Volkswagen's new Polo was not designed as a flamboyantly styled, head-turning troublemaker.

Tell that to the idiot in the Golf GTI who drew up alongside me in the outside lane of the A40 just outside Witney and kept pace for a ridiculously long time while ogling the little newcomer.

Granted, it’s a good-looking little hatchback, but it didn’t warrant creating a 60mph stream of hot-headed, rush-hour frustration.

For 35 years, the Polo has been exerting a cool, calm influence in the compact hatch stakes, not to mention a widespread appeal. Just look around and you will spot Polos everywhere — little wonder as it is the second best-selling Volkswagen model after the Golf, with more than a million sold in the UK since 1975.

I remember being distinctly underwhelmed when, 20 years ago, I test-drove my first Polo. For a few days I simply couldn’t see what made the little car so popular. Slowly though, the logical layout, solid feel and sheer robustness of the car shone through.

I must have been convinced because a 19-year-old Polo now sits on my drive.

Two decades on, there is little chance of being underwhelmed behind the wheel of the fifth generation of Volkswagen’s evergreen supermini.

More muscular in appearance, the Polo bears the more aggressive snout of the new VW family, first seen on the Scirocco and now worn by the Golf.

The South African-built, five-door test model, powered by a surprisingly peppy, three-cylinder 1.2-litre engine, boasted everything from optional (£815) touchscreen sat nav to a pack (£380) that combines rear parking sensors, flat-tyre indicator, cruise control and computer, all backed up by five-star safety systems.

Inside, the instrument panel uses soft-touch, so-called ‘slush technology’ for the instrument panel, and the centre console is turned slightly towards the driver. Polo drivers will find a familiar row of switches for the hazard lights, heated rear window and optional heated seats. The next level down contains controls for the new radio and satnav systems that are being introduced on the Polo for the first time. The lowermost console level is home to the heating and ventilation controls.

Volkswagen’s traditional blue dials have given way to white backlighting as seen on the Golf and the fuel gauge is now digital.

The rear bench seat can be easily folded (60:40 split on all except S trim) to give a level bootspace. Also standard on all Polos except the entry-level S trim is a variable loadspace floor.

The new Polo is available in four trim levels, with a choice of five engines – three petrol and two diesel. These are a pair of naturally-aspirated 1.2-litre engines with 60 or 70 horsepower and a 1.4-litre 85 PS; and two 1.6-litre TDI units producing 75 or 90 PS. A new 1.2-litre 105 horsepower turbocharged TSI unit is also joining the range.

If you are keen to take a really long look at the new Polo, don’t ogle passing traffic, but pop along to your local VW showroom.

Auto facts Volkswagen Polo SE 1.2

  • Price: £12,550
  • Insurance group: Three
  • Fuel consumption (Combined): 51.4mpg
  • Top speed: 103mph
  • Length: 397cm/156.3in
  • Width: 168.2cm/66.2in
  • Luggage capacity: 9.8 cu ft
  • Fuel tank capacity: 9.9 gallons/45 litres
  • CO2 emissions: 128g/km
  • Warranty: 3 years/60,000 miles