Diesel duel

Polo and Corsa both dominate the B-segment sales charts and are among the best selling cars in the country. Almost in tandem, both recently introduced high-spec five-door derivatives powered by stronger turbo-diesel engines poached from bigger cars.

With the Corsa coming in at just under R150 000 and Polo selling for R158 000, here we have two cars offering huge pace, exceptional economy and high specification for even less money that a basic 1.6-litre Astra or Golf. The catch is that you'll have to squeeze into B-segment dimensions.

This is our first experience with the updated VW Polo. Though most of the changes are cosmetic, the new frontal features dramatically improve the little car's appearance and certainly add more class. The Corsa's styling has always been one of its strong points, but the current version is starting to look a little ordinary since the radical new Astra altered our frame of reference last year.

But the greatest allure to these new cars is those powerful diesel engines, and they seem to have a lot in common at first. In fact if the Polo 1.9 TDI and Corsa 1.7 TDCI drove on paper, their performance ability would be near identical. Suspiciously, both high-tech turbo-diesel engines produce exactly 74kW of power and 240Nm of torque, except that the Corsa needs an extra 400 and 500 respective revolutions per minute to reach its maximum outputs. The Corsa's 61kg weight deficit also counts against it slightly but, in truth, we were never expecting such a dramatic white wash on the test strip.

The Corsa lagged behind somewhat, although it was by no means pedestrian. It was two seconds slower from 0 to100km/h, 0.5 seconds off from 80 to 120km/h and a grand six seconds shy from 120 to 160km/h. From first acquaintance, the Polo felt exceptionally brisk while the Corsa didn’t feel as strong on the boost.

That said, neither of these cars suffer from much lag on pull off and the pair are as refined and sophisticated as modern turbodiesels get, with variable turbine turbochargers and extremely high injection pressures.

Dynamically, there's not much to separate the Corsa from the Polo, neither break any new ground but both deliver a good compromise between a comfortable ride and decent road holding. Turn-in on the Opel is very good, slightly less so on the Polo but both are safe, stable and keen to hold on when the limits are approached. Some rough roads on the test course also revealed very good damping characteristics on the pair.

When it comes to noise insulation, the Polo is somewhat better at insulting its cabin from that noisy diesel clatter.

While the Corsa and Polo offer similar interior space, the Polo's interior is far better executed. Even if you came straight from a premium German saloon, the Polo would hardly cramp your style. Quite simply, the perceptive quality of the materials used throughout the interior are of a much higher grade.

Take the dashboard. It may be a little bland to the eye (though no more so than the Corsa's), but the upper half has a classy soft-feel slush moulded composition; and in fact everything surrounding you, from the leather-covered three-spoke steering wheel to the bright blue instrumentation back lighting suggests you're driving an expensive car.

Step from here into the Corsa and you slide a steep and slippery slope down market. Yes, the silver central fascia and optional leather seats add a sporty feel, but it's all let down by hard and coarse plastic surfaces that really belong to the last decade — and that's being nice.

If space is an issue you'll appreciate the extra storage options in the Polo. Both the driver and front passenger will find generously sized trays above their knees and a storage bin beneath their seat; this in addition to the average-sized glove box and door pockets that you also find in the Corsa.

The two cars offer adequate, but hardly ample, space for rear passengers, but hollowed seat backs in the Polo procure a bit more knee room. Fitting three abreast in either will be a squeeze, unless it's small kids. Boot space in both is on par with class expectations, you get 270 litres worth in the Polo and 260 litres in the Corsa.

The Corsa and Polo should perform equally when it comes to safety, as both have achieved a four-star rating in the EuroNCAP crash tests and both are fitted with dual front airbags and ABS brakes. The Polo's brakes feel a little under-assisted, but it does have the advantage of rear discs, whereas the Corsa makes do with drums.

So, the two sales chart toppers have come to blows in the upper end of their market, and by now it should be clear that the Volkswagen has the upper hand, but depending on your priorities, it's not by the greatest of margins. In fact, the Opel offers almost the same for R8000 less.

In the lower reaches of the market, particularly where the 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre petrol engined versions are concerned, the Corsa consistently offers more features for the money, so we can understand why it still sells in such huge volumes. But if you're going for the cream of the B-segment crop and you're prepared to shell out almost R160 000, then the Polo is definitely the more satisfying car.