Hatchback Reviews

This latest and cleverest incarnation of the exceptionally successful Mark V Golf provides decent performance.

The Swede's inline five-cylinder turbo, which is used also in Ford's Focus and Mondeo XR5 models is a quick and capable thing married to the slick six-speed manual.But though the C30 looks more or less Volvo from the B-pillar forward, its glass hatch is a singular and welcome departure from the design norm; albeit one that makes the cargo cover a very necessary option on a list of them that's way long.SnapshotVOLVO C30 T5Price: $43,950 (as tested $49,080)Engine: 2.5-litre/5-cylinder turbo 162kW/320NmTransmission: 6-speed manualEconomy: 8.7L 100kmDo you think this is a worthy Car of the Year finalist?For all the latest on the carsguide Car Of The Year click here

Ford's diesel-powered Focus is a sweet machine, feels solid and true with the goods and right price to be a considered rival to Holden's Astra and Volkswagen Golf diesels.The compact Ford is screwed together in a tidy, economical package, which should find favour with quite a few commuters. It has some European style with decent road dynamics and a certain amount of personality.Circumstances dictated this particular five-door Focus was only belted around the town, hardly saw fifth gear let alone sixth.Yet it impressed straight up with its tidy interior, ride quality and the willingness of that 100kW diesel engine. It impressed with its road manners and ability to slice through spaces in city traffic.Cabin ergonomics are good, controls and instruments all logical and legible with smart finishes.It has the European approach to dark and sensible colours for interior trim, the stereo quality is top class for a sub-$30,000 car and there's a useful trip computer.Little touches such as the fold-away key add to the Euro-design feel.Some may find those front seats a little narrow and the back seats, while having decent legroom, may not suit taller passengers.There is a not a lot of oddment space in the centre console but the rear cargo area is a good size with easy loading access.The four-cylinder Duratorq engine; the largest common-rail turbo diesel in the Ford passenger car range; starts with a little shudder and then settles into a comforting, sporting grumble. (Indeed the Focus engine noise is more akin to a warmed-over petrol engine than anything much else).It runs through the gears with a certain sweetness though best to keep engine revs north of 1800rpm to make best use of the power and torque, the first few hill starts may see a little clutch slip until the best clutch-revs balance is struck.This short run didn't see the hatchback fall much below 10 litres per 100 kilometres, that should be much improved with less stop-start, short-haul traffic; indeed Ford reckons it should get down to 5.6 litres per 100km and that sounds reasonable.The steering and front end are good but favour understeer in fast, tight turns.The other surprise was the suspension on city streets, over big bumps and little, It rode the city streets with the type of confidence normally reserved for more expensive machines.So this five-door Ford Focus has good road manners to go along with handsome style, excellent fuel economy and a reasonable price. Well worth a look if chasing a compact machine for general duties.

The WRX is a legend, of sorts, in car world, but it's never, ever been bought, or stolen, because of its visual features.  From the very first, it's been about as attractive as the offspring of an anteater and a Tonka truck.  And yet young men of a thrusting temperament, older blokes who still favour No Fear t-shirts and criminals who enjoy driving into shop windows have chosen these cars in their droves.It would be fair to say that each successive WRX has been slightly uglier than the last, which makes the original something of a collector's item, but this time Subaru's designers have really outdone themselves.The new Impreza is perhaps the most diversely derivative car ever. The fact that it's now a hatch and no longer a sedan is a fairly rude shock to start with, but it also looks like part BMW 1 Series, part Daewoo, part Seat Ibiza with a large sprinkling of Mazda 3. In fact, just about the only car it doesn't look like is a Subaru. While being ugly is nothing new for a Rex, the new one is kind of plain as well. At least the old ones had presence as well as pugilist features.The feeling of massive changes being afoot continues inside, where the front seats no longer look like they've been stolen from a rally car. Sure, they're still buckets and still sportily supportive, but the people in the back seat can actually see the windscreen, for the first time ever.Before even turning the key, the feeling that this WRX was no longer a Rex was niggling. Then I fired it up and waited for the fireworks. I have to say that for the first few days, pootling around town, I was deeply disappointed.Imprezas of old always gave you the feeling that they wanted to rip your arms off and use them to punch a police officer, but this new car felt polite and refined. It wasn't slow, exactly, but it wasn't a balltearer below 3000rpm, and there's not much room in Sydney traffic to explore beyond there.Then there was the sound, or lack of it. While 98 per cent of Rexes you see on the road have aftermarket pipes that make them sound like a fat man blowing raspberries into a megaphone, even the standard one always had a bit of oomph to it. But the sounds of the new WRX were so distant and decorous that they seemed to be coming from another car.All was not going well, so we headed out of town for the real test — could this super Sooob still tear up a bit of country road and put a smile on your dial? Fortunately the answer was a