VW Polo vs VW Passat

If big-capacity diesels from Volkswagen are struggling, you know something is wrong – strong residuals are usually a guarantee on the brand’s cars.

Petrol Passats are rare, but even the top-selling oil-burners are being hit at the moment.

Three-year-old versions of the previous-generation four-door have dropped to £5,000 – even for run-out editions such as the Trendline and Highline, which get goodies like climate and cruise control.

Try putting that money into a diesel Polo of a similar age, and you’ll fall short. Even another £500 will only bag you pre-facelift TDIs or non-turbo SDI models.

Both VWs are reliable and well put together, but the supermini makes less sense when you add up the costs. A Passat will set you back only an extra £25 a year to tax, while its 50.4mpg economy
isn’t far off the Polo’s 61.4mpg.

VW Polo 1.4 TDI / VW Passat 1.9 TDI
* Price from: £5,300 / £5,000
* Example we found 1.4 TDI Twist 1.9 TDI 100 Trendline

* Year/Mileage: 54-reg, 51,000 miles / 05-reg, 49,000 miles

* Price now: £5,495 / £5,426
* Price new in 2005: £9,615 / £13,707
* Economy/CO2 61.4mpg/124g/km 50.4mpg/151g/km

* Tax now/Apr 2009: £120/£90 / £145/£150