The VW Polo compact car was born in 1975 and since then it has been a favorite little car in Europe. It did not come to South East Asia simply because the small car segment at the time was dominated by the Japanese and even the English (now mostly retired or bankrupt) car manufacturers.
There are three very popular VW models that rarely change drastically in their look, the Polo, Golf and Passat have all remained fairly consistent.
The Polo which only arrived in Malaysia some 10 years ago has remained a reliable, strong and high quality product that has held its value quite well until recently when the mechanical and electronic issues brought misery to many owners.
Four decades on and Volkswagen’s little baby is still going strong model after model. Today thanks to a minor facelift that has made it even more economical and stylish it is even more popular.
Where the VW Polo really scores is its nimbleness around towns and the economy that goes with it. It returns 45-50mpg, which is better than the equivalent but cheaper Japanese or Korean car make.
The VW Polo 1.6L still offers all the usual attributes you expect from driving something with a VW badge punctuating the grille.
It may not ooze the sportiness of some competitors but the GTi tuned Polo add a little more zip of agility, power delivery and dynamics that only very few can compete.
Forty years later and we are still in love with the Volkswagen Polo. Happy Birthday and keep giving us more enjoyment behind the wheel.