resounding, surprising yes.Given its head, the WRX is still a seriously quick, slick sportscar, it just makes a lot less fuss about what it's doing. Grip-and-go cornering has always been this car's forte and the way it can hang on through, and launch out of, turns is still a highlight.What is different is the slightly softer feel to the way it does this.The suspension set-up feels a little more gentle and this means the driver is a little less involved with the road than before. Even the steering feels a bit lighter, which is a shame.The 2.5-litre boxer four-cylinder still boasts the same power figures as the previous model — 169kW and 320Nm — but the engine has been retuned to deliver its grunt lower in the rev range.This means less turbo lag and more instantaneous acceleration.While the new car is certainly more grunty from lower down, it still doesn't get exciting until about 4000rpm. On the plus side, it does continue to be exciting all the way up to 6500rpm. Mind you, even at that pace, the noise you'd expect seems to be missing. And despite being lighter, the new car certainly doesn't feel quicker - although apparently it is, 0.1 of a second faster to 100km/h at 5.8 seconds.The five-speed gearbox is a slick and faultless little unit, but it's still missing a gear, no matter how you look at it, and not having sixth on long freeway runs could get wearing.Over all, though, as motoring scribes have been bleating for years, it's hard to think of another car that delivers as much for the money as a WRX. This latest impressive Impreza is still $39,990, the same price the Rex was 10 years ago. What you don't get for your money these days, though, is the hard, harried edge of old. And that's a shame, for purists at least.So, the new WRX is a lighter, more refined, quieter, more roomy and (very slightly) faster car than before, yet I'd still take an old one, every time. Perhaps looks do count for something after all.PS: After handing back the WRX, I took an RS Impreza for a week, but I can't tell you anything about it, because the automatic transmission it was fitted with rendered it too boring for words.It also had a “Sport” feature, the only function of which seemed to be to illuminate a dash light that says “Sport”. Stick with the WRX.

In this land of cheap petrol, ample streets and voluminous car parks, we have generally regarded cars in this class as simply being too small for our needs.Yet a few inner city dwellers have seen the advantages in owning cars that can be squeezed into tiny parking spots and which are frugal to run.The company withdrew from the Australian market in March 2006 with servicing of Daihatsu models now being handled by its parent company, Toyota.Mira, Centro and Cuore are among the best of Daihatsu's mini cars and they have enjoyed a certain degree of success in Australia, mainly because of the company's excellent reputation for building reliable vehicles, with the larger Charade and Applause having won many admirers over the years.The Mira was launched in Australia as a car in December 1992, though it had been here in van form for a couple of years before then. Mira vans were sold throughout the vehicle's life. The Mira van came with an 850cc carburettored engine and a four-speed manual gearbox.Daihatsu Centro, introduced to Australia in March 1995, should correctly be called the Charade Centro even though it has nothing of any significance in common with its bigger brother, the “proper” Daihatsu Charade.The duplication of the names was done as a marketing move to try to cash in on the reputation of the Charade. Australian buyers being a well-educated bunch didn't fall for the stunt and Centro didn't sell well, quietly disappearing from our market late in 1997.These last cars will have a 1997 build plate, so be wary of the sales guy who insists it's a 1998 if it was first registered in that year.As with the Mira, a few Centros also reached us in van form. Beware of vans that have had windows and a back seat added to try and pretend they are cars; they could have had an ultra-tough life as knockabout delivery vehicles. True Mira and Centro cars are either three or five-door hatchbacks.The final version of the Daihatsu mini car was the Cuore. It went on sale in July 2000 and, after struggling on for a little over three years, imports ceased in September 2003.Interior space in all three models is surprisingly good in the front, but the back seat is pretty cramped for adults. Boot space is fairly small, but can be increased substantially by folding the seatback down.Ride comfort and general levels of noise are not good, though Centro is noticeably better than the older Mira. They are not too tiring around town when you are only spending moderate lengths of time at the wheel.These little Daihatsus are not really suited to long distance Aussie country trips; as you have to work their little engines hard to keep them moving up hill and down dale. In a pinch they can run at 100 to 110 km/h on the flat bits but the hills really do knock them around. Be very aware that the car may have been driven too hard to the extent that it's worn out before its time. Under the bonnetPower for the Mira and Centro comes from a three-cylinder, fuel-injected engine of just 660cc. Low gearing and light weight means it gives more performance than you might expect, but you do have to work at the gearbox to get decent acceleration in undulating territory. The Cuore, introduced here in July 2000, has a bigger engine, a three-cylinder 1.0-litre unit. It's more suited to country driving than its predecessors but still struggles at times.The manual box is a nice little five-speed unit but the automatic transmission only comes with three ratios and can be pretty buzzy if the going is fast. 

