Volkswagen Polo (2009-2017) Review
Written by Andrew Brady
Quick overview
Pros
- Restrained styling looks fresh
- Lots of space in the cabin
- Big boot
Cons
- Drive misses the fun of some rivals
- Some engines are unrefined
- Sluggish performance of most engines
Overall verdict on the Volkswagen Polo
"In this Volkswagen Polo review we are looking at one of the biggest players in the small car sector, and with good reason. It certainly wasn't the most exciting option, but the combination of that desirable VW badge and the semi-premium status that comes with it, the Volkswagen Polo was a big hit - not many small cars have a lifespan of eight years without being replaced."
The fifth-generation model followed the Volkswagen template to the letter. It's not radical or ground-breaking but it is attractive, well engineered and easy to live with. Combined with the appeal of the Volkswagen badge to many buyers, it helped keep this car in the top 10 sellers list across Europe.
This Volkswagen Polo is slightly bigger than the model that preceded it but actually weighs less which helps fuel economy. In terms of styling, it's far more in line with its larger relation the Volkswagen Golf, than was the case with the previous model, which again has helped endear this car to its core market.
That's especially true at the front where it's easy to mistake the two from a quick glance. It's a huge improvement inside as well, with a far more appealing layout and a better impression of quality. It's also roomier, especially noticeable in terms of elbow room for those in the front.
The standard Volkswagen Polo was available with a wide choice of engines. Most people chose the standard 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine which comes with either 60PS or 70PS. In 2014, the Volkswagen Polo was facelifted and this engine was replaced by a 1.0-litre that had already seen service in the Volkswagen Up. It's just as powerful with 60PS or 75PS versions, yet is more economical.
Other engines at launch included a 1.6-litre turbodiesel in 75 and 90PS outputs. This might seem a strange engine choice now, but it offered good performance and economy at the time with a claimed average of 65.7mpg.
Volkswagen also offered a 1.2-litre turbodiesel engine in the BlueMotion model that was as ultra-efficient as superminis got in 2009. It gave a combined consumption figure of 80.7mpg and emitted only 91g/km. Those were both mightily impressive when the Volkswagen Polo was launched and still stack up today for used buyers looking for a smaller, economical car with low running costs.
For those who wanted an automatic gearbox, the only engine option initially was a 1.4-litre petrol with the optional seven-speed DSG twin-clutch transmission. Later on, the 1.2 TSI motor was offered with the DSG ’box.
None of these Volkswagen Polos are likely to set your heart on fire with desire, but they will satisfy your head with ease of use and affordable expenses.
A Volkswagen Polo is an accomplished small car. It may not be as good to drive as a Ford Fiesta or as versatile as a Honda Jazz, but it remains a great all-rounder that's well built and thanks to the Volkswagen badge, holds its value well too. For all of these worthy reasons, it was voted European Car of the Year in 2010.
If you're looking for the newer version, you need our Volkswagen Polo review. Looking for a used car for sale? We've got 100s of Volkswagen Approved Used Cars for Sale for you to choose from, including a wide range of VW Polos.
Is the Volkswagen Polo right for you?
The Volkswagen Polo is a car that’s very hard to argue against. In this fifth-generation version, it’s lighter and more efficient than its predecessor, delivers a safe, undemanding drive and offers up plenty of cabin space when compared to most of its rivals.
There’s a good choice of engines and the option of an automatic gearbox, while the handling is safe and secure, even if it won’t inspire you in the way a Ford Fiesta will on a twisty road. More relevant to most Polo drivers will be the feeling of being in a car that is solidly built and decently equipped if you sidestep the entry-level models and go for SE trim or above.
The Volkswagen Polo is also available in three- and five-door body styles, with the latter the more common and desirable as it makes the Volkswagen one of the most practical superminis of this period.
What’s the best Volkswagen Polo model/engine to choose?
For the vast majority of Volkswagen Polo buyers, the 60PS 1.2-litre petrol engine will work perfectly well in earlier versions of the fifth generation Volkswagen Polo. However, if your budget allows, we’d make a beeline for the 75PS 1.0-litre motor that replaced the 1.2 when the car was facelifted in early 2014. This later motor is smoother, more refined and has a bit more power for added flexibility, especially on faster roads.
You may also consider the peppy 1.2 TSI turbo petrol that came in 90- and 110PS versions and gives performance that belies its small size and three-cylinder design. It’s also available with a DSG automatic gearbox in 90PS form.
We’d opt for a five-door Volkswagen Polo for its greater versatility and look for one in SE or SEL trim to make sure it has air conditioning and decent stereo. The SEL has the added benefit of integrated USB and iPod connections.
What other cars are similar to the Volkswagen Polo?
