I drove the 1.2 Straight 3, and frankly, it is a little low on power. But I'm sure the 1.4 or the 1.6 would be better in this regard. I don't know about the others, but I loved the grunt of the engine. It feels nice. The handling was as close to perfect as you can be. It felt stable and obedient. The steering was exactly as heavy as it should be. Not too light, and not too heavy. I have driven only a handful of cars, and the Polo is right up there among the best of them when it comes to handling. Braking along with Handling is the best attribute of the driving experience offered by the Polo. It felt very stable, yet very exciting. It never showed any signs of irregularity. In conclusion, the Polo is the cheapest you can go, if you want to experience German Automotive perfection. The lack of power can be offset by going for a better engine option.