Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion

In an effort to move its economical range away from offering diesel power alone, the Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion is connected to an economical 1.0-litre turbocharged TSI petrol. The engine produces 94bhp, which is much more than its predecessor, and is capable of returning up to 68.9mpg and CO2 emissions of just 94g/km. Those figures means the BlueMotion escapes road tax, and they're pretty decent for a small petrol engine, but they're nowhere near the claimed 81mpg you used to get with the predecessor's diesel offering.

Volkswagen may be using the petrol-powered Polo BlueMotion to focus more on emissions and what particulates are in them, rather than fuel economy. NOX particulates, which are tiny atoms of carbon that are found in much higher quantities in diesel engines, are the next big thing that large governmental bodies are trying to crack down on. This is because the NOX particluates affect built-up, urban environments like cities much more than greenhouse gases alone and are more harmful to us if we breathe them in.

The BlueMotion trim has its own special selection of trim and body parts, to provide a more aerodynamic design. The front grille is filled in and smoothed over, and the unique alloy wheels are designed to create less drag. These little tweaks help to keep fuel consumption figures high and your running costs low.

The BlueMotion trim also features Volkswagen's Composition Media system, which has a 6.5-inch touchscreen, DAB radio, CD player and Bluetooth. Just like any Polo, it's also solidly built. Prices can get a little steep, but the engine performs better in terms of fuel economy and emissions than an EcoBoost-equipped Ford Fiesta Zetec.

Good points

The Polo BlueMotion is all about saving money. You’ll struggle to match the near 70mpg suggested by the official figures, but fuel stops will still be rare events, and there are other savings to be made thanks to the car’s low emissions figure.The inclusion of turbocharging means the engine's small size is not a detriment to the amount of power it produces. Despite the lowered suspension which has been added to help reduce aerodynamic drag, the car is still comfortable. It’s also spacious and well-built.

Bad points

The Polo BlueMotion is not a cheap car, so there’s no point even considering it unless you do a high enough mileage to make it pay for itself through fuel savings.Resale values are around 6% worse than those of other Polos, although still better than the class average, and you’ll have to drive very gently to get even close to the claimed 80-plus mpg.

What you get

• Alloy wheels
• Alarm
• Tyre pressure sensors
• Passenger & Driver airbag
• Front side airbags
• Front fog lights
• Manual air conditioning
• Leather steering wheel
• Height adjustable driver's seat
• Front electric windows
• Single CD player
• AUX stereo input
• DAB Radio
• Stop/Start
• Rear electric windows
• Bluetooth

Recommended optional extras

• Curtain airbags

Our choice

The only choice you have to make is whether you want three or five doors. The sole engine available is an economy-tuned 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol.