Volkswagen Polo

On the outside, the new Polo is very much a junior Golf, although it does have some Sirocco dash mixed in with the DNA.

It has grown in length, width and height in much the same way that the rival Ford Fiesta did last year, and now straddles the line between family hatch and supermini.

The change in dimensions means there is increased head, shoulder and leg room.

Yet despite the increased girth, a reduction in the body weight of 7.5 per cent has helped the new Polo to deliver a 20 per cent improvement in fuel economy over the previous model.

These improvements and the increased size may well lead Volkswagen customers asking themselves whether they really need to stretch themselves to a Golf or whether they should opt for the Polo instead. One only has to look at what happened over at Ford, where after years of dominating the sales charts, the Focus was this year toppled by the new, much-improved and bigger Fiesta.

There are five engines to choose from with the new Polo – 1.2-litre petrol engines with either 60 or 70bhp and a 1.4-litre petrol producing 85 bhp, plus two 1.6-litre common rail diesel units producing 75 or 90bhp. A new 1.2-litre 105bhp turbocharged petrol unit will arrive in 2010.

In a break from previous Polo line-ups, the new generation is offered in four trim levels – S, Moda, SE and SEL. A BlueMotion model will follow next year.

In adddition, a three-door version will arrive in the new year, with an entry-level price reduced to £9,435 Optional extras include touchscreen satellite navigation, DAB digital radio and climate control, and there is a choice of wheel sizes ranging from 15 to 17-inch, so there should be something to suit everyone.

And there is one engine that stands out among the offerings – a lively 1.4-litre petrol unit linked to seven-speed DSG (direct shift gearbox) transmission.

Launched in 2005, Volkswagen’s DSG combines the comfort and convenience of an automated gearbox with the responsiveness and efficiency of a manual unit. Essentially, it uses two clutches – one to control the “odd” gears plus reverse, the other to operate the “even” gears.

The result is that, by enabling the next-higher gear ratio to remain engaged but on standby until it is actually selected, interruptions in power experienced with some transmissions no longer occur.

For some drivers, the gear lever will simply be slotted into automatic mode. But the inclusion of a sport mode plus the option to manually push and pull the lever through the gears makes for a more engaging ride.

The DSG system is a brilliant addition to the range, and with VW finding that many customers are selecting higher specifications, should do well in the showrooms.

Volkswagen has always deliberately followed a path somewhere between dour and conservative when it comes to cabin design, and this Polo is no exception.

The company line is that the design must be “timeless”, but sombre might be a more accurate description.

There’s something reassuring about the brand’s core values of safety, reliability, quality and value, together with the resistance to fashion fads.

You cannot find fault with the build quality or ergonomics. Everything is where it should be and it works a treat. Gone are the blue backlit dials, in favour of white, and there are subtle aluminium highlights.

Ride quality is impressive for a car in this class, allowing the Polo to be driven briskly with confidence. The steering is accurate, braking is excellent and progress satisfying, whichever is your choice of engine.

There also some nice touches that should not be overlooked. The surface of the instrument panel has been upgraded by so-called “slush technology” – a high-end surface structure which is soft to touch, yet durable, and the fuel gauge is now digital.

There are also new steering wheels – including a superb three-spoke leather offering with chrome insert as standard with SEL specification.

The rear bench seat can be folded (60/40 split) to give a level boot space and there is a variable load space floor on all but the S trim cars.

While the DSG version is without doubt the best all-rounder in the pack, the diesel unit would make a sound choice for a rural environment, while the petrol model would be best-suited to city motoring.

For now, there’s only a choice of five-door models, but the three-door will be along before the end of the year and a GTi version will break cover some time after that.

This fifth-generation Polo features twin front and side airbags, ESP as standard for the first time and whiplash-resistive head restraints.

It says a lot about the Golf that it is still Volkswagen’s best-selling car despite being several thousand pounds more expensive than the Polo. But this grown-up Polo might change that.

Volkswagen expects it sell 35,710 Polos in the UK next year. That’s a conservative estimate, of course.

VW POLO, from £10,035

Engines: 1.2-litre petrol engines with either 60 or 70bhp and a 1.4-litre petrol producing 85 bhp, plus two 1.6-litre common rail diesel units producing 75 or 90bhp.

Performance: 20 per cent improvement in fuel economy.

Trim levels: S, Moda, SE and SEL CO2 Rating: From 112 to 139 g/km