POLO 1.2 as a first car?

[6RPotentialBuyer]

Hi guys,

I'm looking for a first car (Currently 16 so when I'm 17 I can start driving) I really like the Polo 6R. Wanted some thoughts on if it's a good first car and what the performance of the 1.2 is like? I know it's not going to fast for my budget I can ideally get the base model Polo 1.2 S with 60hp. Is 60hp adequate? Is there anywhere that I can get the car tuned or upgraded if needs be? There's only so much you can do with a 1.2 but I just don't want it to feel sluggish and slow, so long as the car can happily sit at 80/85mph then I should be fine.

Thanks

[JackM_24]

Based on personal experience if you want something with a bit of go, go for something like a 1.4tsi instead, tuning a naturally aspirated 1.2 is pointless and I bet there's not much difference in the cost of insurance between the two either. In fact it was cheaper for me to insure a 1.4 than a 1.2 at 17. Also any tuning and you won't get insured, not as a new driver in their first year- either that or it'll be stupidly expensive.

[Willni]

I know someone with 1.2 and they thought it was dead, i have a 1.4 (85 brake) and think it's quick enough, keeps up with ford feista zetecs (125 brake)

[lxm]

Forget about tuning and lots of power - you are 17 and have no experience in driving, get the 1.2/n/a and enjoy it for what it is. I find my 1.2 70ps surprisingly fun to drive and work it hard. A few passengers have commented on the noticeable pull, torque and rasp of the 1.2 3 cylinder engine, it really copes well, I think you will be surprised.

On motorways at I find that it pulls very quickly from 70-80-85.

I would personally pick up a moda or match version if you can for not much more than the price of an 's'

Just take it easy, remember to be safe, otherwise your licence will be gone in no time.

[RUM4MO]

I agree with the previous two posters, while the 1.4 85PS engine is old fashioned and rough, it is simple and reliable and surely that is what you need when you are just about your driving life, the good thing can come later. One thing though, have you never considered the equivalent Seat Ibiza, they tend to be cheaper and are deliberately aimed at the younger person, another thing about the Ibiza is, as it seems to have very little sound insulation, it will be lighter than the equivalent Polo - and so perform better. My wife had a 2003MY Polo 1.4 75PS SE and it was a bit lazy though did what she needed it to do (she had a Fiesta 1.6SI before that so was a bit grumpy about the drop in performance), my daughter has a 2010MY Ibiza 1.4 SC SE and it is like a skate board to drive when compared with wife's old Polo. Currently my wife has a 2016MY Polo 1.2TSI 110 SEL and it is good to drive, but I still like using the Ibiza for short journeys. Remember too, the Ibizas tend to have bigger diameter wheels and stiffer road springs, so are quite firm on the road, dare I say it "sporty" couple that to the look of the SC with its 16" or 17" alloy wheels and what is not to like as a first car?

Plenty time later in life to come back to a VW Polo!

[6RPotentialBuyer]

Thanks for the responses. I really like the styling of the 3dr Polo and find it to be a lot more masculine than the competition. Obviously I can't go out tuning my car at 17, insurance would kill me. I'll be keeping the car for the next 5 or so years until I can be insured on a bigger car hence why I asked because at 20 it might be worth doing. A lot of my mileage is going to be on the motorway because I'll be on the M27 driving in and out of Portsmouth going to college and I'll be delivering stock to some of the pubs that my dad manages. If I've got say 15/20 cases of beer in the back of my car I think the performance is going to dampened quite considerably but so long as I can doddle along at 70/75 then that's ok. I'm not really about that boy-racer style so hence why I like the more sophisticated and refined Polo, am I right in saying it's going to be the most reliable in comparison to the competition? (Not keen on Kia's so there goes the 7 year warranty haha)

[RUM4MO]

Ooh, I don't think that you will get anyone disagreeing with picking a Polo over the nonVAG competition on this forum!

Come to think of it, maybe it is a Caddy van that you need as you would trash a Polo etc filling it with boxes of beer!

Caddy vans can dress up nicely!

[Willni]

You can always mod it to look sporty in the end game or in your second year, exhaust tip, alloys, spoiler all that. And the 1.2 and 1.4 is torquey I know someone that uses it to tow trailers frequently so should be good enough for pub runs haha.

As for better quality Skoda, Audi and VW are all the same company so take what you want from that. Personally I think it has very good build quality, better than ford and I'd say it will be around the same if not better than the seat (my opinion is you get what you pay for) hence why vw is a bit more expensive than seats in general ibiza, leon etc which tend to be known at least with the leon known as the poor mans golf

[6RPotentialBuyer]

I can't see the car getting trashed. My dad regularly loads up his car, BMW M5 with beer right to the top. Like the wheels hit the arches it's that heavy haha

[Ricmondo]

If you are going to be transporting goods to dads pubs don't forget to get business insurance, it is a small addition to your own insurance but if you are caught without it you risk six points and a fine or worse.

[6RPotentialBuyer]

If you are going to be transporting goods to dads pubs don't forget to get business insurance, it is a small addition to your own insurance but if you are caught without it you risk six points and a fine or worse.

Yeah that's something we definitely need to do, don't need 6 points as a new driver

[Mayhem]

Get the 1.2 Tsi the insurance shouldn't be much difference. 1.4 is an OLD engine and the 1.2 is sluggish if you do anything other than town driving so I would avoid it myself. Iv got the 1.2 Tsi and it's perfect mix for all round driving and cheap to run.

[Leeren666]

Yep the 1.2 is a bit of a slug, well that's what I call mine the wife's 1.2 micra absolutely trashes it in a straight line ! Lol
However I always arrive fashionably late anyway so it doesn't really matter to me