The Volkswagen Polo’s nemesis is the Ford Fiesta, which is also available in three- and five-door body styles. As well as this, the Fiesta comes with a variety of nippy, frugal engines and it’s a delight to drive, though not as well put together as the Volkswagen.
You might also look at the Vauxhall Corsa, though it’s not as roomy as the Polo, but there are plenty to choose from. Others to look at include the excellent SEAT Ibiza and Skoda Fabia that share the same basic mechanics as the Polo, while the three-door only contemporary MINI is even classier than the Polo and great to drive.
Comfort and design: Volkswagen Polo interior
"There's good cabin space in the Volkswagen Polo, especially in the front where the driver and front passenger aren't cramped together. Instead there's plenty of height and generous legroom that imparts a feeling similar to that of cars from the class above."
That sense is helped by the Volkswagen Polo including a height adjustable driver’s seat in every model. Together with the depth and angle adjustment for the steering wheel and a footwell that doesn’t scrunch your shoes too closely when working the pedals, the Volkswagen Polo has a mature and very open feel to its driving position. Our only complaint in this department is the driver’s seat doesn’t adjust quite as low as we’d like, so taller drivers are left feeling as if they are perched on the car rather than in it.
In both the three- and five-door models, entry and exit to the driver’s seat is excellent, though beware the three-door version has longer doors that can make it trickier to get in and out in tightly packed parking spaces.
When in the driving seat, all of the controls are placed with Volkswagen’s usual attention to detail, which means you don’t have to think about where a control should be as it tends to be exactly where you expect. There’s also good vision for the driver in all directions.
Quality and finish
As with the outside, there's a strong Golf feeling to the cabin of the fifth-generation Volkswagen Polo. This is helped by the neat three-spoke steering wheel and a good quality stereo, and it certainly has a big car feel about it.
Volkswagen used a process called ‘slush moulding' for plastic surfaces such as the facia, which means they don't feel hard and cheap. This applies to the steering wheel and minor controls too.
Everything from the seat fabrics to instruments and centre console look classy, plus there's a lot of nice detailing, such as the chrome trim on the air vents, door handles and gear lever surround in all but the base S model. As for the way the Volkswagen Polo is screwed together, it’s one of the best in its class and should resist succumbing to rattles and creaks even when it’s covered plenty of miles and seen lots of family use.
Infotainment: Touchscreen, USB, nav and stereo in the Volkswagen Polo
Pre-facelift Volkswagen Polos of this generation built up to the start of 2014 make do with a simple digital display for the stereo. The SEL trim gained the Multi Device Interface that could be paired with a mobile phone or iPod. It’s clear and simple to use, so it’s not quite as outdated as systems in other superminis of this period.
The 2014 facelift introduced Volkswagen’s generic infotainment screen to the Polo which will be familiar to anyone who has the same in a Golf or Passat. The 5-inch touchscreen comes with Bluetooth and USB connections, as well as DAB radio. It responds quickly to the touch of a finger and it’s easy to scroll through the various menus onscreen. There are also handy shortcut buttons arranged on either side of the display to take you to the important menus quickly, while a smaller screen in the middle of the main dash instruments can show sat-nav instructions.
Space and practicality: Volkswagen Polo boot space
For anyone looking to a supermini to fulfil multiple roles that include carrying several passengers or plenty of luggage, the Volkswagen Polo is a car you must consider.
Even the three-door model offers surprisingly easy access to the rear seats through the wide-opening front doors, helped by front seats that slide forward. The only thing to bear in mind here is the long doors might not swing open very much in narrow parking slots.
The five-door Volkswagen Polo addresses this issue with a pair of large openings to let adults and children hop in and out easily. Two grown-ups will fit back here without any complaints courtesy of good legroom, space for shoulders and their head not brushing the ceiling as they might in the Vauxhall Corsa.
The Volkswagen Polo is also much more generous for rear seat accommodation than the Ford Fiesta, so kids will prefer travelling in the Volkswagen. A pair of ISOFIX child seat mounts also means you can securely attach kiddy seats into the Polo.
For loading luggage, the Volkswagen Polo’s boot is not as big as some at 280 litres, but it makes up for this with its wide opening. There’s also the load floor that can be lowered to create more space and the boot shape is a broad rectangle with no interruptions. Folding the 60/40 split rear bench opens up carrying capacity to a decent but not class best of 952-litres.
Unlike a lot of cars in the supermini class, most models in the Volkswagen Polo range come with a full-sized spare wheel. Some models replace this with a can of tyre sealant, such as the BlueMotion to save weight and improve its economy and emissions figures. So, best to check the spare is in good condition or the sealant kit is present and correct.
The Volkswagen Polo dimensions are 3970mm long, 1901mm wide and 1485mm tall.
