New Volkswagen Polo wins World Car of the Year 2010

Volkswagen have repeated their success from 2009 (when the VW Golf took the crown) as the new Polo beat 29 other cars to become 2010 World Car of the Year.   

The World Car of the Year Awards have run since 2004. This year's awards, held at the New York International Auto Show, featured 59 judges from 25 different countries. Each judge is appointed by a committee based on their experience and influence. To be nominated, they must drive and assess cars as part of their job and have significant credibility with vehicle consumers and enthusiasts.

When deciding which car should take the title, judges weigh a range of factors including safety, environmental impact, value-for-money and popularity.

The lastest Polo is proving just as popular as previous versions, with over 230,000 orders already placed worldwide. VW's chairman, Martin Winterkorn, was said to be "delighted" with the success of the new Polo, and added that the latest VW models are "arguably the best range of products in its history."

Volkswagen's 'BlueMotion' option (available on the Golf, Passat and Polo) also beat Honda and Toyota in the finals to take the title of 2010 World Green Car of the Year. In giving the award, the judges referred to the BlueMotion range as "among the most fuel-efficient vehicles on the market", and noted that the Passat BlueMotion is capable of travelling nearly 1000 miles on one tank of fuel, describing its engines as "the ultimate you can get" in fuel efficiency.