Volkswagen Polo hatchback (2009-2014) review - CarBuyer

Volkswagen Polo hatchback 2014 review: bit.ly/1cvPK8C
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Drivers looking for a classy supermini look no further. The Volkswagen Polo seems to have it all: good looks, a high quality interior, plenty of space and sensible pricing. If it falls down in one area it's the driving experience, which
just isn't as much fun as with some of its supermini rivals. Economy in all versions is good, but for maximum fuel efficiency the BlueMotion is a highlight - it manages 80.7 miles on just one gallon of diesel. With its shrunken Golf looks and plentiful space you might want to try the Polo before opting for the Golf -- unless you regularly carry four passengers, there really is very little to choose between them.
Do you own this car? Let us know what you think about it with the Driver Power Survey www.autoexpress...

[@benjackson1109]

Personally, I think the acceleration of the engine sounds sweet

[@DaNuker]

They know the target demographic lol

[@alexandersmith4988]

Same

[@Edwinbraun20]

Yes I like it also. This car is probably one of my favorites. Super nice little bug.

[@Enfielder1985]

I have seen like 5 different channels with this guy reviewing.. everytime he had something different to say and that's not necessarily a bad thing. I like this guy's reviews.

[@finleypdoherty]

I think it's because each is filmed in a different period and the market becomes progressively more competitive

[@eddiehearns2591]

Just switched from Peugot 206 to one of these. Unbelievable the difference is.

[@tnseu]

Hello, do you still use the car ?

[@serginietor]

I'm 18, bought a polo in august, and I can tell you it's great. good interior, good fuel economy (about 4,5 L/100km with my TSI), lots of room. Definitely a great first car

[@Edwinbraun20]

Pretty much the best car in the world. It’s even more eco when you get it with 1.2 turbo diesel. I had one and I think I could have done thousand km per tank of diesel. And the tank wasn’t even big. I love this car.

[@jamie8037]

@@Edwinbraun20 bro he's 27 now. He won't respond

[@Edwinbraun20]

@@jamie8037 fair point 😂. Probably married and have two kids… mortgage and things. Long are gone the high school days when he was still rolling around with he’s Polo.

[@StephenReidsaintofweatherfield]

now you’ll be 28 while i’m 20 haha

[@edwins5804]

@@jamie8037hahah!.. I’m 30 and about to receive my polo as a first car!… imagine first car at 30 😁😁😁…

[@khchoolye]

Got my VW Polo 1.4 today. totally in love with it!!!

[@serginietor]

yeah, I have one too. the TSI version, though. it does feel upmarket, solid and much better than the competition

[@bradfowler23]

Just ordered a white 1.4 match edition!

[@jam88jam]

he looooves the polo!! he compares every single supermini to it!!

[@hueyszen562662]

I drive the VW Polo and I must say, IT'S A DREAM COME TRUE!

[@forza223bowe5]

If they could make a car which has a nice interior as the polo, have Ford Fiesta style driving dynamics, and Japanese style reliability it would be great

[@MrWWEHD17]

Forza223 Bowe its called kia rio

[@arig1709]

I bought this car a year ago. I chose the VW Polo because of its class leading build quality and economical TSI engine. After 15000km I have had no issues besides the recall. However, I do find acceleration in 1st painfully slow. The steering is light, which is good for parking but that's about it. Servicing is also very expensive, it cost me $400 for the 15000 km service which is practically an oil change (they washed it as well;p).

[@7884179]

Ordered a 1.6 cross polo comfortline, it's arriving on Wednesday, can't wait :D

[@palestine3043]

I wish you best of luck!

[@hamzahiqbal8356]

@@palestine3043 7 years later 🤣🤣

[@wanpisu747]

Fun fact : The modern VW Polo is just as big as a Mk III Golf.

[@TRMain111]

I drive an exact copy of this car just in silver, same engine same wheels same spec, I have previously owned a fiesta and driven a mazda 2 and he is right the polo is not as good in the bends, but its a much nicer and comfortable car to drive around. It is also cheap to tax and run, I averaged 52MPG with 4 people in the car over a 370 mile run. There might not be any negotiation on price from a dealer but the customer service from a VW dealer is 10 times better than any ford or renault dealer. Also a VW will hold its value better when compared to a Ford, Mazda and Renault

[@donein60secondsnow]

CAR WITH THE BEST QUALITY INTERIOR AND WITH A TON OF GREAT TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS!