Handling and ride quality: What is the Volkswagen Polo like to drive?
"There is a lot to like about the way the fifth-generation Volkswagen Polo deals with all sorts of roads and driving conditions. Where the previous model was prone to wallowing its way through corners, this Polo has firmer suspension that resists this sort of lean to feel more agile and enjoyable to drive."
We won’t pretend the Volkswagen Polo is as good to drive or as much fun as the Ford Fiesta that was launched in the same year, but then very few come close to the Fiesta in this area. Instead, the Volkswagen Polo strikes a welcome balance between agility and comfort. If you do want a Volkswagen Polo that errs more towards determined cornering prowess, there is the GTI model or, from 2014 onwards, the optional Sport Select suspension that used electronically controlled dampers to switch between normal and sport settings.
Whichever Volkswagen Polo you choose, the steering is light and the amount of assistance is just right for easy parking in town or filtering through traffic. At higher speeds, the Volkswagen Polo adheres to its more grown-up feel than most rivals with its stability on motorways, while the steering is a little weightier to further that planted sense. The only place where the steering doesn’t feel fully up to snuff is on switchblade back roads. Here, the Volkswagen Polo loses out to the Ford Fiesta’s precision, but few will worry about this when picking a Polo.
What they will concern themselves with is the excellent comfort provided by the Volkswagen’s absorbent suspension. On any surface, the Volkswagen Polo makes light work of easing its way over lumps, bump and ridges. Again, it’s not quite as polished as the Ford Fiesta, but you won’t find your posterior being pummelled as you head down the usual scarred surfaces that make up the road network.
What engines and gearboxes are available in the Volkswagen Polo?
Anyone looking to buy this generation of Volkswagen Polo has the choice of petrol and turbodiesel engines. We’ll start with the petrol options that most will lean towards. The 1.2-litre non-turbo petrol comes in 60 and 70PS guises and each is attached to a five-speed manual gearbox. Exciting? No, but each is able to get on with the job of powering the Volkswagen Polo with little fuss or drama even on the motorway.
The 1.4-litre petrol motor is not worth seeking out as it adds little in terms of performance and is thirstier and more polluting. Far better are the 60 and 75PS 1.2 TSI turbo petrols that arrived with the 2014 facelift of the Volkswagen Polo.
Each is peppy and fun to use, and the 110PS version is surprisingly quick and fun to drive. Both are three-cylinder motors, so they also have a distinctive and appealing note when revved harder. A four-cylinder 1.4 TSI turbo petrol with 150PS turns the Polo into a decent warm hatch, but this engine is rare.
On the diesel front, Volkswagen offered the 1.6-litre TDI unit in 75 and 90PS forms. The 70PS was soon dropped, leaving the excellent 90PS version to provide strong performance at all speeds and decent economy. You should also consider the three-cylinder 1.2 TDI with 75PS, particularly in BlueMotion trim where it’s even more efficient. It punches above its weight in terms of performance.
A 1.4-litre turbodiesel replaced the 1.2 unit in 2014 and is another easygoing, low-cost diesel for those who cover larger mileages. It’s decently refined and well suited to motorway driving.
Refinement and noise levels
Whichever Volkswagen Polo fits in with your needs, you’ll find it will be among the most refined of its peer group. This is where Volkswagen truly distinguished this Polo from the opposition, making it quieter and more grown-up in the way it feels at any speed.
By suppressing noise from under the bonnet very well, the only sounds you are likely to hear inside the cabin from the mechanical components are the whirrs of the three-cylinder engines when revved hard. That’s no hardship as you don’t have to rev these engines to get the best from them and, when you do, they have an appealingly off-beat thrum.
Other sources of noise are also quelled just as effectively, so you won’t hear much in the way of road noise even on models that sit on larger wheels. There’s also very little wind noise on the motorway, making the Volkswagen Polo a good bet for anyone with a longer daily commute.
The refinement of the Volkswagen Polo is topped off by all of its major controls working with a finely judged weighting and balance to their actions. They’re light yet work with a controlled movement that makes driving the Volkswagen Polo very easy.
Safety equipment: How safe is the Volkswagen Polo?
The Volkswagen Polo came with only four airbags instead of the six that was rapidly becoming the norm in the supermini class in 2009. However, this should not be a cause for concern when buying as the side airbags inflated upwards as well as outwards to create the same cushioning area as cars with side and curtain airbags. As a result of this, the Volkswagen Polo scored an impressive five-star Euro NCAP crash test rating thanks to it adult and child occupant safety.
Every Volkswagen Polo in the range comes with ESP traction and stability control, as well as ABS anti-lock brakes on all models. There are also three-point seat belts for every person in the car plus two ISOFIX child seat mounts on the outer two rear seats. There is no airbag cut-off switch in the front passenger seat, so rear-facing kiddy seats have to go in the back of the car.
