Top Gear drive the Polo Blue GT

[JohnPolo]

Not too late to trade them in lads.

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/vw-p ... 2015-03-12

[Mart!n-GTI-DK]

Little late to make a "first drive" when the BlueGT is two years old now.

[JohnNW]

It's probably a fair reflection of the car and I concur with their fuel consumption figures, but I'd still be surprised if a GTi manages much better than mid to high 30's on average.

I suspect the price differential and slightly higher base spec. of the GTi will probably take sales away from the BGT, but I still think the BGT is useful inclusion in the Polo line up.

[rsmagee]

I agree on the fuel. I'm not over happy about how it was sold to me and feel a bit stuck with it on a PCP. A well, with a dtuk box it's still a lot of fun.

[tomtoon2015]

Some people do actually get high 50's/60's... I've seen proof on Instagram under the BlueGT hashtag.. My guess it depends how you drive it..and whether you mainly do town driving etc

[Mart!n-GTI-DK]

i have gotten it a good bit over VW's average. So it is possible.

You have to use som eco driving tricks like you have to in all ecocars. Not just drive like any other car and expect the numbers to rise like by magic.

[gti-joe]

Agree with Martin, I regularly get mid to high 50's on my weekly 40 mile round trip to visit my dear old mum. A mix of town, A road and motorway, its all about the driving style, smoothness and anticipation seems to be the key.

[lancslad1985]

I'd agree with their review to be honest. It's a good all rounder but doesn't particularly excel at anything.

I just drove to work and got 56mpg whilst doing 70mph for most of 32 miles. It's about driving smoothly as gti-joe said, anticipating traffic, not braking hard so you don't lose too much speed, etc. When I was having issues with the windscreen I took it into VW from work (40 mile trip) and got 60mpg without trying, though admittedly it was a bit warmer that day. It's the same with any car - I used to get 72mpg in my diesel golf and that was quoted at 74. You have to use some eco tips in any car to get near the quoted mpg these days.

[JohnNW]

I think the issue with fuel consumption is that the manufacturer's quoted figures are getting further and further away from what drivers are actually getting.

My last car was a Skoda Octavia vRS diesel estate and it's quoted figures were 36.7, 61.4 and 49.6 and I averaged 46.5 mpg. My Polo Blue GT's corresponding figures are 47.1, 68.9 and 58.9 and I'm averaging 43 mpg. My journeys haven't really varied much between the cars.
I have had journeys where the consumption figures are nearer 50 - 55 mpg and I know all about (and practice) anticipatory driving, etc., but unless I drive off a cliff, I'm not expecting to see anything in the 60+ mpg range!

To quote from the brochure "The new Polo BlueGT delivers a combination of sports styling and performance along with impressive economy." That maybe true, but not at the same time it would appear.

[rsmagee]

The only thing I can think of is that I use the cruise control on the motorway, is it decimating my efficiency? I can get 50mpg between Birmingham and Lancaster cruising at 65-70

[daveb73]

Real world fuel consumption is very different to the figures posted by manufacturers, but I've no doubt the BGT will give great mpg if driven a certain way.

I recently bought a 2012 GTI (1.4 twin charge) and on the 250 mile return journey from purchasing the car I clocked 47 mpg average!!

Having now owned the car for a couple of months I tend to get between 35 and 37 mpg on my daily commute (12 miles both ways). Yesterday I clocked 42mpg on my commute home, today I managed 35mpg on my way to work, it all depend on what mood I'm in and how I drive the car, coupled with the many variables that can effect mpg.

What I'm saying is, its dependent on so many variables - traffic volume, traffic lights, average speeds, being stuck behind an erratic driver, weather conditions, how you actually drive etc. etc. This is why we're seeing such disparity between owners, it's so dependent on each individual journey.

I know I can get over 40mpg on my work commute if I drive carefully and am not heavy with my right foot. I'm reasonably convinced I could get over 50mpg on a careful motorway drive, but realistically we don't drive like this every day so it's not going to happen.

My friend owns a Honda Civic Type R (the one with the funny gear stick) and he averages around 28mpg on the same commute to work as me. I think any car that achieves mid to late 30's mpg for every day driving is actually doing quite well to be honest.

[skipster]

Yes - as above, fuel consumption is very much affected obviously through driving style, tyre pressures, ambient temperature, electrical items being used.

I have a MY2011 GTI and easily get 40+ mpg without even trying. I must admit I don't thrash it, and keep revs to no more than 3000 or so on most journeys. You can break 50mpg average, but that takes a very careful right foot, being in 7th gear and travelling at approx 45 mph which is very boring!

[Mart!n-GTI-DK]

Yes - as above, fuel consumption is very much affected obviously through driving style, tyre pressures, ambient temperature, electrical items being used.

I have a MY2011 GTI and easily get 40+ mpg without even trying. I must admit I don't thrash it, and keep revs to no more than 3000 or so on most journeys. You can break 50mpg average, but that takes a very careful right foot, being in 7th gear and travelling at approx 45 mph which is very boring!

I hav never turned anything off in order to get better milage.

I have at one time done a 67 mpg average on a trip only by driving using some eco tricks... Look ahead in traffic, keep revs down, roll when possible and so forth...

[skipster]

Yes - as above, fuel consumption is very much affected obviously through driving style, tyre pressures, ambient temperature, electrical items being used.

I have a MY2011 GTI and easily get 40+ mpg without even trying. I must admit I don't thrash it, and keep revs to no more than 3000 or so on most journeys. You can break 50mpg average, but that takes a very careful right foot, being in 7th gear and travelling at approx 45 mph which is very boring!

I hav never turned anything off in order to get better milage.

I have at one time done a 67 mpg average on a trip only by driving using some eco tricks... Look ahead in traffic, keep revs down, roll when possible and so forth...

Yup - good points there, electrical items would be marginal, but A/C would have the most effect. I do the same, anticipate the road ahead, brake gently and coast where possible.

[lancslad1985]

Yes - as above, fuel consumption is very much affected obviously through driving style, tyre pressures, ambient temperature, electrical items being used.

I have a MY2011 GTI and easily get 40+ mpg without even trying. I must admit I don't thrash it, and keep revs to no more than 3000 or so on most journeys. You can break 50mpg average, but that takes a very careful right foot, being in 7th gear and travelling at approx 45 mph which is very boring!

I hav never turned anything off in order to get better milage.

I have at one time done a 67 mpg average on a trip only by driving using some eco tricks... Look ahead in traffic, keep revs down, roll when possible and so forth...

I'm with you Martin, Never had to turn the radio off or the a/c or air recirculation.

What I love most about the BGT is the fact I get well above 50mpg using the odd eco trick and then I can blast past a 2.0L diesel Astra driver that thinks I'm in a standard polo and wants to race