Browse over 9,000 car reviews

Polo makes a point


And this car does it well – zipping between the traffic and always first off the mark at the lights.

The Polo also has a great driving range of almost 1000km on a single tank of fuel. With detailing like its round rear lights, all that makes for a very cute package.

The diesel engine, fuel injected using the delightfully German pumpe-duse technology, gives an incredible 5 litres/100km. At current prices, that's $7 of fuel and much better value than my usual gas-converted runaround. Filling up the 45-litre tank on the Polo TDI costs only about $35 and possibly saves you days in a service station over the life of the car.

The Polo's "European" engineering – left-hand-drive controls in a right-hand-drive car – reminded me of my first car. It was a Peugeot 504, manufactured in 1973 and much older than its 16-year-old driver.

After years of driving an eminently more sensible but much less cool car, I'd forgotten the quirks of cars designed by left-hand drivers. More often than not, the little Polo was frantically waving its windscreen wipers before changing lanes. Panicking, I would change sides and tweak the other lever in the other direction, resulting in both indicators and wipers going – with the rear wiper occasionally joining in. It certainly drew attention to the vehicle on the road.

An advantage the Peugeot didn't have was the automatic locking of the Polo. Initially comforting, it soon sounded officious. While preventing potential carjackings, it caused problems with drive-by pickups in peak-hour traffic.

Crucial seconds were lost fiddling around with the unlock button (right-hand side, next to window controls) in Pirie St while council parking inspectors stood by to take down the plate number.

On the inside, the Polo got great marks for its small-person styling. A certain height to the candy-striped seats (a German attempt at frivolity) meant it was the only car I've ever driven without being forced to peer into the semi-circle between the rim of the steering wheel and the top of the dashboard.

The driver's side still had ample room to stretch out for the clutch and accelerator without being cramped up by the dashboard.

All said, it's not bad for a girl's car. And there's no better recommendation than its vital statistics on fuel.

LOVE IT LEAVE IT

Polo TDI

Price: $22,990 (five-door manual)

LOVE IT

Pop-out cup holder (just the one).

His and hers interior lights for both sides of the cabin.

Mirrors on both visors.

LEAVE IT

Too-small and too-deep glove box.

Tricky windscreen wipers.

That high-pitched beeping seat-belt reminder.