A first Australian drive of the beefed-up CooperS showed just what a few thousand dollars and some relatively minor enhancements can do for what was already an impressive fun machine.The engine kit; larger airbox, free-flow twin exhaust and enhanced ECU programming; will set you back $3800 plus fitting by a Mini Garage specialist but brings a 10 per cent boost in power, lifting output from the twin-scroll 1.6-litre engine to 141kW as well as adding an additional 10Nm of urge.Unlike the previous generation of supercharged engines the JCW kit does not include a cylinder head swap.A sports suspension package which firms the damper rate and lowers the Mini by 10mm adds $1460; while the aero body kit ($2696), performance brakes ($2015) and 18-inch wheels with 205/40 run-flat rubber ($5100) all but complete the external enhancements.If you really want to stand out there is a carbon-fibre roof-mounted rear wing yet to be priced.Inside the Cooper S, the usual main opportunity is a set of extremely comfortable and supportive Recaro sport seats at $7000 a set.Unlike some sports seats the Mini buckets retain their side airbag protection through a not particularly attractive mounting on the outside of the seat; with the activator tucked away between the seat and the transmission tunnel.While the full enhancement kit on the JCW model built up by BMW runs to something more than $22,000 over and above the cost of the Cooper S, the company doesn't expect it to hinder sales.“I expect that we will sell a lot more of the engine kits by themselves than the engine and body kits together,” Mini's Alexander Corne says.“From the experience of the first generation of John Cooper Works sales where about 10 per cent of Cooper S buyers added the engine enhancements it is likely to be around the same this time.“These are people who want the extra performance to go with the show.”Corne says Mini buyers, on average, will add about $4000 worth of custom options to their new car.“These are not people agonising over a $19,990 car,” Corne says.“These are people who want individuality in their cars. They are saying, how can I make this car mine?.”On the road the JCW-enhanced Cooper S is all about expanding the envelope for the Mini's go-kart-like performance.The twin-scroll turbocharger unit, which replaced the previous supercharged model is only improved by the ECU tweaks in the JCW tuning.There is no breathtaking improvement but the same table-flat torque characteristic from just a tick over 1600rpm right through to 5000rpm is present and accounted for; with just that little extra.The 250Nm in the JCW-enhanced vehicle may only be an increase of just over 3 per cent but it improves not only the 0-100km/h sprint time but the all-important 80-120km/h times in fourth, fifth and sixth gears.The elastic nature of the little turbo makes the Mini a delight to punch along, enhanced even further by the slick six-speed manual box. With the suspension wound off to improve the ride quality in the basic Cooper S, the JCW suspension pack effectively replaces what had been lost.In spite of the lower ride height, sharper damper rates and low profile run-flat tyres the ride is anything but harsh.Traditionally, the Mini has never met a corner it doesn't like.As far back as Alec Issigonis's original “brick on wheels” the core of a Mini has been its uncanny ability to suck up the road and slide around corners.The enhancements simply work to make it even more defiant of physics. SnapshotMini Cooper S JCWFrom: $43,790Engine: 1.6L/4-cylinder twin-scroll turbochargedPower: 141kWTorque: 250Nm (270Nm on overboost)Transmission: 6-speed manual, 6-speed automatic; front-wheel drivePerformacne: 0-100km/h 6.8sec (manual) 

Clio is well built, reliable and so much more pleasant to drive than a Japanese car, particularly if you're an enthusiast.The first Clio model to come here (in May 2001) was the Renault Sport hot hatch, which combined a big 2.0-litre engine with light weight, big brakes and firm suspension. The more affordable models followed in December that year. They were five-door hatchbacks and sold pretty well.The back seat of the Clio is larger than average for its class and can cope with two adults; if the front seats aren't set all the way back.Entry, by way of the front doors in the three-door models, is less awkward than in many similar cars, thanks to clever design. But the five-door cars are still preferable if you are looking for a small family car.Ride comfort is very good for a car in this class. Handling is sharp and pleasant, even in