Volkswagen Polo

Great car but get the Automatic, because the Manual gearbox is awful – Positives are that build quality and finish are excellent and ride and handling are also excellent. Negatives are that for some strange reason this car feels much larger on the road than it really is, fuel economy isn't as good as you'd expect for a tiny engine (is about same as a 2L 4cyl non turbo engine) - but worst of all the manual… Read more

transmission is totally mismatched / inappropriate for the 1L turbo engine. The engine itself is actually very VERY good and I suspect the Automatic 1L Polo is an awesome performer, but the manual gearbox ratios are awful - making driver do everything in one gear lower than is normal for a manual - effectively, 1st feels like second, 2nd feels like 3rd etc. Worst of all this means you effectively have no 1st - starting off in 1st FEELS like you're doing it in 2nd...

I wasn't a vw fan but the polo is turning me into one – Purchased a second hand manual 1.9 tdi with 185,000km on the clock through auction site which didn't allow bidders to drive beforehand. On winning the auction I found the car needed a new clutch, discs and pads and other little assortments. When quoted over 4k to replace the clutch I instead replaced the clutch with a single mass conversion for… Read more

$600 myself. I also did the discs and pads after watching some youtube videos.

It is a nice car to drive. Looks small outside but feels like a full size car when driving. Has enough poke to accelerate. Yet delivers 6.6 litres per 100 kilometers in the city at the same time.

If you have the patience and willingness to do your own repairs it does seem like a very economical car to own.

2016 Polo - Required almost $3000 repairs just outside of warranty – Bought the car new. Always serviced. Less than 50,000km driven. Two months after warranty ended the air con stopped working. Took it to a air con specialist who quoted $3600 as it required new evaporator and tx valve. They suggested taking it back to VW to see if it will be covered under warranty. Took it to VW but they wouldn't accept the report… Read more

done by another company and insisted on checking the car themselves. They determined it required replacing condenser and valves. As a good will warranty they offered to cover $301 which I had to pay $615. This repair lasted a few trips before the air con failed again. Took it back and VW determined this time it needed the evaporator to be replaced. This time under "good will" I'm expected to pay another $2300. I have owned many older cars and I have never had the air con fail, let alone have a fault that would cost me $3000 to repair. But this is the outcome after purchasing a brand new VW and properly maintaining it and I have a massive repair bill. Would never by a VW again. They are a massive liability.

Couldn't be happier or safer – I am really happy with my new car and have no regrets. The basic features are excellent - specially the comms technology which works seamlessly with android auto (dont waste your money on sat nav). In particular paying the extra $1500 for the driver assistance pack was well worth it. It has saved me from at least one accident in city traffic by… Read more

braking when the car in front stopped suddenly whilst I was doing a head check. My last car was a diesel polo which had lots of grunt so I was worried I would be disappointed with the 1.0 l engine, but it has plenty of get up and go for city and freeway driving. It handles a bit better than the old polo but I still dont feel entirely secure in the rain and on bends - our other car is an AWD so I have high expectations. The drawbacks so far are minor- the worst is probably the fact that if the stop start engine has stopped when you are pointing uphill, when you take your foot off the brake to restart, it can roll back a little before engaging. A little concerning when someone is too close. Brakes are a bit grabby too, but it's still done less than 5000 km. Edit. 4 yrs on I am still happy and the car is going well (low KMs). It's been cheap to maintain. One thing that I am finding is that the seats are not supportive enough.

A Very Good Small Car – We bought a new automatic petrol VW 'Urban Plus' Polo in February 2018. We wanted a comfortable, functional, and economical 'buzz box' for urban running. We got it with this car. It has 4 doors plus a lift back hatch and is surprisingly roomy for such a small car. We chose the 'Urban Plus' variant because it has more comfortable seating,… Read more

