Overall rating:

Volkswagen adds cylinder deactivation to a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine to mix environmental credibility with decent, even sporting, performance. Best of both worlds, or a combination of compromises? The Polo BlueGT does a good job at being the former.

Key Facts

Model tested: Volkswagen Polo BlueGT five-door manual
Pricing: £17,500 (approx)
Engine: 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol with active cylinder deactivation
Transmission: front-wheel drive, six-speed manual
Body style: five-door hatchback
Rivals: Audi A1 1.6 TDI Sport, Fiat Punto Evo Abarth, MINI Cooper SD MultiAir, CO₂ emissions: 108g/km (forecasted)
Combined economy: 60.1mpg
Top speed: 130mph
0-62mph: 7.9 seconds
Power: 140hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 220Nm at 1,500- to 3,500rpm

In the Metal:

The Polo is a handsome, small Golf lookalike at the best of times, and the mating of some BlueMotion and GTI details creates a very attractive supermini. The front and rear bumpers are Polo GTI-derived, as is the rear spoiler, but the side sills and front rain channels (on the windscreen) come from the BlueMotion economy special. Underneath it's flat to make it more slippery through the air, a 15mm drop in ride height helping here too. Black highlights like the mirror casings and grille, along with a smattering of GT BlueMotion badges, finish off the exterior.

If only the changes inside were so subtle, the sports seats getting a rather nasty, grey, blue and light grey three-colour combination that's a bit busy. That's a shame, as otherwise the interior is as classy as you'd expect from a Volkswagen. The black roof-lining, GTI instruments and chunky GTI steering wheel with its perforated leather covering - but unnecessary cut off bottom - hint at the BlueGT's potential.

Driving it:

While the Polo GTI disappoints by under-delivering on the thrills front and the BlueMotion model frustrates with its economy-focused tardiness the BlueGT manages to balance economy and fun in a really rather convincing package. A 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 140hp might not sound like an economy special, but clever cylinder deactivation when it's not running under heavy loads, regenerative braking and on-demand auxiliary controls allow the Polo BlueGT to deliver provisional economy and emissions figures of 60.1mpg and 108g/km respectively.

That's near TDI levels of efficiency, with the bonus of smooth rev-happy, eager petrol performance. While it's unlikely you'll get anything like those figures in day-to-day driving the engine's eagerness to switch to two-cylinder mode is impressive, it swapping imperceptibly between two and four pistons, helping eke out every mile from the fuel in its tank.

There's no obvious delay in the system either; push the accelerator and the engine's revs rise quickly, the switchover only really obvious as the electronic display switches off the two-cylinder mode notice and the performance on offer feels strong. It's not firecracker quick, more convincingly brisk.

That suits the Polo's chassis, which is able enough if not as sharp as Ford's Fiesta. It's still enjoyable pitching it down a winding road, though a bit more information from the steering and finer control from the suspension would make it more fun still. The welcome trade off however, is the BlueGT's decent ride comfort, good refinement at speed - with only a hint of wind noise around the mirrors - and general competence. The compromises are few, so the BlueGT is a compelling package.

What you get for your Money:

Volkswagen hasn't yet confirmed pricing but it's anticipated to be in the region of £17,500 for the three-door model. That might sound like a lot for a supermini, but against its competition it's not too bad, while the BlueGT's near range-topping status does mean it'll come comprehensively equipped as standard. There's a five-door version too, while a seven-speed DSG automatic is also offered optionally.

Worth Noting

Choose to have the Polo BlueGT shift gears itself and it's even greener than in standard guise. Like the figures for the manual car the data is provisional, but the DSG-equipped BlueGT improves fuel economy to 62.8mpg and crops CO₂ emissions to 105g/km.

Summary

The combination of economy and performance might sound like an incongruous mix, but in the new Volkswagen Polo BlueGT it works. Convincingly. Sporting enough, yet delivering economy there's no obvious trade-off for the impressive numbers it records - it's the best Polo yet.