the standard models, and simply superb in the Sport.Under the bonnetAs well as the hot 2.0-litre engine already mentioned in the Sport, the Clio is also offered with a 1.4 or a 1.6-litre power plant. Those units have enough power for most people.Power is to the front wheels only and is delivered by way of a slick-shifting five-speed manual gearbox or a four-speed automatic. Somewhat oddly to the Australian way of thinking, the auto option is offered only with the 1.4-litre engine.We have heard of no real problems in getting hold of spare parts. They are slightly more expensive than similar bits for Asian cars, but not outrageously so.Insurance on all but the Sport Clio is a little more expensive than average, but some companies will really slug you for the Sport version. When shopping around, check on what's covered and what's not before settling for a lower price.Several models were discontinued in 2006 and none are presently being imported as a new car, though there are still stocks of new Clios in most Renault dealerships. The third-generation Renault Clio has been shown in Europe, but isn't expected in Australia until the first half of 2008.Problem areasThough the Renault Clio lacks Japanese quality control and while the body is generally built to a decent standard, there have been a few rough edges in the cars we have inspected to date.In particular, check the interior carefully to make sure everything fits correctly. During your test drive, find a decent stretch of rough road and listen for any squeaks or rattles in the cabin.Not many engines have done a lot of work at this stage, so one that doesn't start easily and idle smoothly should be treated with a lot of suspicion. Similarly, if the gearbox doesn't work close to perfectly, there could be troubles.Quite a few Sport Clios will have been driven hard. Check the condition of the tyres and be wary of any with severe wear on their outer edges. Also look for big build-ups of brake dust on the insides of the wheels, particularly the fronts, and on the callipersand suspension. 

The French have turned seduction into an art form in movies, theatre and songs. French carmaker Peugeot also seduced motoring enthusiasts with its sharp-steering, limousine-riding cars that proved as durable in the bush as they were luxurious about town.However, this art of seduction was diminished with the arrival of some of the modern-day Peugeots.They were capable yes, but not quite in the same mould as the old cars such as the 504 and 306.Now Peugeot executives believe the company may have redeemed itself with the 308, which arrives in February.The 308 adopts a softer evolution of the in-your-face 307's MPV-type styling, echoing styling traits of the 207 with its big, shark-grille front. The newcomer replaces the 307, which is one of the most successful Peugeots of all time, selling more than 3.2 million models globally since 2001.The 307 also represents more than 50 per cent of Peugeot sales locally so a lot is riding on its replacement.The 308 uses the same suspension as the 307 but has new petrol engines, vastly improved quality, electronics and tweaked dynamics.Peugeot Automobile Australia's marketing chief, Chris Brown, believes the 308 will rekindle the memories of the 306, which was renowned for its road-holding, steering and ride comfort. Like the 307, the 308 line-up is tipped to consist of the XS, XSE and a higher-equipped XSE-Plus.A 130kW model called Feline in Europe is also tipped for Australia, where it could wear a Sport badge.Brown expects pricing to be close to the current range, with an entry point of $25,490, rising to about $35,000 for the top-spec Touring wagon.The five-door hatch will be available with the choice of four engines, two petrol and two HDi diesels. The Touring is expected late next year.The 308 may look similar to the 307 but it is in fact 74mm longer, 85mm wider and 12mm lower. It is also about 60kg heavier, thanks to a stronger body and improved crash safety.Under the bonnet the same 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre HDi engines carry over but two new petrol 1.6-litre fours join the line-up. The petrol engines are the result of the joint PSA-BMW joint-venture engine program and are shared with the Mini Cooper and Cooper S. The 1.6-litre petrol fours come normally aspirated and turbocharged. The 1.6-litre turbo will replace the 2.0-litre four and although smaller in capacity has 7kW more power and 40Nm more torque.The base car is expected to come with a five-speed manual and optional four-speed automatic, the 1.6 HDi a five-speed manual, 1.6 turbo a five-speed manual and the 2.0-litre HDi the choice of a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic. A six-speed clutchless semi-automatic manual is also on the cards in some models.Brown says the loss of the 2.0-litre should not hurt sales.