slightly bigger wheels than the standard Polo, a 81 kW motor c/f with the standard 66 kW, heated front seats, cruise control, and a full sized spare wheel. It has covered 12,000 kms and we have mainly driven it around the metropolitan area, although we have done two long country trips of highway driving where we recorded an astoundingly good economy. Overall since new across all categories of driving we get 6.2 litres/100 kms, and on highway driving this improves by more than 10% coming down to slightly above 5 litres/100kms. With this engine option (1.2 litres petrol turbo 81 kW) the car is quick. Ours has a 7 speed DSG gearbox - the first time we have had one and so far it has performed impeccably. It takes a short while to get used to it because 1st gear is very low - I was told to drive it from stationary as if it is a manual gearbox - i.e. get the car rolling gently in 1st gear then use the higher gears for acceleration. Good advice I think. My wife enjoys driving this car for city driving - easy to park, quick, and economical. Are there any negatives? - well not really but 2 points I would mention. Like all small cars on long trips the seating is not as comfortable as in larger cars, and secondly my wife notices that the faux chrome surround on the front side air vents reflects into the side windows - I don't notice it and I think she has now adjusted to it. There is a number of very good cars in the 'buzz box' category and making a decision to choose this one was difficult from a short list of about 4 brands. We did however like the inclusion of a full sized spare wheel (if you've ever had to rely on a space saver spare when a long way from a service centre or during public holidays you will appreciate our point of view), the pricing we were given, and various details within the final deal. Now that we have owned the car for more than a year we love it and are happy to recommend it to anyone looking for a car of this type.

Great car – My family bought a VW polo 9n TDI diesel new in 2006 for $26000,the car then did 300000kms, brilliant car, powerful, good on fuel, only sold it recently,still with the original clutch, went through a lot of brakes, front tyres, cracked headlights but never broken down,trim and seats were getting tatty by the end but if they sold diesels again, would buy another one but I know they won't as diesel seems on the way out Show details

Can't fault – The only ever problem had in ten years owning this car was the plastic pop out cup holder broke.... That's all. Fun, spacious, easy to park - frugal. VW recommends you change the timing belt at whatever K's, I never changed any belt for over 330,000K's not even the fan belt and not a problem. Oil and filter only every 20,000.... That is all... You just cant kill this car- Believe me I tried. Show details

The perfect small car that doesn't compromise on luxury! – I use my car almost daily, usually for work (when not in lockdown!) and as well for personal errands for myself and my partner. I actually enjoy spending a little bit of time in my car each morning to get a coffee. It's comfortable, new and a dream to drive. So far, there have been no issues and my mechanic is so pleased with the choice of this car and thinks it's a perfect pick for me and where I am at in my life! Would recommend. Show details

Do not buy a VW – Lovely car to drive but regular breakdowns and expensive repairs. Many recalls as lost power and no support from VW. Stay away from VW. Now have a Hyundai i30 and it is amazing and can not be more pleased. It is brilliant. Would never buy a VW again. Show details

Unbelievably bad, I mean I really can't believe how bad it is – Engine is mostly made from poor quality plastic, same goes with the components, make sure you sell within 6 years or everything will break/crumble as soon as you try to remove it. Show details

Great All-round Sports Hatch – I like the versatility of the car. You can drive it hard in sports mode or slow and steady in normal mode. It's spacious enough for holiday luggage and comfortable for long trips. The features of the car are generous adding to driving pleasure and safety. Five year warranty and annual servicing makes the car a nice package. Show details

Just a fun car – Purchased a 2021 VW Polo gti from Wodonga Prestige and what a great small car. It has everything that opens and shuts and so many safety features it's ridiculous. This car is a great fit in our garage a fun little racer if need be or a very classy little sports hatch if required. Powered by the same 2litre turbo engine as is in the VW Golf just… Read more

detuned a little it puts out a very respectable 200hp/n 147kw and 236Ftlbs/320Nm of torque. Very comfortable, safe and very fun to drive. We are extremely happy with our purchase. If you are looking for a car in this class check it out as you won't be disappointed.

