It’s seating position is higher than we would like, and it may be a car for the masses, which means that most of the people who buy it won’t be too bothered about ‘oh-it-grips-so-well-through-corners’. Despite that, Volkswagen’s engineers have bothered about it and the result is a pretty well-balanced little hatch.

Every time you’ve successfully charged through a corner faster than usual, it will make you giggle like a schoolboy who’s just stuck a ‘KICK ME’ note on the teacher’s back. Cheap thrills, yes. But at least it’s not boring.

The gear ratios might seem a little to tall for some, but there’s good fuel economy to compensate – 5.8l/100km on the combined cycle. Even when not pretending to be Schumacher and being stuck in slower traffic, sitting in it won’t make you feel depressed, like some other cars in its class would.

Its front McPherson struts and rear torsion beam provide a ride that’s not too firm for a mass-market car, yet remains firm enough to give a well-planted feel.

To add to the comfort level, its gear shifts are near instantaneous – even the regular bumps on the road surface are more noticeable than when the gearbox swaps cogs.

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