“I don't see it as a hurdle for buyers because of the improvement in power and torque compared to the 2.0, as well as better fuel economy,” he says.European models get up to nine airbags but Australian cars will have a minimum of six, with standard anti-lock brakes. Electronic Stability Control may be on upper-end models.The car's centre of gravity is 5mm lower than the 307, contributing to the car's handling. Both front and rear brakes are also larger for better stopping power. Peugeot is confident of a five-star EuroNCAP crash test result. The French have also rediscovered plush seating, once a trademark of Peugeot of old.Boot space has also increased to 430 litres with the rear seats in place and up to 1398 litres with the 60/40 split-fold seatbacks folded flat.After exiting the first high-speed corner, it is clear the 308 is no 307.There's a crispness to the chassis that brings back memories of the 306.The electric power steering turns in crisply and it has a linear, progressive feel while the low-speed suspension sharpness of the 307 has been replaced with more compliance and a lush-riding big-car feel.The torsion beam rear end still gets caught over lateral bumps but the compliant ride and suppleness of past Peugeots is back. We will have to wait a final appraisal on Australian roads but the prognosis is good.Ergonomically, the 308 is a big improvement. The trip computer has moved from the top of the dashboard, which was awkward to see in Australia's harsh light, to between the speedo and rev counter in the manner of some German hatches.All engines, bar the entry 1.6-litre, perform strongly. The 1.6-litre turbo will replace the current 2.0-litre four but few owners will lament its passing.The turbo has strong low-down torque, revs willingly and quietly and the five-speed gearbox is a joy.The six-speed 2.0-litre HDi is also a strong performer. Even without the laminated side glass on the HDi models, optional in Europe, all the 308s we drove were eerily quiet and composed at high speeds. Snapshot Peugeot 308Price: from about $25,490Body: 5-door hatchEngine: 1.6L/4-cylinder 88kW/160Nm, 1.6L/4-cyl turbo 110kW/240Nm, 1.6L/4-cyl turbo-diesel HDi 80kW/240-260Nm, 2.0L/4-cyl HDi 100kW/320-240NmTransmission: 5-speedmanual (1.6, 1.6 turbo, 1.6 HDi), 6-speed manual (2.0 HDi), 6-speed clutchless semi-automatic manual expected to be optional 

Cars in the light car segment are usually known for their small size, small engine and small price tag, resulting in some average driving, but adequate getting around.But Ford has added a teacher's pet to the segment, one that is certainly worthy of a few gold stars.It's still small in size, but the engine and price tag get slightly bigger.The XR4 breaks the $20,000 price bracket, which seems expensive for a light car, but it doesn't take long for the all-round performance to quickly prove its worth.At $24,990, the XR4 comes in less than its other athletic competitors such as the Volkswagen Polo GTI at $26,990 and the Mitsubishi Ralliart Colt for $29,990. And while others such as the Suzuki Swift may come a little cheaper, they don't have that edge to performance found in the XR4.The stand-out Fiesta has ditched the regular 1.6-litre engine, and instead adopts a modified version of the 2.0-litre Duratec 16-valve engine found in the Focus. The free-revving four-cylinder powertrain delivers 110kW at 6000rpm and 190Nm at 4500rpm, with 80 per cent of torque available from as low as 1800rpm.It feels very quick and snappy in city traffic, with great pulling power for such a small car.The acceleration isn't outstanding, but it's very confident. Around town cruising revs at 2000rpm; hit the highway in fifth at around 100km/h and it sits on 3000rpm.Its straight-line performance is good but not quite superb, as the XR4 is more of an all-rounder, a jack-of-all-trades but not a real master of any.It doesn't take long for the XR4 to come up to speed when under-revving in higher gears and around corners the feisty Fiesta bites back, showing even third gear is up to the task.The new XR family member is lively in all conditions, thanks to some changes to the suspension, including the stiffening of the front and rear springs, recalibrating the dampers and lowering the suspension.Steering