Car reviews

It may not be the most exciting small hatchback on the market but the Volkswagen Polo is hugely popular. And with excellent build quality, bullet-proof reliability and that all important VW badge on the grille, it's not hard to see why. Safe and comfortable to drive it's available with a wide choice of engines including some very economical diesels while the interior is durable and well finished. If you're looking to save money there's also an environmentally-friendly Bluemotion model available. Thanks to engine tweaks, aerodynamic changes and longer gearing it emits just 99g/km of CO2 - so it qualifies for free-road tax, plus it will average an incredible 74mpg. However as with the rest of the Polo range it has a relatively high list price and standard equipment isn't particularly generous.