THE clue comes right at the bottom of the specification sheet. Although Volkswagen dubs its latest Polo new, the fact that the car’s height and width remain unchanged suggests that this may be mildly disingenuous.

Rather than being a wholly new car, the latest Polo is actually a revised version of the old car, albeit significantly disguised.

In fact, improving the Polo is a tough task. You could throw technological gimmickry at it in a bid to instil even more of a big car feel, but the Volkswagen was already near the top of its class in terms of price and jacking the asking price up still further would only alienate loyal customers. In fact, Volkswagen has been rather restrained with this iteration of their hatch, finessing the range of engines and giving the car a face that apes that of the latest Passat.

The reshaped headlights lose the cute look of the old Polo in favour of something wielding a little more gravitas, the circular headlamp cutting into the bumper to give a resolutely contemporary look.

The rear end has also come in for a little cosmetic surgery.

The glass emulates the front-end’s V-shaped theme while the rear lights again reprise the design from the front, with large circular elements.

The interior has been freshened without too much change. A revised range of steering wheel designs is the most obvious change although there are some updated trims for the seats and the instrument graphics are new.

Otherwise there’s little difference.

One obvious weak point in the old Polo line up was the inclusion of the archaic 1.9-litre 64bhp SDI diesel engine.

Wheezy, harsh but frustratingly gutless, this engine had little to recommend it and Volkswagen has thankfully wielded the axe, replacing it with a far superior 70bhp 1.4-litre TDI unit.

The old 75bhp 1.4-litre TDI has been treated to a sprucing and is now good for 80bhp, creating a pair of three-cylinder TDI diesel options.

The 1.9-litre TDI turbodiesels that proved so popular in the outgoing model are carried over. Customers get the choice of either 100 or 130bhp power outputs and, like both the 1.4-litre diesel, they’re fully Euro4 compliant.

If you’d prefer a petrol-powered engine, Volkswagen offers 55 and 64bhp 1.2-litre units, plus 75, 86 and 100bhp versions of the 1.4-litre powerplant, the 86bhp iteration being powered by Volkswagen’s FSI system.

This unit borrows features from diesel engines, such as common rail injection and utilises a single piston high-pressure fuel pump.

For those who must have the ultimate Polo, the GTI features a 1.8-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 148bhp. There’s even a mock-4x4 model called the Dune, if you like that sort of thing.

An integral aspect of the Polo’s appeal is the drive to downsize. That may sound odd given that the car’s girth has noticeably swelled, but it now caters very well to drivers no longer interested in running something Mondeo-sized without making them feel as if they’ve suddenly become a member of the underclass.

Swap from a Passat to a Polo and you certainly won’t feel as if your station in life has taken a dive; you’ll just feel as though you’ve taken an informed decision to drive a smaller car. No more, no less.

The finish is certainly as slick as anything in the £20,000 bracket. Invisible laser welding makes the roof, rear wing and sills look all of a piece and also contributes to Volkswagen’s claim that the Polo has better structural rigidity than any car in its class.

With prices kicking off at £7,495, Volkswagen has resisted the temptation to ramp the Polo’s prices up significantly. Even cars like the impressive 1.4 Sport FSI won’t demand much over £12,000.

FACTFILE

Volkswagen Polo range

PRICES: £7,495-£15,385 - on the road

INSURANCE GROUPS: 4-6

PERFORMANCE: [1.2 64Bhp] 0-60mph 14.5S / max speed 100mph

FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.2 64Bhp] (urban) 36.7Mpg / (extra urban) 55.4Mpg / (combined) 47.1Mpg

STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: twin front and side airbags, abs with brake assist

DEALER DETAILS: EuroCanterbury, Broad Oak Road, Canterbury. Telephone 01227 826800.