Volkswagen Polo 1.2TD Blue Motion's?

[Nuttah]

So i have audi s4 for my fun car and a bmw 120d for my daily commute jobby,I don't go on the motorway and the 120d has averaged the same 38mpg since i got it, im considering getting a new polo 1.2td bluemotion thing, mainly because the wife really likes it and also i wouldn't mind something better on fuel than the 120d for my commute.

Has anybody on here got any experience with them? just interested in what they are like to live with day to day, and also what is the real world mpg, can never trusted the paper figures vw reckon 80mpg!

[Tallen]

As much as it pains me to make one of my very few posts on a petrolhead forum about a 3 cylinder diesel, here it is... (my other car is a modified mk1 MX5 which I take on track days! Honest!)

I've currently got a 11 plate Polo 1.2TDi Bluemotion on a short lease as a company car.

A very quick summary - it's about as bland as you can possibly get, but gets the job done. It's a pretty nice and comfortable place to sit and everything seems very well screwed together with no rattles. The diesel engine noise is midly intrusive when stationary but the stop/start soon shuts that up and the system works well. My mileage varies significantly and last week I did 250miles a day for 5 days and I didn't have any complaints. It's more refined than similar cars in its class which I drove and it's perfectly comfortable on the motorway with the cruise control on.

The engine won't win any awards but it's fine for normal driving, you will just be disappointed every time you put your foot down. The characteristics of the mid range torque means it feels a lot faster than you expect compared to petrol engined small cars of similar performance, it pulls fine at 70mph in top gear but get stuck behind a lorry and let the speed drop and you'll need to drop a cog to accelerate into gaps in the next lane.

The steering/handling is fine for comfort and city driving. It soaks up bumps much better than my previous lease car (Audi A3 60 plate) but don't expect to get any reward for pressing on. The steering is stupidly light at all speeds and that's my main complaint about it, and obviously the skinny low resistance tyres and super soft suspension means it would prefer you don't drive around corners, ever. For some reason the tyres on mine love to squeal, go into a corner with any speed and it sounds like you're driving at full attack mode which can leave the wrong impression with anyone within earshot. I've pretty much resigned myself to driving it sedately, which leads me onto the main positive of the car...

...the fuel economy. I live in Birmingham city centre and even on short trips accross the city in rush hour the worst I have ever seen is 50mpg. On a long trip at motorway speeds I can sustain 75mpg and my average over the last few thousand miles of mixed driving is 69mpg. I've never seen the 80 claimed, but getting it above 70 is easy and I don't sit behind lorries.

The fuel tank is small, but it just about gets away with it with the economy.

I've never understood why such small cars need a full ESP system until I drove this one with its comical levels of grip, but it's nice to have it there in the background, I guess.

Any questions fire away!

[jjones]

Honest Johns MPG shows the BMW as 49mpg real average, is yours knackered or do you have a very heavy right foot?

[bazza1603]

Hi,

We have 2 x 2010 fiesta 1.6tdci econetic. Fun and nippy, however MPG suffers if you drive it hard

Everyday use 68MPG
50 miles per hour best we have is 80mpg
Boot it and it still returns 55mpg

Running costs are mega cheap. Original tyres back and front now at 30k and still loads left. Servicing £130-140

Best regards

Barry

[Dougal]

What about the Seat Ibiza Ecomotive with the same engine, bit cheaper, better looking?

My Dads new Octavia 1.6 td will return 60-70 mpg all day long.

Edited by Dougal on Thursday 7th June 21:34