VW Polo 1.2TSI R-Line Review
2 minute read | September 4, 2016
The R-Line is a trim level which adds sports styling but has the same 1.2 engine as the more standard versions. This means you get styling similar to the GTI with the economy of a standard Polo. We chose to evaluate the petrol version seeing as VW have now pitched their ‘Blue Motion’ as a 1.0TSI petrol and not a diesel, a sure sign that petrol engines are evolving at a much faster rate than traditional diesels when it comes to technology and performance.
The standard 1.2TSI is quite a lively engine in itself; being turbo charged the car pulls strongly from 1500rpm meaning it is great for city driving and keeps up with traffic with ease. There is plenty of low down torque so it’s also easy to get into 4th gear well before 30mph, again all helping with fuel economy.
This 1.2TSI averaged 44.5mpg during our testing which is within 5% of the VW figures of 47.1mpg and ‘real world’ economy. The Blue Motion engine claims 54mpg with urban driving compared to the 70.6mpg 1.4TDI, for some the petrol would be the default choice due to this plus you have the pleasure of the added refinement. The 16’’ alloy wheels also add to the sporty looks but the suspension does a great job of soaking up all of the bumps and pot holes scattered across our UK roads.
Step inside the Polo and your first thoughts will be ‘this feels like a mini Golf’ which I can only assume was VW’s intention. The Polo comes with a dash layout near enough identical to its bigger brother with additions such as a flat bottomed steering wheel, a touch screen display with DAB and Bluetooth as standard.
The R-Line trim seats look great and have good sized bolsters to hold you in place when cornering. I found it very easy to get comfortable with the height adjustable seat and also the rake and reach adjustable steering wheel. The only thing the Polo misses is lumbar support.
I found the car to be refined and quiet even when travelling at 70mph on the motorway. In fact it was very surprising how quiet the engine is when idle – you can hardly tell it is even running.
Due to the boxy shape and tall windows this car is up there with the best in terms of visibility, providing a great all round view, perfect for driving instructors and pupils. The Polo also comes with a wide choice of engines including the economical 1.4TDI which I would expect to be a best seller in the driving school market, however don’t dismiss the strong and economical petrol engines this car offers if you are a lower mileage driver.
All in all I found the Polo to be a very well built car with the fit and finish you would expect from a more premium brand.
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