is also more agile and the five-speed manual transmission has been revamped to allow quicker shifting. The brakes haven't gone untouched, with an upgrade to the front ventilated discs with larger calipers and pads, as well as rear disc brakes for the first time in the Fiesta range.So, while it seems to fit the description of a sporty car, it's really only let down slightly by the sound of the engine, as the road noise from the low-profile tyres often overpowers it.The tightened suspension means you feel the many potholes around town, but it also makes it much firmer and sturdy on the road.The enhanced performance comes at a sacrifice as fuel consumption is higher than your regular light cars, the Fiesta usually averaging 6.6litres per 100km. The XR4, however, has a claimed 7.4litres per 100km consumption, but on our test it didn't drop below 8.7litres per 100km.While it's light in nature, just 1090kg, contributing to the excellent driving dynamics and handling, the wide turning circle could have done with some tweaking. Tight shopping car parks usually required a shift into reverse before clearing the turn.And the pedals are positioned too far to the left, leaving no room to rest your foot next to the clutch, instead having to put it in front of the pedal.Inside, a thin dash and big windows, means there's plenty of room for front seat comfort. The rear seats get a little squishy, but two adults could still travel for a decent journey without feeling too cramped.Inside, you're welcomed by a two-toned interior design.The test car had bold blue coloured-cloth, combined with seats with leather inserts, which proved very comfy. The blue and black dash was topped off with silver trim as a reminder of that sporty theme.Storage space in the front is minimal, although the glovebox and the boot are reasonable.If you're not convinced the driving and handling is enough to justify the price rise, there are many features that might just change your mind.The XR4 gets a six-disc CD player, airconditioning, six airbags, Dynamic Stability Control and traction control, sports seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel, 17-inch alloy wheels, a leather gear-knob with alloy trim and sports pedals.But it lacks cruise control and the radio controls sit on a bulky lever behind the steering wheel like the rest of the Fiesta range, which is fiddly and not that easy to see.The hot-hatch wears some XR4 badges and a sports body styling kit, which includes a front bumper, side skirts, rear bumper and a large body coloured spoiler on the exterior. But for those wanting everyone to know their sporting tendencies, there's an extra option you can take that is sure to make you stand out.For an extra $300, you can get some bold racing stripes.At first it seems a little boy toyish, but the racing connection grows on you and it lets everyone know just how special the car is.With the XR4 label, the Fiesta earns its stripes as it is transformed into a sporty little machine, without burning a big hole in your pocket. Bottom lineWhile it may be a much smaller addition, the Ford Fiesta XR4 lives up to the family name. Snapshot Ford Fiesta XR4Price: $24,990Engine: 2.0L/4-cylinder, 110kW/190NmTransmission: 5-speed manualEconomy: 7.4L/100km   The rivals  VOLKSWAGEN POLO GTI Price: $26,990Engine: 1.8L/4cyl turbo, 110kW/220NmTransmission: 5-speed manualEconomy: 7.9L/100km   Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart  Price: $29,990Engine: 1.5L/4-cyl turbo, 113kW/210NmTransmission: 5-speed manualEconomy: 6.7L/100km    Suzuki Swift  Price: $23,990Engine: 1.6L/4-cyl, 92kW/148NmTransmission: 5-speed manualEconomy: 7.5L/100km 

Buyers of cars in the Polo-size class prefer Asian products that generally cost considerably less than the little German machine, but the Polo is slightly larger, it is a more substantial vehicle than its lower-priced rivals and comes with a much more solid feel that is likely to mean it will have a longer life.The Polo first went on sale in Australia in October 1996 but struggled in those early years, partly due to its being more expensive than Asian cars but also because of its rather bland styling.New-car sales picked up during early 2000 due to price cuts, better promotion and the introduction of a significant number of new variants.From the new model introduced in July 2002 the Polo became reasonably stylish, although it was still no fashion plate.What certainly hadn't been changed was the traditional German toughness of the body. The Polo is like every other Volkswagen in