Sign in

(32)

---

The order books have officially opened for the all-new Volkswagen Polo with prices starting from £10,035. The entry-level model is the 1.2-litre S five-door with 59bhp. A three-door model will be available in December. We were very impressed with the Polo during its international press launch.

It places it close to the similarly-powerful Ford Fiesta 1.25i Studio which is £40 cheaper. The most expensive launch Polo will be the 89bhp SEL TDI with a price tag of £14,910. That's £115 more than the range-topping 88bhp Ford Fiesta 1.6 TDCi Titanium; its biggest rival.

Safety should be excellent thanks to four airbags, ABS and ESP being fitted as standard to every new Polo. If you enjoy spirited driving it might be wise to hold out until 2010, when the excellent 104bhp 1.2-litre TSI petrol engine is introduced.

The range will also be heated up by a GTI and made more eco-friendly with the introduction of a BlueMotion Polo capable of 85mpg whilst emitting only 87g/km of CO2.

We expect the GTI to share many of its features with the 178bhp Seat Ibiza Cupra, most excitingly its supercharged and turbocharged 1.4-litre engine

(32)