Volkswagen Polo

There is absolutely nothing new inside the cabin. The Polo still continues with the all-black theme with gunmetal grey accents across the centre console. The interiors can be a little dark and not to everyone's liking. The build quality, however, is mighty impressive. The hard plastics have a sense of sturdiness and everything, including the door pads, are solidly put together. The insulation of the cabin is also impressive. In fact, it is much better than cars from even two segments above. The leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob are exclusive to the Polo Highline Plus and are not available in lower variants. These really help elevate the sense of quality in the cabin.

The 6.5-inch touchscreen isn't the largest one out there, but is definity very user friendly. You’d appreciate the vibrant display, the touch sensitivity and the snappy response. It gets Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support with voice commands that can be activated from the steering wheel itself. Mirror link is also present; however, it is a less useful feature. What’s missing is a rear camera. Even the top Highline Plus variant skips on this now essential feature. And given that the same can be found on a Renault Kwid, this one hurts.

The climate control works well and the knob to change the temperature and fan speed feel top notch as well. Other highlights include rain-sensing wipers, auto day night IRVM, all four power windows with one-touch operation, and cruise control. However, there’s no automatic headlamps on offer. You also get an adjustable front armrest with storage, but our testing team ended up having mixed feelings about this. Some found it comfortable, others found it outright intrusive given it tends to foul with the elbow while shifting to 2nd or 4th gear.

At the back, things are a bit cramped for a premium hatchback. Anyone up to 5'9" wouldn't complain spending time here. However, if you're taller, you may have a different opinion as headroom and knee room are a bit tight. Seat cushioning is good and won't tire you easily. In terms of features, you get rear AC vents, a folding central cup/bottle holder and a 12V socket.

Boot

The boot of the Polo can accommodate a variety of bags thanks to its large boot floor. In our luggage test, it swallowed up all the three hard bags with the rear parcel tray out, which is mighty impressive for a hatchback. And speaking of the tray, the higher variants get a carpet-like finish on the top which feels soft and premium.