Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion Review

Typical price:

£11,995

We like:

The price; the sporty way it drives

We don't like:

That we can't fit our friends/kids/dogs into it

SmartPlanet judgement:

The Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion is sporty yet sturdy and great value for money, though a lack of space means you'll probably have to leave the dog and kids at home. Everything else is great, though -- from VW's ethics as a company to the surprisingly affordable price.

Score:

Contact:

Nice Car Company at http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/
Telephone: +44 (0)800 389 8938

You're no doubt frantically aware that the earth is heating up faster than an egg at 100 per cent power in a microwave oven, while petrol is destined to become a scarce commodity in coming years.

The trouble is, as much as we love recent green innovations in automobiles, hybrids can be jolly expensive, the choice is pretty slim and anything not powered even in part by fossil fuels is either years away, impractical or ridiculously expensive.

So another option is to go diesel. This engine is well known for its miserly consumption of the raw product and is no longer the rattly, noisy implement of aural torture it once was.

Volkswagen has been tinkering with engine management, gearing and aerodynamics to achieve serious mpg figures. Promoted under the BlueMotion banner -- future VWs offering similar gains will be branded as such -- the company’s latest effort is a version of the Polo, tweaked to offer a claimed 72.4mpg. Of greater importance in some markets is the car's super-low 102g/km CO2 rating.

Anyone living or working under the cloud of a congestion charge zone will immediately understand the significance of such a figure. And when local authorities roll out Low Emissions Zones (LEZs), cars like the Polo BlueMotion will suddenly be in demand.

In essence, Volkswagen has employed a combination of common sense and electronic/mechanical fiddling to achieve these headline figures. This Polo variant is a little more aerodynamic thanks to a new front grille and air dam, while the car's slim alloy wheels save a little weight and the harder compound tyres offer less rolling resistance.

The fiddling means that a litre of diesel stretches a little further. Incidentally, VW claims a range in excess of 700 miles from the Polo's 45-litre fuel tank.

Performance is a relatively brisk 12.8 seconds for the dash to 62mph, while the Polo's top speed is a perfectly acceptable 109mph. Furthermore, creature comforts such as a CD player, electric front windows, central locking, six airbags, trip computer and ABS are all standard. A high-spec car complete with remote central locking, air-con and alarm is available, although you'll take a small mpg and CO2 hit -- 68.9 and 108 respectively.

Right then, the big question is how does it drive. And the answer? Well, it drives like a Polo -- sturdy, solid, quick and sporty. It's sprightly enough when you need it to be and never feels out of its depth at motorway speeds. Around town it's happy to potter about without complaining. The combination of the diesel engine and modified gear ratios take a little getting used to, but once you've found the engine's sweet spot everything seems to gel quite nicely.

Volkswagen makes the BlueMotion in a factory in Pamplona, Spain, where it has 16 staff members responsible for the environmental impact of the site. The factory's audited through the EMAS scheme, which means an independent auditor has visited and checked eco standards. As a company, Volkswagen scores highly on ethics for no dodgy investments -- that we're aware of -- in polluting or unethical business.

It also publishes a very good sustainability site which sets concrete future targets for improving green operations. The only eco bummer is the way Volkswagen is lagging against other car makers for cutting its CO2 emissions across its range. A 2007 report by the European Federation for Transport and the Environment put the car maker 12 out of 14 brands for emissions.

This car won't suit everyone, and will be of little use to families -- there's a BlueMotion Passat in the pipeline -- but for urban dwellers who occasionally venture past the city limits this Polo does make sense.

Low emissions cars that don't rely on expensive hybrid powertrains are a realistic and attractive proposition now, and VW's Polo BlueMotion fits the bill.

Edited by Marian Smith

Score breakdown:

 

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