2024 Volkswagen Polo 85TSI Life review

A year after trading in my own lovely little hatchback (Kerry the Kia Picanto) for a more kid-friendly SUV (Tony the Toyota RAV4), I admit I’d long forgotten what I used to love about driving a small car. Seven days in the 2024 Volkswagen Polo 85TSI Life and I’m thoroughly smitten once again. A hatchback is just so easy for everyday driving. 

But while I might be quick to fall for the advantages of a hatchback, is the no-frills Volkswagen Polo 85TSI Life the holy grail?

It’s a segment with a lot of other compelling options, from the very cheap and cheerful through to the punchy little pocket rockets laden with all the latest gadgets. Meanwhile, the Polo falls somewhere in the middle, which might suit some, but could mean it just as easily falls into no man’s land without any stand-out USPs.

Like hatchbacks from rival brands, Volkswagen has played it safe with the design. It’s compact, with no sharp edges, no edginess at all in fact, but I don’t say that disparagingly. The design neatly represents exactly what the car is: capable and unfussy. 

The Polo got a midlife update last year, and as a result the price has increased by over $5000. As part of the change Volkswagen shuffled model grades, adding in more technology and features , and boosting the level of safety equipment, but it’s still a significant jump in a competitive segment, albeit one Volkswagen says reflects buyer preferences. 

I’m in the entry-level variant of the car, the 85TSI Life, which costs $29,490 plus on-road costs. Put that into context with other base-level hatchbacks, and it’s about slap-bang in the middle of an exceptionally broad scale.

On the one hand, you’ve got the MG 3, one of the most prudently priced hatchbacks in the market at $19,990 drive-away, and the updated Kia Picanto, priced from $21,690 drive-away (with auto). On the other more premium hand, you’ve got the Mini Hatch from $40,725 before on-road costs, or Skoda Fabia from $38,990 drive-away at the higher end of the pricing spectrum.

The only rivals that really come in at a similar price to the Polo are the Toyota Yaris SX and Suzuki Swift GLX, at a more affordable $28,190 and $28,790 before on-road costs respectively. 

My test model arrived in Pure White paint. I was rather disappointed it didn’t turn up in the Vibrant Violet Metallic or Reef Blue Metallic paint options ($600 extra), but Pure White comes at no extra cost.  What my car does come with, however, is the optional Visual & Technology Package, which is an extra $1700.

This means I’m driving away in a compact car with a total on-road price of just over $36,000 (in Sydney, pricing varies by location). Call me miserly but over $30K for a base-level hatchback? I’m sceptical. Let’s see whether the rest of the car can justify that price tag. 

In other, bigger Volkswagens, my complaint has been that the cabin has felt unreasonably poky, but in the Polo I was very pleasantly surprised by the amount of cabin space. In fact, given it’s the lowest spec in the range, the overall quality of the Life’s interior is pretty high in my opinion. 

The fascia comes in a very subtly textured glossy plastic that breaks up the use of hard, matte plastics elsewhere, and the steering wheel comes covered in leather. At 8.0 inches, the infotainment touchscreen is on par with other hatchbacks in the segment and has been designed to just slightly face the driver, a nod to the carefully planned ergonomics of the car.   

Below the infotainment system are manual control for the air conditioning – maybe a little archaic for some, but I’m more than happy to stick to buttons and dials over a touchscreen. Below this sits a textured charging pad (a bonus only if you opt for the Vision & Technology Package) and two USB-C ports.

Then you have a manual gearstick, two small cupholders (way too small for my liking, but again, not inappropriate for the segment) and a smallish central storage compartment. If, like me, you do require more storage space, then the glovebox is actually surprisingly roomy as are the door pockets.  

In this entry-level variant, the seats are covered in a fabric rather than a leather or leather-like material, which you can get in the higher specs. The fabric material is obviously a little less practical than leather, but in typical Volkswagen fashion, the seats themselves are comfortable. 

I’m 175cm and had enough leg room in the front, though I dare say taller drivers may find it a squeeze. I had my son’s car seat in the car during the whole testing period, and when I was sitting in the passenger seat, I didn’t find my leg room was compromised but there was certainly no extra space to play with.

The second-row space is, well, it’s adequate for a car of this size. Storage space comes in the form of very small door pockets and map pockets. There are two USB-C ports. Other than that, there are no air vents, cupholders or armrests. While the car can accommodate five, you’d be hard-pressed to do more than a short journey as a back-seat passenger in the centre spot.   

There are two ISOFIX mounts on the outboard seats and three top-tether points for car seats, but honestly, anyone who thinks they’re getting three children in the back of this car is kidding themselves. 

The boot is an impressive 351 litres, which is bigger than all other key competitors. I have a pretty cumbersome pram which, after a fair bit of trickery, I could just about fit in the boot. Now, not many parents will be using a light hatchback as their primary vehicle, but that should give you an idea that if you need to fit a fair bit in, you can. 

Thanks to having the Vision & Technology Package fitted, the 8.0-inch infotainment system comes complete with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Without the optional package included, you will need a cable to connect, and while the infotainment system doesn’t change in size, it is slightly higher specced with the extra. 