displaying impressive stiffness that bodes well for long life.The smallest Australian VW has such safety features as twin airbags, pyrotechnic front seat-belt retractors and anti-submarining seat bases.An immobiliser is built into the engine management system.Polo is a well-designed car and, while the front seats are fine for two large adults, the back is probably best left to children.The boot is better than average for the class, but certainly not spacious.Handling is nothing special; Polos are inclined to too much oversteer. It can show up in anything more than moderate cornering and is presumably there to maximise safety in the hands of clumsy drivers.The understeer was pulled way back in the new model of 2002, but is still there at extremes, which is exactly the way it should be in a road car aimed at the average person.Most Polos sold in Australia are hatchbacks, with either two or four passenger doors, but an interesting Polo Classic four-door sedan was imported, from China of all places, during 2004 and 2005. It wasn't a success due to dubious quality control.Another interesting model is the Open Air of 1998 to 2000. Though a five-door hatchback, it had a huge sunroof that could let in plenty of fresh air when fully open.A VW Eos it's not, but the Polo Open Air can be used a low-cost substitute.Volkswagen has undergone a revolution in Australia in recent years, thanks to a smart new management team. That has led not only to better sales results but to more dealerships, some with larger facilities.Service and repairs are moderate in price, though they can be higher than for equivalent-size Korean cars.We have heard of no real complaints about cost or availability of spare parts.Good amateur mechanics should be able to do a fair bit of their own work; as the Polo has a simple mechanical layout and the underbonnet area isn't too crowded.Have a repair manual at your side before lifting the bonnet, and keep away from any repairs that could affect safety.Insurance costs are about average for a car in this European class.You are likely to be charged extra, possibly substantially extra, to cover the Polo GTi because of its turbo engine. Under the bonnetAll the original Polos in Australia had petrol engines. Capacities in the standard models were 1.4 and 1.6 litres.Performance from the smaller engine is better than you might expect due to the car's relatively light weight, but try one for size to see what you think before settling on this little engine.The 1.4 engine from the year 2000 was a more modern unit than the original so is probably the one to aim for.Interestingly, the 1.6-litre engine used in the Polo Classic (the Chinese model) uses a twin-cam setup, whereas the others have a single-cam head.In both cases there are 16 valves per cylinder.Polo GTi isn't the real pocket rocket its name might suggest, chiefly because the turbocharged 1.8-litre engine is running only modest boost, and develops just 110kW. Where it does work nicely is in mid-range torque, making it reasonably fast but not flighty in its characteristics.Stiffer suspension and added precision in the steering means the Polo GTi gives you a lot of driving fun at a pretty modest price.Volkswagen Polo joined the diesel car revolution in Australia in November 2005 when a huge 1.9-litre engine was installed.Having 240Nm under the bonnet of a small car like this gives it surging acceleration that's great to sit within.These little diesel cars are still rare on the used scene, but you never know your luck.Transmission options are five-speed manual and four-speed auto in most models.The Polo Classic sedan, GTi and TDI diesel are sold only with the manual. Danger signsRust isn't common as factory protection is very good. If there is any rust, it's likely to be the result of poor crash repairs.If so, have the Polo fully inspected by a professional as anything other than minor repairs is a worry.Interiors generally stand up well, but Polos that have been kept in the open air may suffer from sun-dried dashboard tops and rear shelves.Engines aren't as smooth or sophisticated as those of many competing cars but be suspicious if it's too rough.In particular, listen for engine noises when you work it hard.Look for smoke from the exhaust when it's under maximum acceleration.Make sure a manual gearbox doesn't crunch on fast downchanges. Check that an automatic transmission is positive in its shifts and isn't slow at going into Drive or Reverse from Park or Neutral.Check that the brakes pull the car up evenly without an excess of pedal effort.