It's very popular, which is what the HJ awards are about, but it hasn't been any more reliable than other VAG cars. You're right about the change from chain to belt in the new EA211 VAG 1.2 and 1.4TSI. VG was having trouble with timing chains, I think because of its longlife service regime (that isn't actually good for any engine). When cars that drove well initially prove to be spectacularly unreliable they are demoted in our star system.