Interesting to read your thoughts.I agree that while, the engines are annoyingly small, the dash is meh and same goes for the rear lights, the thing that bothers me most with the Polo is the same reason why I opted for the Golf instead of Audi A3 and that is the size. While Polo grew substantially it still isn't quite as big as the Golf and for me it ends up feeling cramped. Also for me there isn't enough luggage space and same goes for the A3. (The 2021 model is around the same price as the Golf albeit you miss on some nice but not exactly necessary extras).
That said, if I knew how long I would be waiting for the mk8 I would have taken the Audi.
Yes, the Polo is smaller, but not significantly smaller - the main difference is there‘s 30 litres less luggage capacity in the Polo compared to the Golf with the rear seat backrests in the upright position and the wheelbase is slightly shorter - not really a great surprise as the Polo is a B segment car and the Golf, a C segment car. Below is a comparison of the key dimensions VW quote in their official literature. For some strange reason, VW haven’t quoted the Golf’s luggage capacity so the figure quoted below is from one of the many online reviews of the Golf. Figures in brackets relate to the Polo;
- Wheelbase; 2,619mm (2,552mm), difference; Golf wheel base is 67mm longer
- Shoulder room - front; 1,471mm (1,446mm); Golf has 25mm more shoulder room in the front of the car
- Shoulder room - rear; 1,440mm (1,425mm); Golf has 15mm more shoulder room in the rear
- Headroom - front; 1,018mm (1,019mm); Golf has 1mm less headroom in the front
- Headroom - rear; 968mm (964mm); Golf has 4mm more headroom in the rear
- Luggage capacity; 381 litres (351 litres); Golf has 30 litres more luggage capacity
https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/files/live/sites/vwuk/files/pdf/Brochures/polo-dimensions.pdf
As for the Audi A3’s luggage capacity; it is virtually identical to the Golf’s - from Audi’s website;
The A3 Sportback’s interior boasts impressive spaciousness, with ample legroom in the front and back, and a up to 380-litre boot which can be further extended by folding the rear bench seat.
The overall size of the A3 is very similar - if not identical - to the Golf too; pretty certain they use the same version of VAG’s MQB platform.
Interesting by your comment regarding the rear lights; the rear light clusters of the current Polo are very similar to those on the Golf;
Polo;
Golf;
I personally prefer the dash in the Polo to the Golf’s - IMHO it’s less minimalist and the Polo’s infotainment screen is more integrated than the screen in the Golf. Also, the Polo gets heating / ventilation controls that are illuminated at night.
The point I was alluding to in my previous post was that the Polo might be a viable option for some would-Golf owners, especially when considering the shorter wait times for Polos compared to Golfs. At the end of the day, it comes down to personal choice and the Polo wouldn’t work for everyone, especially if luggage capacity is a key consideration. We’re all individuals with different likes and dislikes, which is a good thing IMHO - if we all liked and bought the same things, life would be pretty boring .