He may seem a little boring to some, the Polo is still one of the best cars in its class. Of course the Fiesta is a good competitor on the dynamic front, but the VW beats it on drivetrain and such. So it still is the car to beat. Same thing with the previous generation. But there a storm coming… Indeed, this is the new thing out there. the 205 was an icon, the 206 was nice, the 207 not so much… … but this 208 should relive old times. To start with opinion: I like this car very much. The design is cute, without overdoing it. Look at that fun rear-window. And on the inside even better. Lot of nice details, but again not as weird as a DS3. The meters are up there, kind of like a head up display.The sterring wheel is very small indeed. However, for some people it is in the way of their view at the meters. Very high end is this screen in the middle. Howevere the inferface is’t all that logical. And… no CD-player! If you want one, it is an extra. So that makes 1-0 for me, cause look: cd-player! but serious, this interior: very straight, good ergonomics, good finishing. not even that boring. But exciting? No. It is like a small Golf, and more a Volkswagen than the Golf. You cannot find anything wrong with it. Never exciting, but just good. So what does it excel in? Well, drivetrain for a start. This 1.2 TSI is very smooth all, that low end torque. Briljant. So no turbo in this 1.4 VTI, but is does have BMW’s valve tronic. And that makes a very good natural aspirated engine. And that suspension… The heavy feeling of the 207 is gone, this feels light and playfull. So how about that suspension in this car. Again, never exciting. but very good non the less. It really has the perfect balance between dampers and springs, stays on the road very good, typical VW. Not as boring as an Auris or so, but not as sporty as a Fiesta. Complete middle of the road. You cannot hate it. But you can never really adore it either. It never is a drivers car. Its greatest strenght, is its greatest weakness aswell. So Roy, try this in your Polo, look at that legroom. I agree very nice for this segment. The Polo doesn’t do it that well. Point for the 208. But apart from that, it is never really better than the VW. there is nothing were it really beats it. No, but it isn’t really worse either. And more important I enjoy myself more driving the 208. the 208 is more fun to drive, more fun to look at. True, in the Polo a feel: damn this
is a very good car. In the 208 I think: this a good and FUN car. Yep and we’re gonna keep this 208 as a long term test car.So, more to come. .
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