| Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Even at this relatively | | | | be collecting its pension each week and leaving the |
| early stage of my life there's loads of things I wish I | | | | business of driving to the youngsters. However don't |
| could've done a bit differently or encountered a bit | | | | make the mistake I've made of taking for granted a |
| sooner. A prime example would be the family holidays | | | | great situation and not fully appreciating it. |
| I used to go on. I was quite fortunate in that the three | | | | Despite the age the Polo's heritage harks back too, the |
| of us have seen most of Europe and lots of America. I | | | | latest model is no old man when competing in today's |
| remember all sorts, from jumping into a Volkswagen | | | | market. Currently not the baby of the Volkswagen |
| Polo hire car in Ibiza, long before I was aware of what | | | | family thanks to the Fox and Lupo, the Polo emits a |
| those who aren't on a family holiday do in Ibiza, to | | | | certain quality not found in all super minis. The styling is |
| sitting in a Delorean at Universal Studios in Los | | | | as you'd expect from a car designed to attract all |
| Angeles. | | | | spectrums of taste and is therefore subtle but still |
| Whilst I always appreciated my holidays, now I've got | | | | good-looking. A personal favourite are the rear light |
| a job, a mortgage and have to pay for such luxuries | | | | clusters that wouldn't look out of place as Optimus |
| as holidays myself, I wish I could've made a bit more of | | | | Prime's eyes in the Transformers sequel. |
| the family trips than I did. It's a similar story with music | | | | Essentially being a shrunken Golf, the Polo handles all |
| (which for the biography is as much a love of mine as | | | | situations very well, whether it's city speed humps or |
| cars). I lap up all sorts of audio, but my two big regrets | | | | countryside cornering. The entry level engines are a |
| are missing the boats that are Nirvana and Smashing | | | | tad underpowered which mean more driver |
| Pumpkins in their prime. The former came to a climatic | | | | involvement to get going - great if you're in the mood |
| end when I was only ten, so there's not a lot I could do | | | | for working the engine, not so if you want to get from |
| to change that, but the Pumpkins are a different kettle | | | | A to B quickly and peacefully. |
| of fish. | | | | The interior is the usual grade 'A' fare as you'd expect |
| I've known of them for years but it's only this week | | | | from a German manufacturer, with a chunky steering |
| I've truly discovered their brilliance. The problem is, I'm | | | | wheel conveying the quality of the cabin as a whole. |
| about twelve years too late from their prime so for all | | | | On a personal note, I have a thing for blue neon lights |
| the excitement of hearing their stuff, I know I'll never | | | | so the Polo is heaven, with the majority of the |
| get to see them play live (or at least not in their original | | | | instrumentation bathed in its soft glow. Rear legroom is |
| guise). It really is frustrating considering the dross that is | | | | good as is the boot space so it ticks all the boxes for |
| popular in today's music (I sound like my granddad!) | | | | a family shopping trip. Safety features also abound, |
| So where am I going with this whimsical tale of missed | | | | with stability control and brake assist found on all |
| opportunities in my youth? I think the message is | | | | variants. Residual values tend to stay high with |
| simply: just because something's been around for a | | | | Volkswagens, so if you do come to sell, this should be |
| while, don't take it for granted or assume the newer | | | | the least of your headaches. |
| variations on an old theme are better. A prime | | | | It's a busy creche the baby Volkswagen finds itself in, |
| example of this is the very car I sat in the back of | | | | with the Peugeot 207, Renault Clio, Ford Fiesta and |
| years ago in Ibiza - the Volkswagen Polo. | | | | Vauxhall Corsa all fitting contenders for your money. |
| The Polo has been around an astoundingly long time | | | | Just remember when you're looking for a new car, not |
| for a car - first hitting showrooms way back in 1975. | | | | to overlook the elder statesman, else you'll miss a |
| It's easy therefore to denounce the Polo as nothing | | | | great car in its prime. |
| more than a car over thirty years old that really should | | | | |