Volkswagen Polo 1.4 Review: Do you Polo?

What we like:

Sharp looks

refined ride

class-leading build quality

respectable fuel economy.

What we dislike:

Body-roll can be felt when pushed hard at corners

additional kits could give it a sportier edge

interior looks rather familliar.

I was told the new Polo will be available in Singapore by the fourth quarter of 2009. Only the normally-aspirated 85bhp 1.4-litre engine mated to VW's 7-speed DSG box will make it to our shores - the same version I tested here in Sardinia.

Besides the 1.4-litre, I also sampled an array of other variants which will be offered globally - most notably the 1.2-litre turbocharged engine, which produces 105bhp and goes to 100km/h in just 9.7 seconds. There is also a hint of a Polo GTI, which will probably adopt the 170bhp 1.4 twin-charged TSI engine already found in the current Mark VI Golf.

The Polo might not be a hot-hatch, but armed with its stunning good looks, commendable build quality and competent driving dynamics, anyone looking for a small European hatchback should not look any further.

Credits: Story & pictures by M.H Sim, reporting from Sardinia, Italy