What a lemon and awful servicing!!! – We bought the car brandnew in 2013. Regularly maintained, low kms. Suddenly had a transmission issue (won’t reverse out of garage) beginning of lockdown in March. Towed to VW Gateway. Cost just under 3k. Then driven less than 5x around the area as it is still lockdown. BROKE AGAIN!!! And now it’s a gearbox issue? Would cost another 3k or so??!!!… Read more

And of course both Gateway & VW are saying it’s not related to the fix they did. Thank you, VW. NEVER AGAIN. Avoid at all cost, people. We have always driven Audis, i thought it would be a similar build and servicing. Not at all.

Osborne park Volkswagen horrible – My EPC light came 5 times in 1 year time They charged me everytime for the same issue Emailed Volkswagen complaints department and they haven't called me back and i will take this matter to ACCC Show details

Maintained it very well only to have expensive problems after problems – Problem after problem, bought it second hand on low ks, couple months later the car has transmission issues cost me $2500 to fix then had to change the timing belt it drove well for a while then started having engine leaks that weren’t fixable took it to good mechanics and they didn’t know why, then my transmission fails again and they said it… Read more

costs $3000 to fix I can’t even drive it also this car has a recall for the gearbox issues. Never buy a Volkswagen unless you want headaches.

Expensive servicing – Servicing is extremely expensive and I’d consider another brand of car based on this alone. Although the stereo and especially CarPlay isn’t reliable it’s about the only issue I’ve had At 15,000 km. Very good on fuel even if you have to buy premium. Car looks great and drives well. Show details

Great buzz box – After adding roof racks it's a beast. Seriously, it's a tardis! We use our polo for work and play. Seats 5 rugby players, acts as a station wagon for storage, burns through the Twisties even as a diesel. But..... Issues with the coffee cup holder, it is broke plain and simple. Servicing is expensive, vw well duh. Headlight replacement is a… Read more

mechanics job and requires battery box or air box removal. Airbag and dodgy vs shenanigans aside...... Want to love it, don't, but I really really really like it.

Bought a lemon – Bought a 2012 VW Polo TDI ,had problems from day one ,the in car phone system did not work , was advised by the VW Dealer that it is unusual for that to fail , after doing some checks on line I found it a common fault I printed this out and handed to the service department , they told me that there is no fix for this at this time , , after about… Read more

15000 kms the DSG gear box failed ,had to have it towed to the dealer , was told by the dealer that they would have to get a gear box from Germany , about 5 weeks , they did arrange a hire car for that period ,when I got the car back Had issues with the electric steering , the A/C failed , the head lights flickered and was told by the service department that I had pulsating head lights load of rubbish , , at about 85000 kms the front hubs failed , needed replacing was told that I needed new tyres which I got , took back to dealer, same issues with hubs , at the end went to another dealer,will never ever by another VW

great car – great handling, fuel economy and overall quality. Highly recommend to everyone. Drive the car everyday to work and weekends. Great sound system. I am a older driver and have had many cars in my life. Best car i have owned. Not the fastest car around but I gets you there in style. You want a race car go to the race track. Show details

Love my Polo – This is a power, fast, compact car. So easy to park, but heaps of space inside. It is quiet to run, very economical on fuel and only serviced once a year. I have had no trouble with my Polo and any queries / problems have been addressed immediately by the service centre. Highly recommend the VW Polo and the VW brand  Show details

Powerful Little Hatch – I bought this Polo at the start of 2017. Auto, comfortline Polo, and I was very surprised about the power and noise that comes out of this car. Quick off the line and low on fuel consumption. It has adaptive cruise control so the car basically drives itself on the highways. Would highly recommend  Show details

Great car – Purchased a new Comfortline Polo in October 2018 this year. Traded our 2014 Golf R wanting something more economical and less of a headache cost wise to service. I was a bit dubious at first but for a little car it has a bit of punch and we got it in the manual which makes it fun to drive. Easy to park, responsive, nice interior, doesn't seem as… Read more

cramped as the older Polo generation/shapes and easy on the pocket. Overall happy with our purchase.

