Used car check
VW Polo shows almost no defects at HU
10/05/2022 08:01 am
The VW Polo is a size smaller than the Golf, but almost as iconic. The small car has been on the market in various generations since 1975. What good is the VW Polo in editions five and six as a used car?
The VW Polo is one of the largest small cars on the market. Because it now has similar dimensions to the Golf 3 from 1991. In the general inspection (HU), the five and six generations under consideration performed better than the average of the models in this class that had been checked – with gradations, however.
model history
The original model of the evergreen from Wolfsburg, which has since been built well over 18 million times, came onto the market in 1975. The five and six editions considered here made their market debut in 2009 and 2017. There were facelifts in 2014 and 2020.
body variants
The fifth edition rolled off the assembly line as a three- and five-door model, the 6-series is only offered as a five-door hatchback. No fundamentally different shape, but a hint of off-road look: Between 2009 and 2014, the Cross Polo was manufactured with plastic paneling on the fenders, side skirts and doors.
Dimensions (according to ADAC)
5th generation: 3.97 to 3.98 meters x 1.68 meters x 1.45 to 1.49 meters (LxWxH), trunk volume: 280 to 952 liters;
6th generation: 4.05 to 4.07 meters x 1.75 meters x 1.44 to 1.45 meters (LxWxH), trunk volume: 305 to 1125 liters.
Strengthen
The chassis is comfortably balanced, so that the manoeuvrable Polo is now also doing well on long-distance journeys. The selection of assistance systems is large. According to the “Auto Bild TÜV Report 2022”, the current Polo does not show any weaknesses in the braking function at the HU.
However, many components of the predecessor are also solid: on the chassis side, above all, drive shafts, steering system and steering joints, as well as the rear lighting and indicators.
Also almost flawless in all years of construction: the brake lines and hoses. The emissions test (AU) is usually not a problem, the engine control harvests almost no complaints.
weaknesses
Number five suffers mainly from springs and dampers; Spring breaks are found at the fourth and fifth HU. Then the chassis can show rust or the parking brake can cause problems. The low beam reaps a slightly higher defect rate from the third check, and the brake discs already show increased wear at the second HU. According to the report, the foot brake of the Polo 5 has above-average defect rates in all years.
breakdown behavior
With regard to breakdown behavior, the ADAC writes that specimens from the year 2012 were first registered ended up in the middle of the club’s breakdown statistics. The rest are in good places. The ADAC did not notice any statistically significant breakdown areas.
The engine
5th generation: petrol engines (three and four-cylinder, front-wheel drive): 44 kW/60 hp to 162 kW/220 hp; Autogas (LPG): 60 kW/82 hp; Diesel (three and four-cylinder, front-wheel drive): 55 kW/75 hp to 77 kW/105 hp; 6th generation: petrol engines (three and four-cylinder, front-wheel drive): 48 kW/65 hp to 152 kW/207 hp; Natural gas (CNG): 66 kW/90 hp; Diesel (four-cylinder, front-wheel drive): 59 kW/80 hp and 70 kW/95 hp.
market prices (according to the “DAT market mirror” of Deutsche Automobil Treuhand with each statistically expected kilometers):
– Polo 1.0 BMT Trendline, three-door (2015); 55 kW/75 hp (three-cylinder); 83,000 kilometers; 5875 euros.
– Polo 1.4 TDI BMT Highline, five-door (2017); 66 kW/90 hp (three-cylinder); 93,000 kilometers; 9700 euros.
– Polo 1.0 TGI Comfortline, five-door (2019); 66 kW/90 hp (three-cylinder); 41,000 kilometers; 15,900 euros.