[@55maltesers]

I tried this car yesterday and loved it, I start buying it today :)

[@limetang]

There should be a dial to the right of the steering wheel. You first turn that dial all the way to the right (turning the lights on), and then pull it out one notch for the rear fog lights, and two notches for front and rear.

[@chr1stens3n]

I'm looking for a "new" car and the Polo is one of the cars I've been looking at.. I think I might buy me a Polo ^^ It just feels really nice to drive

[@karanveersinghdulku]

Is that Matt from carwow ?

[@Yjoovvvanfreak]

Yes, because Matt used to work for carbuyer but now he works for carwow

[@gandalfwiz20007]

i hear people complaning about the Jetta being build in Mexico, well the Polo iis made in Spain and India but i don't hear anyone complaining

[@calumbrooknicolson]

He about the Polo being like a mini Golf, I call the Tiguan a mega Golf.

[@leoncarbon]

@chrisluvjh the regular A1 is meant to compete with the Mini Cooper , not the polo , and Audi is a premium car company owned by Volkswagen

[@nichtnetterMensch]

Red! it fits perfectly to the angular design of the polo. In black the polos lines are vanishing like also the window-frames etc. my opinion

[@lukedaley17]

One of my ideal First cars

[@cathalmcwilliams9073]

iv a 1.6 vw polo got dpf drilled n mapped car handles well on the road best car going

[@Arkhangael]

Depends on the country. it's actually around Euros 9000 in France - probably the entry level model

[@Damayn]

I completely disagree with you Mat about the 1.2 litre engine underpowered and noisy as a owner of 1.2 S myself it does sound quite fuzzy when you accelerate it but it actually cruises very quietly even on the motorway and it is not at all slow as it can just about keep up with traffic.

[@davidd1727]

This can't be the S, SE or SEL car as this video was created in 2010. So I would not use this review to compare the current range of VW Polo. I purchased the Sel version today and I cannot wait to get it in September!!! I did a test drive and it is certainly fun for me to drive :)

[@jonny2k100]

Depreciation isn't always a bad thing, it certainly is if you're the owner trying to sell it but if you're looking for a car then the fact that a car depreciates quicker than others may mean that the buying of the car is in your favour, like my grandfathers car, the guy who bought it originally lost half the asking price within 18 months of buying the car, very bad for him, but great for my grandfather

[@bearbear807]

I like. Finally the polo, interior door made from plastics too but feel so much better. The buttons feels good and soft when turn. The dash might look boring, but everything layout sensibly and easy to use. I would rather have a sensible and comfortable car and sacrifice the fun factor. How fun can uk roads get? If you want a fun car you won't be driving a fiesta. The controlling factor on polo is not that far from fiesta, just that the fiesta is more precise.

[@edgegamer]

It's true, I've driven both and the suspension in the Ibiza is significantly firmer...

[@monibstar]

Nice review video..

[@serginietor]

absolutely true, as for equipment per price, the polo is quite expensive, mine doesn't have a satnav, but it has cruise control, A/C, fancy radio, parking sensors and stuff like that... The good thing about it is that premium feel which you don't get in seats, Fiats and all the bunch. It's a bit of a poser car lol

[@BobMartinsback]

I test drove this before buying a Honda Jazz 1.2 last week. The Jazz won because I specifically needed it's magic seats to carry an elderly dog in the rear and because it has some other really nice attributes. But in terms of quality of material and noise refinement, the VW won hand over fist. However, there is one MASSIVE weakness. My Honda's 1.2 engine is no space shuttle, but is competent - I found the VW 1.2 engine anaemic in the extreme. Great car, but needs a better engine...

[@Arkhangael]

The Rio is value for money if you have all spare parts available. it comes fully loaded, and that is something!

[@ogrimwood94]

I've got a 1.2 Match in Black, looks good but the scratches from stone chips etc show up so badly, it's obviously your choice but I wish i chose White. Looks really smart and is hard wearing :)

[@Ohmz27]

Group 1 Insurance cars will get you the 'cheapest' quotes. They are usually the 'bare bones' 1litre cars. My biggest concern is sky high insurance premiums, so i'm pretty much limiting myself to a group 1 or maybe 2 car. Leaning towards a Corsa right now. I learned to drive in a corsa (and a zafira lol), I think they handle pretty nicely and look alright, that and they can be group 1. Not come to a decision yet though, still looking around.