Great car – Brilliant little go-cart. Perfect for running around town but also super comfortable for long trips. Easiest thing to park. Great "go". Lots of fun. Responsive steering. Nothing went wrong mechanically in 6 years after which we updated to new model. Loads of space. Huge boot - couldn't believe how much we could get in the boot. Deceptive in… Read more

size. Lots of leg-room for a little car. Quality finish inside and out. I have no idea why people buy toyotas or mazdas at the same price when they now have such cheap finishes and are less practical.

Reliability +++++

Great fun but sensible car! – Highly recommend the Polo GTI with 1.4 turbocharged & supercharged engine! It’s an absolute hoot to drive when you’re in the mood & super sensible & comfortable when you’re not in the mood to play. Best fuel consumption I’ve had was 4.9L/100kms (long 60km/hr drive with little stopping) & worst was about 9L/100km with me driving like a lunatic! I… Read more

normally average about 6.5-7L/100km, vs 8.5L/100 km I used to get in my Mini before.

The car handles brilliantly, great brakes, super comfy & supportive seats, still looks sharp & feels great on long trips. It’s the kind of car that makes you want to go for a drive just because & makes you look forward to the driving part of a weekend away.

Sure servicing is probably a tad more than a similarly sized Toyota or Mazda or whatever, but it’s so worth it for the amount of enjoyment you get in the day to day driving!

Great first car – Great first car for a student! Love the fact that it came with a touch screen, reverse parking assistance, blueetooth and Apple Carplay-which is sucha hassle-free thing (you can access spotify, directions, Siri to make calls, send messages). Economical fuel consumption too and smooth steering! No problems so far, easy parking!  Show details

Best small car – I've been looking for a small car with 5 seaters, modern look, less petrol consumption, solid, easy to drive, cheap service. And yes it is, VW Polo which ticks all my checklists. I've been driving everyday without any problem. The car is very easy to handle but still solid and safe on any type of road. I drove much on freeway and city. It never… Read more

disappointed me a second. Just only use $60 per fortnight for the petrol. Still have my baby comfortably at the back and enjoy my driving at the front !!!

No digital speed display and rattles – Rather than a normal digital speed, it has the Temperature in largest font in the middle, staring at my face all day. I have to look at the analog speedometer. I was told it can be changed until...they can't change it. Its a bloody design flaw. Even my dad's almost 10 years old Toyota Echo has a digital speed display. This car's interior… Read more

light design is also flawed, the lights are placed next to rear view mirror, not in the middle of the ceiling like other cars. If you sitting in the back seat during night time, drops something, good luck on finding it.

My steering wheels didn't come with control buttons like others. Brand new car started to have a weird rattling sound behind the dash, which they eventually fixed. Now my aircon starting to have sounds too. The radio sometimes hisses which my old car never had a problem. Don't like the only accept min 95 fuel either.

-- new update from Sept 2018 --

Front radio started having static noises, even when the radio is off. Have to book in for another repair, again.

My Polo <3 – I bought my first Polo 2 years ago and seriously to this day (touch wood), I had no issue with the car and it's extremely economical. I drive more than 400kms in a week and only use $35-$40 worth of fuel. I really recommend a vVolkswagen, whether it's a Polo or something else.  Show details

Great little fast car – Great to drive and very low cost to run. This fantastic car is the best I’ve bought so far. The service VW offer is very good too. Although they are expensive you get warranty on al their work. I bought the car second hand but it’s in great condition and drives well  Show details

Very nice car – I am very happy with this car, it is small does not consume much fuel and it is easy to drive. The interiors are nice, despite the fact that is the entry level of VW. With one liter of 94 petrol I can drive for approximately 18km which overall is not too bad  Show details

Terrible, very disappointed – When I stop car it jerks, when I take off from standing position car jerks. Feels like seats coming forwards. When I'm coming out of a parking space, car will go very slow, then suddenly shoots forwards. Dangerous. Is this normal for this model. My mechanic says it is. Very unsatisfactory.  Show details

Good car ! – Easy driving. Good for short haul drive. Fuel consumption is good too. Small and easy for 2 people commute. The car has many perks like bluetooth for mobile use, controls on the driving wheel which make it easy. Easy parking with reverse cameras. best price vehicle for the price. VW has a good name so I went with it.  Show details