This Volkswagen Polo predates autonomous emergency braking technology, but there was the option of adaptive cruise control to help maintain a safe distance to the car in front even as speed varied. However, there are several contemporary rivals to the Volkswagen Polo that have more safety kit either as standard or as an option.
MPG and fuel costs: What does a Volkswagen Polo cost to run?
"The most frugal Volkswagen Polo model from this generation is the 1.4 TDI BlueMotion launched in 2014. It can return an exceptional claimed economy of 91.1mpg."
In theory, that means a range of 900 miles on a single fill of the 45-litre tank. However, Real MPG figures suggest this engine is more likely to return average of 60.7mpg. The 1.2 TDI BlueMotion beats this with a Real MPG figure of 63.7mpg. Best of the petrol engines is the 1.0-litre 75PS unit that offers a claimed 58.8mpg and a Real MPG number of 51.2mpg.
How reliable is a Volkswagen Polo?
The Volkswagen Polo scored a disappointing 8.78 out of 10 for reliability in the HonestJohn.co.uk Satisfaction Survey, even though that puts it somewhere in the middle of the Volkswagen range on that score. Given its longevity it's no surprise that the Volkswagen Polo has been the subject of several recalls for issues relating to airbags, oil consumption, child locks and camshafts on petrol engines to name a few.
As a brand Volkswagen performed better, finishing 10th place overall out of 30 manufacturers in the same survey.
Insurance groups and costs
The cheapest Volkswagen Polo to insure will be the 1.2-litre petrol model in S or SE trim as it falls into group 3 for its cover. Choose the 1.0 75PS in SE trim and it sits in group 10, while a 1.4 TDI BlueMotion model comes in with a group 15 rating.
The most expensive non-GTI Polo to get cover for is the Blue GT model that sits in group 23 due to its 1.4-litre turbo petrol engine and swift performance.
VED car tax: What is the annual road tax on a Volkswagen Polo?
Almost all Volkswagen Polos of this generation will have been registered before 31 March 2017. This means several enjoy free road tax thanks to their emissions falling below 100g/km of carbon dioxide emissions. That includes the BlueMotion models and some of the 1.2 TSI versions.
The popular 1.0 75PS-powered models sit in Band B for Vehicle Excise Duty with emissions of 108-109g/km meaning an annual payment of £20. Event he Blue GT models with their 1.4-litre turbo petrol engines sit in this tax band.
Most expensive to tax is the 1.4-litre petrol with DSG automatic gearbox and 134g/km CO2 output to attract a yearly rate of £150.
How much should you be paying for a used Volkswagen Polo?
"Seek out the very last of this generation of Polo and you’ll pay up to £13,000 for a low mileage car in one of the top trims, such as the GTI or Blue GT."
Look for a 2014 face-lifted 1.0 TSI SE five-door with average mileage of approximately 50,000 and you’ll pay around £6,500. Early versions of this Polo can be had from £3,000 in fine fettle in either three- or five-door shapes and in S and SE trims.
Trim levels and standard equipment
The fifth-generation Volkswagen Polo range starts with the S trim that offers central locking, electric front windows, CD stereo with MP3 connection and 14-inch steel wheels.
The Volkswagen Polo Moda upgrades this with 15-inch alloy wheels, electrically heated and adjusted door mirrors, front foglights and remote central locking. It also has rear privacy glass, USB and iPod connectors, and passenger seat height adjustment.
Over the S trim, the Volkswagen Polo SE gains air conditioning, 60/40 split rear seat back and replaces the spare wheel with a spacesaver. For the Volkswagen Polo SEL, Volkswagen added the Multi Device Interface to pair with phones and iPods, a storage cubby with armrest between the front seats, and leather-trimmed steering wheel. It also has 16-inch wheels.
The Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion has its own body styling to make it more aerodynamic, as well as slim 15-inch alloy wheels, firmer suspension and a ride height reduced by 15mm. there’s also cruise control, air conditioning and Blue Merlin cloth upholstery.
From 2011, the Volkswagen Polo Match replaced the Moda and SE trims and included air conditioning, the Multi Device Interface and 15-inch alloy wheels.
Volkswagen also offered the Volkswagen Polo Blue GT with sporty styling. The Volkswagen Polo Beats has an uprated stereo, and sports seats with Alcantara trim. Pick the Volkswagen Polo Match Edition and you get rain sensing wipers, front and rear parking sensors, and cruise control.
Ask the heycar experts: common questions
Is the Volkswagen Polo a good car?
Why is the Volkswagen Polo discontinued?
How much does a Volkswagen Polo cost?
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