the US).

Even better, the 3 cylinder diesel consumed only 4,5 l/100km on the first day which included some urban driving in the crowded streets of Izmir. The small footprint makes it incredibly easy to park, cram between lorries and other cars, and squirt between pedestrians- all critical attributes to driving in Turkey. Over our 600+ km sojourn, the seats were excellent and there's decent room in the boot for rear passengers and cargo. The comfort in this subcompact is excellent, and it's decent to drive as well. The standard suspension is well-damped (and absorbed a 1,5m dropoff when I almost missed a turn.....props to German build qualty here). Brakes are solid, and the electric steering is well-weighted and communicative. Good marks on the driving experience.



However, not all is well. VW has done a very good job at quelling the unbalanced nature of 3 cylinder engines, but it still exhibited a roughness around 1900-2200rpm, which coincides with 100-110km/h which is the typical non-hwy driving speed. Combine that with the cost-cutting lack of noise-deadening material, the Polo inordinately tried to displease me on multiple occasions. Furthermore, the engine produces just a burp of power between 1900-3000rpm due to the single turbo, and with only 5-speeds in the gearbox, there's inherently compromise. Choose the wrong gear, and you are simply not going anywhere at all. Thankfully, the gearbox is light and precise, although the clutch take-up combined with the small engine requires care and skill.

Also, care and skill is required to properly option the Polo. The cost-cutting extends inside, with US-spec Jetta-like interior materials and a radio that is near impossible to operate. Wind noise is prevalent above 130km/h. And with nothing coming as standard (no AUX port, no cruise, no centre armrest, Board computer, etc...), it's tempting to check many option boxes. And VW will happily supply those options........at a price. Yet with just a few option boxes, the price soars over € 22k, well into Golf/Astra/Focus territory and those vehicles are arguably far better value for the money.



Given I haven't driven a key competitor, the Opel Corsa, it's hard to fault the VW Polo given its purpose as a subcompact that serves as an entry-level transportation device. The Ford Fiesta is a bit more entertaining to drive and better value, but the Polo is the better long-distance driver. However, I'm pretty confident in saying that this car would not work in the US- most Americans simply wouldn't understand or appreciate its qualities and aren't interested in its efficiency or packaging. Which is a pity, because it actually is a well-built little car that serves many purposes at a starting pricepoint that is good value for the good drive you get.