Volkswagen Polo Hatchback Silver

Most Polos are powered by versions of the core 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine, available in a variety of power outputs. The 95 horsepower version is a little cracker and we suspect it'll be the one most people go for. It's smooth and quiet and delivers a fair turn of pace, and is happy to rev hard without creating too much vibration. The 115 horsepower version brings extra fizz to proceedings, if you want a lively response without heading towards GTI levels. The manual gearbox is really smooth and solid to use and is available as a five- or six-speed, depending on the engine. The optional twin-clutch automatic gearbox isn't the quickest but it’s still worth having if you spend most of your life sitting in heavy traffic. Volkswagen reckons only 5% of all Polos sold will be diesels, which is a shame because the 95 horsepower, 1.6-litre TDI is a corker and the best in the range for CO2 and fuel consumption. It delivers strong performance and great flexibility, while the combination of the Polo’s relatively light weight and the engine’s strong mid-range power makes it very relaxing at motorway speeds.