[@Arkhangael]

By then, about 200 kms, more or less, but that seems so impossible, so maybe I am mistaken. I have driven automatic cars for ten years, so this is quite new for me.

[@DSPeti]

I want just to tell of us, i have a Polo buy a new, 1.2 tsi engine with 105 HP and the highest level, and with 16 inch alloy wheels 215/45 r16, handels better then ford fiesta or a mazda 2. When you buy a car (not the cheapest) like me, this is the best choise.

[@bearbear807]

Bought this after comparing the corsa and fiesta. Corsa current generation has been around since 2007 do is old now, even the 2011 facelift still based on old chassis and is gm own which i suspect is same platform as an avero, is an unknown for problems . Fiesta and polo launch around 2008 2009. Drive the fiesta, goes very well, but don't like the interior, the dash like some made in china plastics, the knobs feel harsh, the door handle from inside cannot be more tackier, only the glaring dials

[@Arkhangael]

This is a 2010 car, i think. there have been a few improvements, i think.. The 1.4L headlights are really beautiful, by the way

[@MikeyLaaa]

Thanks for your feedback :)

[@MikeyLaaa]

Not yet, waiting until January

[@chz9530]

My dream car😍😍

[@TheGreatestPlayerInTheWorld]

Really? 🤣🤦🏽‍♂️

[@chz9530]

@@TheGreatestPlayerInTheWorld 😂😂😂 loool

[@RajendraAJS]

Good job matt!

[@thevin92]

I have the 2012 1.2 77TSI comfortline. Super awesome small car!!

[@ShanesAutos]

I drive a 2011 Polo Highline and the 1.2 FSI is ok but is slow when overtaking for example.

[@donein60secondsnow]

@sparkyauris I did drive a corsa. And a clio, 207 and many other in a class but this one is the best. There are some technical solutions that others do not have and have never heard of. Since media house in witch I work tests a lot of car we had an opportunity to check them all. Those are all good cars but polo is a step in front of them all. And I am open minded to other manufacturers but those are the facts.

[@serginietor]

No problem, I'm just happy with it and I wanted to share it with you ;) make sure you get the TSI engine, though. As said in the video, the 3 cylinder petrol and the diesels are a bit rough and take some of the fun out of the car

[@franticfrancis9710]

I don’t really care about the fun and roughness, I just want it get me around cheaply and reliably.

[@brendanjosephharvey]

Volkswagen Polo is very beautiful

[@amg_aly]

The switch that you use in your car to open car's lights, u have to pull it towards you

[@rcheliboy]

just as a warning, i haven't heard good feedback for renault's. I know 'my mates' aren't a good represantation of all renault customers, but i've only heard of problems, like dashboard lighting not working, constant repair work. Also i had a look at one at a 'dealer' and it was wet through, even a puddle in the boot which was apparently 'condensation'. I was so annoyed to have travelled (with prior notice) to a leaking car, and the cheeky tit of a sales was annoyed at me! ps i got a polo :D

[@picklesrule69]

I've just bought a 59 plate polo 1.2 moda! Picking it up Saturday, really loved the feel of the car myself, and it feels good quality. It will be my first car :) Funny thing is, the number plate starts off with 'OY59 ***' same as the one in this video lol

[@mattkaythetimelord]

I've just bought a 14 plate 1.0 SE :D Picking it up on Friday. I agree, the feel of these cannot be beaten IMO. It feels like it was made for me.

[@picklesrule69]

Yeah, i got mine now and love it so happy with it. Is it your first car too?

[@mattkaythetimelord]

Yeah first car :)

[@picklesrule69]

Nice one :D I love mine

[@mattkaythetimelord]

I crashed mine already, over £2,000 worth of damage. But yeah it's a great car, I had it less than 24 hours before I crashed it, but I did 110 miles. It's being picked up and taken to the bodyshop tomorrow.

[@serginietor]

About 1300, with all coverages included. It'll half after two years, though.

[@MikeyLaaa]

Hey to anyone that reads this and takes time to respond, but I'm currently 16 looking for a decent first car. I'm looking around and like the sights of the polo, but have others in mind as well. If any experienced car buyers could give me a few tips on what to look for or any recommendations, they would be much appreciated :)

[@brendanjosephharvey]

Volkswagen Polo is beautiful looking and beautiful to drive and fun to drive. It is very reliable. It is Comfy. The Volkswagen Polo is better then the Ford Fiesta.