The tech isn’t groundbreaking but nor does it need to be. It works efficiently, there was no lag, the camera was crisp enough, and the sound system was of a high quality. 

The digital instrument cluster is more advanced with the Vision & Technology Package too. Again, nothing cutting-edge, but plenty of options for you the driver to sift through until you find the setting that best suits you, and a nice clean visual means nothing too distracting while you’re driving. 

For any tech-mad potential Polo buyers out there, the Polo GTI comes with a 9.2-inch Discover Pro navigation system and Beats premium audio system if you buy into the Sound & Technology Package, but that’s $1500 on top of a $40,390 car anyway, so we’re talking a very different yardstick. 

The Polo was awarded the full five-star ANCAP safety rating as recently as 2022, with Adult Occupant Protection receiving 94 per cent, Child Occupant Protection receiving 80 per cent, Vulnerable Road User Protection scored 70 per cent, and Safety Assist scored 70 per cent.  

The car comes with seven airbags, including curtain airbags covering the back row, and a front centre airbag. 

Fortunately when it comes to the safety equipment in this car, I can confidently say that you get a pretty solid kit list even without the optional package added on. 

As standard, the Polo Life comes with front assist (Volkswagen’s name for autonomous emergency braking with forward collision warning) with pedestrian and cyclist monitoring, lane assist and lane-departure warning, front and rear parking sensors, full-LED headlights, and rear-view camera. 

Because I am testing a car with the Vision & Technology Package added on, I’m also getting adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go and ‘Travel Assist’ which adds lane centring for semi-assisted driving with the cruise control set, which is nice to have but I could go without. 

All in all, I’d say the Vision & Technology Package is good for the upgraded entertainment and tech, but the standard safety equipment is more than enough as is. Just as well given the upgraded safety features are a big reason behind the increased cost of the car.

As I suspected, the cost of running this car is where competitors definitely have the edge. The Polo comes with a fairly standard five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, although I’d be conscious that more and more companies are offering seven years.

Servicing intervals are every 12 months or 15,000km, which is largely the industry standard. If you opt for a more economical prepaid servicing plan, you’re looking at $1350 for three years or $2300 for five years. 

One comprehensive insurer quoted $1249 annual insurance based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history and personal circumstances. 

After a week of city and suburban driving, I returned a fuel economy figure of 6.5 litres per 100 kilometres. That’s a little over what Volkswagen promised at 5.4L/100km, but nothing to complain about. 

To put it into context with its hatchback rivals, it’s pretty much bang on par with a Suzuki Swift, a smidge more than the claim for a non-hybrid Toyota Yaris. 

I have to admit, I didn’t think this little 1.0-litre engine was going to give me much to write home about, but as has been a running theme with this car, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the drive. Thanks to its seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, the Polo feels consistently smooth and, yes, it does pack a little bit of a punch when I put my foot down with its 85kW and 200Nm. Again contrary to my expectations, bumps and potholes on the road are easily absorbed without removing any feel for the road beneath me.

There are no driving modes to choose from, but this doesn’t feel like an oversight. The Polo 85TSI Life comes with no bells and whistles, and I absolutely mean that as a compliment rather than a criticism. 

If I were to criticise, however, I’d call out the stop-start for being a bit jerky. There is definitely a lag on getting going again when I come to a complete stop at junctions and this can be a bit hairy when there’s little margin for error, but of course, there is a simple solution to this frustration: I can turn it off. 

I found negotiating tight little parking spots and driving tiny back streets around the city particularly easy thanks to the turning circle. The steering wheel itself is covered in a leather that has a nice premium feel, but I do find it strangely outsized and a bit unwieldy. Visibility was as I expected for a hatchback, which is to say it was fine. 

Overall, ride quality was great for exactly what I’d imagine Polo buyers are looking for. It wouldn’t be my first choice for a big road trip, only because I’d want something a bit bigger and sturdier, but for the day-to-day run around, I couldn’t ask for much more. Comfortable and stable but not without some fireworks when I put the pedal to the floor.

The Volkswagen Polo 85TSI Life’s simplicity is its superpower: smart to look at without standing out; a thoughtful interior for front-seat passengers (back-seat dwellers have unfortunately pulled the short straw); straightforward safety features; and a nimble drive.

I do think it’s worth investing in the $1700 optional Vision & Technology Package, more so for the tech than the safety, but as a result, I’m conscious that the price is creeping past that $30K mark. 

If you want something small and fuss-free but with a premium polish, then the Polo 85TSI Life fits the bill. If you’re not so worried about that fancy finish, then there are other very good hatchbacks out there with a significantly smaller price tag. 

I’ve been in the base level of the Polo for the duration of my testing period. The 85TSI Style is one grade up and starts at $32,540. The highest spec, the GTI, starts at $40,390. This latest iteration of the Polo has been available since earlier this year, so you will be able to drive away in your new Polo straight away.

If you’d like to find out more about the Polo before heading to a dealer, check out all the latest news and reviews on Drive.com.au.