Prettiest car in the world

It’s the most frugal Polo available until the 1.2-litre three-cylinder BlueMotion version arrives. With a combined fuel economy figure of 65.7mpg and a CO2 output of 112g/km, the Polo 1.6 TDI is on a par with the Ford Fiesta 1.6 TDCi, making it one of the most fuel-efficient cars in its class.

As we discovered during our original drive in late May, the latest Polo is very much a downsized Golf. It looks like a Mk6 Golf both inside and out (though its exterior styling is quite bland) and it moves the game on in terms of perceived quality, ride comfort and isolation from wind and road noise in this class; in many ways it really does feel like a much bigger, more expensive car.

However, the 1.6-litre diesel engine doesn’t suit the Polo especially well. In such an otherwise quiet and smooth environment the engine sounds and feels startlingly gruff, only becoming less intrusive at a steady cruise.