2023 Volkswagen Polo – Road Test

It’s been a long time since we got behind the wheel of a Volkswagen. So what’s changed? Nothing really – we just had a trip to Germany and we were offered the choice between a brand new VW Polo – or a Smart EQ ForTwo Cabrio. We have never driven either vehicle before (the Smart was discontinued in Canada following the 2020 model year) and the Polo has never been available at any time in Canada. We’ve always loved VW products, and the Polo is always a car we’ve wanted to drive, so that was our choice. With only 420 kms on the odometer we set out to add to that number considerably!

What Is It?

A small 4-door hatchback
Available in 4 trim levels: Life, Style, R-Line and Move (special limited edition)
We’re driving the entry-level Life version
0 Litre 4-cylinder Engine
Pumping out a whopping 59 kW – that’s 79 hp for the non-digital people
And 79 lb.ft torque (80 PS)
5-speed manual transmission
15” steel wheels with full wheel covers (185/65 R15 tires)
12-volt compressor and tire sealant – there’s no spare tire

How Does It Look?

NOTE – the car isn’t dirty in the pictures – the pollen was everywhere, swirling around like snow…
At first glance we thought it was a Golf and got really excited… upon finding out it was a Polo we were impressed but also excited about driving it
It’s a good looking little car and much bigger than previous Polo’s we’d seen in the past (pre-2018)
According to Volkswagen it takes its styling tweaks from the 2023 Golf
LED headlights with LED daytime running lights – nice

What’s It Like Inside?

Driver’s position is very good
The seats are very comfortable and also has height adjustment
Visibility is excellent
Starting requires… a key – wow, remember those things? It’s a nice small FOB with a fold out key
Keyless entry is included
Manual tilt and telescopic steering wheel is leather, as was the hand brake lever and shifter knob – wasn’t expecting that!
The interior has “Lave Stone Black” decorative inserts for instrument panels and front door panels – it looks a bit like carbon fibre
The driver gets an 8” (20.3 cm) colour high-resolution instrument cluster that has several options to personalize the view
The 6.5” (15.5 cm) Infotainment screen includes digital radio reception DAB +, a Telephone interface including fully integrated Google Maps and hands-free voice control
The Infotainment screen came in very handy when we discovered the Polo didn’t have navigation – gasp… what will we do? Fortunately our rear-seat passenger had an unlimited data plan and just sent the Waze maps etc onto the info screen. Crisis averted. It worked exceptionally well considering this was the first time any of us had the opportunity to use it. It took only seconds to set up and use
Reversing into and out of parking spots was really weird – there’s no backup camera! Until you drive a car that doesn’t have it, you really have no idea how much you rely on it when it’s been in cars here in North America since 2015 or so! It was shocking how discombobulated I was without it
It does come with Parking Aid – warning signals for obstacles in the front and rear area when parking/exiting a parking spot as well as pedestrian and cyclist detection
Two USB-C interfaces at the front sit under the HVAC + two USB-C charging sockets on the center console at the rear
Cargo Volume: 1,125 liters / 39.7 cu-ft

So How Quick Is It & How Does It Handle?

Initial throttle input is…. oh how do I say this nicely? It’s not bad actually. It’s not going to flatten your eyeballs, but it does more along nicely
There is ZERO torque in this car… and when I say zero – I really mean it. Following our friend in his Audi, he stomps on the gas and off he goes. If I/we weren’t in the right gear (every time) we’d have to downshift 2 gears and flatten the throttle, flip over the calendar a couple of days… and… ah there we go!! We’ve never driven a car that we’d spent so much time banging up against the red line…EVER! Fortunately it is electronic and it won’t let you blow the engine up ( not like the old days)
HOWEVER – this car is fun to drive and we both loved it!!
The steering is nicely weighted and quite sporty
The brakes are perfectly solid – you stomp on them and you are stopped dead. They are also very easy to modulate when a panic stop isn’t necessary

Horsepower: 79
Torque: 79
Top Speed (limited): unknown – we got to 140 km/h and that was enough
0 – 100 km/h (secs): how fast can you row?

What Does It Cost?
For up-to-date pricing and options in your region visit: VW
To Buy…
Base Price: From €20,830 to €26,430 (incl.VAT)
As Tested: €20,830

To Operate…

Rated at (L/100 km) WLTP: Combined – 5.4
We averaged 5.8 – 6.5 L/100 kms during various driving conditions including Autobahn and hill/mountains
Fuel: Super 95

The Competition

Ford Fiesta, VW Taigo (€21,590) T-Cross (€22,450) and literally a hundred other small car they have in Europe that we don’t get!

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

The Good: Built like bank vault, nice and solid
The Bad: There’s nothing really bad about this car
The Ugly: No torque of any kind

What’s The Verdict?
Despite the complete lack of torque, this little hatch IS fun to drive and we did love it. Overtaking requires lots of roadway and white knuckles, but if you don’t do that, then this is all most people will ever need. It’s comfortable and just ‘feels’ solid like it’s carved out of one piece on metal. The seats are very comfortable and even after many hours driving around, not once did we get out and say “my bum/back hurts” that almost never happens with us! The suspension is great and the steering is superb. We would definitely recommend this car.