Polo 1.0 SE MPI 75hp review

[TheRacingRat]

So I’ve got one of these(18 reg) as a courtesy car while mines In the body shop.

Well there isn’t much to talk about except the engine...err so anything out town it Is borderline dangerous. No power what so ever.
Never buy this engine unless you live in a city and will never go out of it. Honestly can’t see why they used this engine. The 95hp TSI is the lowest you should ever consider for the polo. Apart from that it drives just as well as all the other polos.

[Andy Beats]

Mates and I were having a laugh at how we've all become 'spoiled' with power now.
When we were young, 60bhp or less was common in family cars and the likes of an RS2000 was considered fast as hell with 106bhp!
I drove my daughter's 68bhp non-turbo Picanto up from Edinburgh to Aberdeen recently and it was perfectly fine.
Once you're at 70mph-80mph it will stay there all day long (and give better MPG than my Polo at the same speed - sore point).

[S_94]

Had the same car when mine was in for a service.

Horrible to drive. Think as a first car for a new/young driver it would be decent though.

[brainbow]

My first car was a 1992 Polo GT.
Appreciate it was probably much lighter but that was 75hp!

Wanted a G40 but never happened.

[Simonz]

It's a shame as you can buy the Match or Beats with all the same equipment for a decent price but the 80hp EVO engine kills it. I've noticed these are all insurance group 1 as low as it goes so obviously VW are aiming for the young driver market, parents buy them one as it looks decent and full of kit and safe but it's not fast (but is it dangerous due to lack of any acceleration?).

Agree the 95 TSI is just about OK - it probably has double the torque which makes all the difference.

I think equivalent 65 / 70PS engines in Picanto or Aygo are better as they are smaller and less bulky cars and you kind of accept the deal and just drive them flat out.

[Andy Beats]

(but is it dangerous due to lack of any acceleration?).

Quite simply, no
A bad driver can get themselves into bad situations in any car, but 75bhp should be perfectly sufficient for most driving.

[vc-10]

My first car was a 2002 Polo with the 1.2 65PS. It was slow, but not dangerous. I've driven the previous shape Polo with the 75PS 1.0 engine, it's very slow but it's not dangerous. You just have to plan what you're doing.

[SRGTD]

My first car was a 1 litre mini with 40 bhp back in 1977. 1.0 litre 40 bhp was slow, but most other cars were slower then than their modern day counterparts. Agree with @vc-10; you had to plan your manoeuvres in advance - especially overtaking! Not much in the way of safety features in a car in the 1970’s either other than seat belts .

I also had a few hot batches in the 1980’s, and a 1.6 - 1.8 litre Golf sized hot hatch with around 100 -120 bhp was the norm then. Many 1.0 litre engines equal or better that these days.

[stevereeves]

Not a review as such, had one as a loaner once; not dangerous was ok around town but, interesting , on A-roads, seemingly no power, later had a 1.0 litre Up! which blew the Polo away (and was fun actually ) prob a power : weight thing....