[@Shaffye]

What you say it's totally false. The new Punto has very nice soft-touch materials for the dashboard, it's of very good quality. It's sold with the rock-solid Fiat F.I.R.E. engines or a new 85 hp petrol wich is both powerful and fuel efficient. I really don't like people who comment for the sake of commenting.

[@simonhutton1]

So, your saying a Fabia isn't as good to drive as a Mini. As long as you dont mind the stiff ride in the Mini. However, now your saying the Fiesta and Mazda 3 are better drives than the Polo. This confuses me as the Fabia and Polo are so similar. So which is it to be? I'd like to request a group test between the Fiesta, Mazda 3 and the Mini.

[@Arkhangael]

The only thing i dont like about my polo is that it is not a golf GTI. but then, it's still prettier than the standard golf. The 1.4 L is just perfect, unless u like the AT polo GTI... it should be perfect

[@YEA89]

i have a 1,2 TSI and i think its the best with its 105 bhp

[@Arkhangael]

you need to choose carefully - some models have aux, some have usb in the glove box. mine (1.4l) has auxiliary next to cigar lighter and that's fine for the ipod. or any mp3 player, i guess. care: there is a model with 6 speakers that only works with the original radio. sound is great yes, mpg is good. especially if you choose diesel

[@reece005]

I know someone who got this as a first car. Lucky😒

[@thevin92]

I drive the 1.2 TSI dsg. I love it!!

[@radar3699]

i laughed so hard when he said "desirable look"

[@matiasparedes611]

me too xDD

[@sujithmandody6545]

The Polo is sold here in India as well. While I do agree it is a well built car, I think its too expensive for what it offers. Here the engine is a puny 1.2 litre diesel and petrol. Both underpowered. And also, the steering is hilariously light with little or no feedback. And the worst part is space. I'm 6 foot 3 -the back seat is a joke for me! I find the Punto with the Multijet engine,killer looks and space to be much more value for money. It will depreciate,but its a good car for the price !!

[@sparkyauris]

@magnusonish drive a vauxhall corsa - the interior on that is far more interesting to look at and is made from better quality materials in my opinion. Polo has soft touch but unappealing to look at

[@YBJ2008]

My next car hopefully. 1.2 tsi 102ps. Plenty of speed for me and has a 6th gear for those odd motorway adventures.

[@blajablaja1]

I would recommend (since it's your first car) to make sure you get an equilibrium between petrol compsumption and speed. Fast-responding cars may get you squeezed out of trouble, for example, dodging a truck with no brakes closing in on your rear. The Polo has a good balance, but if you drive it too rev'd up, it will chew through the fuel tank. Hope I helped!

[@MikeyLaaa]

Yeah I've read some reviews as well and they havent looked good, and ouch sounds grim! Yes I'm thinking I will either get a polo or a mini :)

[@Preyser123]

Greetings from South Africa. I would rather go for a 1.6l petrol version of this car.

[@Arkhangael]

i have the 1.4L petrol with 15' wheels since june. I love it. although the 2013 fiesta is more handy (cant explain this - its just great to drive), i preferred the classy vw interior over the cheap plastics of the fiesta. although i believe that the polo is safer to drive since it requires more grip than the fiesta. both are extremely nice. my next car though could very well be a fiesta, next year

[@RobbertHoek]

i personally dont like the position of the rear view mirror. it is too low down so it is in the way of actually looking to the right (for me as im Dutch). and the satnav (RNS310) makes up the weirdest routes you've ever seen

[@eternalhalloween1]

Nice little car actually.

[@akie64]

I drove the 1.4 petrol and was shocked how utterly gutless it was, 30 minutes later I drove a Honda Insight and it felt like a sports car in comparison. Since then I have had no intention to test drive a VW, will stick to Japanese/Korean cars.

[@zanthony1286]

every engine if floored will make a noise

[@xXturbo86Xx]

If you want to see the dashboard avoid the 208. The steering wheel is blocking it. Its a welll known issue. Fiesta lacks space for passengers and imo it looks weird.And quality is a bit....meh. Plus it may be more expensive depending on the trim level. Seat Ibiza is probably the best of the cars you mention. Avoid the Polo, it's not worth the money really. I bought one and i'm a bit dissapointed. For the same money i could get a nice Ibiza FR or a bigger car generaly.

[@Arkhangael]

i am getting one soon maybe, but only with climate control, abs, and 2 airbags. I am wondering still. Do you like yours?

