Volkswagen’s new Polo is the smallest, sweetest forbidden fruit that we won’t get

By Davis Adams January 28, 2014

Sometimes, we in the Digital Trends Cars section just want to stomp our feet, roll around on the ground, and throw a tantrum. Today, we’re going to blame our officemates’ raised eyebrows on Volkswagen and the brand’s newest car that we can’t have: the 2014 Polo.

The Polo has been around in the global marketplace for a while, functioning as VW’s competitor against cars like the Chevy Spark, Ford Fiesta, and even the Honda Fit/Jazz. The Polo has always been the handsome option in the group, but it’s also one of the more entertaining and solid-feeling vehicles amongst the tiny car crowd. The 2014 model looks even better.

In true VW form, the design hasn’t shifted too much from the previous model. The new Polo, though, does seem to sync up a little better with the 2015 Golf in terms of front fascia. Shoppers will even be able to add LED headlights, up to 17-inch wheels, and navigation, if they’re looking for a compact car with premium looks and feel.

It’s a little complicated under the hood, where you can choose from seven – yes, SEVEN – levels of power, derived from three engine choices. Between the base 1.0-liter three-cylinder and the up-market 1.2-liter four-cylinder engines, you can earn anywhere between 59 and 109 horsepower. If you choose the 1.4-liter TDI clean-diesel model, power ranges between 74 and 103 hp. Transmissions include a five- or six-speed manual transmission, or you can opt up to VW’s DSG dual-clutch automatic. While these powerplants might not sound like much now, just remember that there are women (and very confident dudes) driving around in 84-horsepower pink Chevy Sparks. We’ll take the VW, thanks.

The new Polo also offers an electronically-adjustable suspension, just in case you decide to take it to the mountains for a weekend trip. This may also be one of the safest, highest-tech small cars on the road, now that the P0lo offers adaptive cruise control and pre-collision braking. Both are firsts for the segment.

We’re hot for this tiny hatch, and if you have a petition to VW to bring it stateside, we’ll gladly sign it.

Let us know what you think of the 2014 VW Polo in the comments below.

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