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The Polo Bluemotion is powered by an all-new three-cylinder, 1.2-litre common rail diesel engine that develops 74bhp at 4,200rpm and 133lb-ft of torque at 2,000rpm. As befits an economy-oriented engine, Volkswagen claims it has been electronically mapped to lower the revs at which it idles and ensure that it is optimised for the greatest possible economy. In common with many of the smaller diesel engines fitted to cars on sale at the moment, it’s not hugely refined, which is all the more noticeable without much of the sound-deadening that has been jettisoned in order to save weight in the 1,150kg Bluemotion. However, it’s decent enough to drive, even if the there is a slight lag before the torque kicks in. If you can keep it at around 2,000rpm, you not only drive it with the engine working at its most efficient level, but there’s also enough thrust to keep you feeling as if you’re making progress. There are gear-shift indicators, but we found that they were frequently a bit premature in their suggestions, so the engine would often feel laboured: it’s a phenomenon that seems common with similar systems in many modern cars. The five-speed manual gearbox is accurate enough and pleasant to use, with the wide ratios striking a good balance of efficiency and driveability.

The Polo doesn’t instantly impress with its handling, especially when compared to its big rival, the Ford Fiesta. The steering is a little too light, so it lacks the communication – and, as a result, some of the sense of fun - of the Blue Oval car. It also doesn’t feel quite as taut as the Fiesta, with a hint of body roll discernable if you really push it in the corners: however, as the Bluemotion is an economy-biased variant, this should be less of an issue with owners. There are no issues with the ride quality, though. In line with the Polo’s sophisticated nature, the lightness of the car and the suspension set-up (even the sports version lowered by 15mm on the Bluemotion) means that it feels compliant enough to soak up most of the broken surfaces, ridges and potholes it will encounter on Britain’s roads. When you factor in the sedate pace at which the Bluemotion is likely spend most of its time (in order to maximise its efficiency), there should be little to ruffle the composure of the car’s occupants.

At first glance, the Polo looks every bit the ‘baby Golf’ it’s been dubbed by many. But when you consider how the Golf has such a solid reputation for build quality, that’s not such a bad thing. Indeed, the Polo seems just as well screwed together as its bigger sibling, with a robust, grown-up feel for a supermini. The body panels on the car’s exterior look solid and have tight and consistent panel gaps. Meanwhile, the cabin is filled with durable soft-touch plastics on the upper surfaces such as the dashboard and doors, with the harder plastics on the lower sections also some of the best currently on offer, especially in the segment. Volkswagen has a good reputation for reliability, which is reflected by customer satisfaction surveys, in which data on a car’s dependability goes a long way in determining its score. It’s therefore no surprise that Volkswagen took 11th place in the league table of the 27 most reliable car manufacturers in the most recent JD Power survey: and while the current Polo is too new to show up yet, most VWs show up in positions between 20 and 50 in the list of most reliable cars.

The new Polo has been crash-tested by Euro NCAP and awarded the full five stars, with a 90% score for adult occupant protection, 86% for child occupant protection, 41% for pedestrian protection, plus 71% in the Safety Assist category. The Bluemotion model is based on the base Polo S trim level, so standard safety equipment comprises anti-lock brakes (ABS) with Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA), electronic stabilisation programme (ESP) with electronic differential (EDL) and ASR traction control; three rear head restraints; three-point seat belts; four airbags (driver and front passenger, plus side head/thorax airbag system for front-seat occupants); driver’s and front passenger’s head restraints to limit whiplash injuries; and Isofix child seat preparation at the back. Security equipment consists of central locking and an electronic engine immobiliser.

The Polo is remarkably spacious for a supermini and is a classic example of how cars have increased in size in recent years. A couple of generations ago, getting four adults comfortably in a Polo was definitely a bit of a squeeze: now, however, there’s a lot more space, and most adults in the rear will find that have enough head and knee-room. In the front, there’s a lot of space for both occupants, with drivers having a huge range of adjustability for their seat and steering wheel, making for an excellent position. The dashboard is also well laid-out, with all the important switchgear to hand and intuitive to use. There’s also a very spacious boot, with 280 litres available (including the space below a useful false floor), or up to 952 litres when the rear seat is folded. As the Bluemotion is based on the base Polo S spec, there’s not a vast amount of equipment, but there is cruise control, front fog lights, air con, an MP3-compatible CD player/radio with six speakers and Aux in socket, electric windows, leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear knob, tyre pressure indicator, plus bag hooks and 12V socket in the luggage compartment.

If you want to be green, it’s going to cost you, as this particular Polo costs £14,445 for the three-door version and £15,045 for the five-door. With the Polo range starting at £9,790, that’s a pretty high premium to pay for keeping your carbon footprint low. The Bluemotion has been tweaked to be as fuel-efficient and low-emitting as it can possibly be, so running costs will be among the lowest of any car currently on the road. Official fuel consumption is an incredible 80.7mpg on the combined cycle: it is achievable in the real world, but don’t expect to get anywhere fast while doing it. Carbon dioxide emissions are also very low at 91g/km, which means that there’s no vehicle excise duty to pay. So while the running costs should be low, the higher initial purchase cost means that you’re going to have to cover some miles in the car if you’re going to make the figures add up. The good news is that residual values for the Polo are among the best in the supermini segment, with the Bluemotion’s low running costs making it even more desirable. Volkswagen also has a promotion that means Polo buyers in 2010 can get three years' servicing for a one-off fee of just £250.

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