[@Toledotourbillion]

I bet alot of people are wincing at the 'shoe box' illustration. :)

[@Arkhangael]

VW only offers USB in certain countries - check the inside of the glovebox, - but the AUX connection is on more polos than USB is. Look for one that comes with RCD 310 stereo. It does come with AUX standard, and plays on all 6 speakers :) Awesome sound. And yes, THE MPG is surprisingly good if you get to use the 4th and 5th gear a lot. If you rev your car a lot, of course, it will have a drink problem

[@joshstreet3919]

I have a 2011 Corsa and I don't like it. It is so uncomfortable, I get out of it with back and shoulder ache. I am trying to find a Polo that I can practically swap the Corsa for.

[@Arthur-nd8jt]

getting a vw polo match 1.2 2011

[@Miz-ql3ho]

Thinking of a 1.2 2006-08 polo when I turn 17!

[@MATTFL380]

do it you wont be sorry

[@Miz-ql3ho]

or do you think i should get a corsa 07-08 new shape? insuarce on both are similar probably 100-300 more..?

[@MATTFL380]

personally i would go for the polo, its build quality is far better and residual value is stronger, ie it will hold its money better than a corsa. My wife and I are awaiting the delivery of our 63 reg polo match edition we loved the test drive of it and vw are a world renowned brand from safety and build quality point of view. But if you prefer the corsa by all means do what you feel, this is just my opinion, someone else might disagree with me, but i think the majority would agree with me.

[@Miz-ql3ho]

no i personally would like a polo! my dads even telling me to get it! ive driven a polo 3 months ago and a corsa i found that a polo feels better overall but mainly the steering and pleasure of hitting higher speeds! im definately going for a polo then. thanks for taking the time to reply. much appreciated Mizan!

[@MATTFL380]

You're welcome and good choice I would say

[@sagoeliyahu]

@123gwf I would buy this car because its well built and strong (1.2 turbo > 1.6) and economical and it fills like a family car without paying the money for one AND it has VW badge.

[@DrTirsi]

Anyone know what new features they added each year (from 2010 to 2011 from 2011 to 2012 and 2012 to 2013)?

[@JuicyToxic]

I can't choose between this, a fun Fiesta, a Sporty Ibiza or a Practical 208 :S

[@serginietor]

Got it with quite some extras for around 14k euros. not sure about the plate thing, though

[@Ohmz27]

Yeah i'll probably get my 1st car around Jan too, maybe a little sooner. I would have been interested in knowing what you decided on, but looks like i'm in the same boat as you xD.. Right now, the only thing I'm set on is group 1 cars :( lol.

[@Danimation985]

I have one, and the boot is tiny. Otherwise he's more or less spot on.

[@TheRossstirling]

Iv got a Peugeot 106 I think I might just invest in one off these polo's :D

[@leoncarbon]

@chrisluvjh Audi A1 is much more of a mini hot hatch , unlike the Polo which was just a normal road cruiser with many fuel saving features , theres a new A1 Sportback which is a 4 door version of the A1 but I'm sure the Polo is much more cheaper

[@donein60secondsnow]

@sparkyauris It is totally wrong! I have a comfort packet...the interior is the same quality as in the new golf of megane or peugeot 308 and those are cars that are class above. If you take a look at all relevant, independent test`s you will see that quality is the biggest advantage of this car. Very often, in my job, we test and drive many cars and I have to say that this is one of the best surprises when it comes to the past generations.

[@Superdsheppard]

Nice!!! I think a Polo would make a very nice first car, I would pick a 1.2 Diesel. Only insurance group 2!!! But can you get USB connectivity to the radio in a Polo??? and is the MPG as good as VW say???

[@MrMrNOOBKILLER]

Am going to buy this, 3 door maybe grey and lower it on bbs ;D

[@sanity4613]

Ford Fiesta Vauxhall Corsa Renault Clio Peugeot 207 And Hyundai I20

[@MFahmi21]

Good fuel economy, good driveability, small size makes for a good first car, but need to change to bigger once married and have big family....

[@Arkhangael]

A new Sporty line Polo is coming very soon.

[@Arkhangael]

I filled up my fuel 3 week and 2 days ago. I just used only half of it by last night.

[@niksarass]

And another free advertisement for national fords... You'll have to understand that we don't care about your crappy fords!!

[@atempo206]

Once for a change i would like to see a diesel review of Any fucking car on this channel

[@a6km]

i dont know if i should buy a polo or a leon