Volkswagen Polo review - MPG, CO2 and running costs

With either of the 1.0-litre TSI units forming our favourite choices from a performance perspective, the turbocharged three-cylinder options make sense when it comes to fuel economy and emissions, too. Volkswagen claims a best of 50.4mpg for the 94bhp version under the latest WLTP test, with CO2 emissions rated at 127g/km.

Real-world testing by Auto Express has produced a 43.3mpg figure for the Polo 1.0 TSI 95 SE, so the gap between the official figures and what you'll get in everyday driving is narrower. Add the seven-speed DSG gearbox and the figures drop slightly, with maximum fuel economy of 46.3mpg and CO2 emissions of 139g/km.

Move to the 113bhp engine, and the addition of the six-speed manual gearbox helps it deliver economy that's on-par with the 94bhp engine. Claimed efficiency is 46.3 to 51.4mpg with CO2 emissions of 124g/km.

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Insurance groups

Basic S and SE models with the underpowered 1.0-litre MPI engine will be very cheap to insure, sneaking into insurance group 1. All cars fitted with our recommended 94bhp 1.0-litre TSI occupy a slot in group 8, with 113bhp cars stepping things up to group 11 or 12, depending on trim.

Depreciation

Predicted residual values for the Polo are impressive, and experts expect it to retain more value the Ford Fiesta. Our pick, the Polo SE 1.0 TSI 95, is the best choice in this regard, as it's anticipated to retain an average of 45% of its value over three years and 36,000 miles.