Cross Polo impresses with satisfying drive

With a sporty exterior, the Volkswagen Cross Polo has the look of a mini SUV

The Volkswagen Cross Polo is aptly named for it does indeed look like quite an angry car.

With a slightly raised body, black side skirts, and roof rails, the Cross Polo resembles a little SUV.

Sit into the hatchback and even without the VW branding, the up-close windscreen and functional layout ensure there’s no mistaking you’re in a small Volkswagen.

The interior of the Volkswagen Cross Polo is functional looking

A relatively low-tech model, the Cross Polo I was driving was a really no nonsense type of car and without all the bells and whistles, it traded on its drivability. Despite only having a modest 1.2l engine, which puts out 75hp, it didn’t disappoint.

While the interior of the Cross Polo is quite basic, the sporty look of the exterior is carried through inside, with cool looking black and silver upholstery and front sports seats.

There’s lots of storage too, with cupholders in the centre console, bottle holders in the front doors, a pull down cup holder in the back and more storage in the front centre armrest.

I’m not a fan of centre armrests because they impede access to the hand brake, so I had it raised the whole time I was driving. The storage it provided was handy though.

The double layer boot is bigger than it looks and also accommodates a spare tyre.

While by no means a large car, the Cross Polo offered plenty of leg room both back and front, with someone of my height (5’5”) having no issues sitting behind myself in the back seat.

Tech-wise, there was cruise control, a tyre pressure monitor, electric windows front and back, climatic manual air conditioning, hill hold control and radio/CD/aux.

The rear of the Cross Polo also has an SUV look to it

There was also an iPod interface, but no USB or Bluetooth, which severely limited my driving music.

However, a feature I really liked was the display that came with the front and rear parking sensors. The system visually indicated how far away you were from the object in your way. I also liked that the sound system turned down the volume automatically when you put the car into reverse.

I found the diesel engine to be a little bit noisy in the 1.2l 5-speed manual model I was driving – but not so loud as to be off-putting.

At the lights, the Cross Polo showed a bit of poke and held its own. And while it wasn’t the fastest at getting from 0-100kph, I enjoyed putting it through its paces and running it through the gears.

A practical and functional car, the Cross Polo impressed me. Sturdy looking, it offered a lovely smooth journey in both urban and motorway settings.

Overall I found it a really fun and satisfying drive and I was sorry to have to say goodbye to it.

Two versions of the Cross Polo are available in Ireland, a 1.2l 70hp petrol and a 1.2l 75hp diesel engine. Prices for the petrol model start from €18,995, with prices for the diesel starting from €20,525. Cruise control, tyre pressure monitor, parking sensors, and iPod interface were extras on the model I was driving.

Tech Spec:
Engine: 1.2l 75hp (diesel)
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Acceleration: 0-100km/h in 13.9seconds
Top speed: 170km/h
Combined Fuel Consumption: 4.1l/100km
CO2 Emissions: 108g/km
Annual road tax: €160 (Band A)

Visit volkswagen.ie for further information.