Skip advert
Advertisement
In-depth reviews

Volkswagen Polo hatchback - Reliability & safety

Standard autonomous emergency braking is brings a boost for safety in the Volkswagen Polo

Carbuyer Rating

4.2 out of 5

Owners Rating

4.0 out of 5

Read owner reviews
Reliability & safety Rating

4.0 out of 5

Volkswagen's reputation for owner satisfaction has been through various ups and downs, with a middling score for the brand in our latest Driver Power survey. The Polo's safety, though, is beyond doubt.

Volkswagen Polo reliability

Volkswagen as a brand failed to impress in our 2022 Driver Power customer satisfaction survey. The German giant came 18th out of 29 manufacturers and 18.6% of owners reported at least one fault within the first year of ownership. The pre-facelift version of the Volkswagen Polo finished in 51st place out of 75 cars in our 2022 survey, receiving praise for its performance and handling, interior quality and strong fuel economy. However, reliability was regarded as patchy at best, while overall build quality also scored a mediocre rating.

Safety

The facelifted version of the Polo was rewarded with a five-star rating after independent crash testing by Euro NCAP in early 2022. While the Polo's strength is evident in its 94% score for adult occupancy protection and 80% rating for child occupancy, and 70% scores for both vulnerable road user protection and its safety assist systems thanks to the high level of crash-avoidance technology that's fitted as standard.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Every Polo comes with an autonomous emergency braking system (AEB) that works at urban speeds and can detect pedestrians, which is a welcome decision by VW. Blind-spot monitoring illuminates a light by the door mirrors when an object is detected either side of you, while rear cross-traffic alert scans behind the car when reversing, braking if it detects a potential collision you haven’t.

Adaptive cruise control features on the top spec models and is both a feature of convenience and safety: this system will match your speed to the car in front, braking and accelerating for you within prescribed limits. Specify it with the DSG automatic gearbox and it comes with a ‘Stop & Go’ function, taking much of the strain out of traffic jams as the Polo keeps pace with crawling cars automatically, leaving you to just steer.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Top 10 best new cars under £20,000
Best new cars under £20k
Best cars
20 Sep 2023

Top 10 best new cars under £20,000

Most Popular

New Polestar 4 coupe SUV – how is the £60k EV shaping up?
Polestar 4 Prototype drive front quarter
News
22 Mar 2024

New Polestar 4 coupe SUV – how is the £60k EV shaping up?

Best new car deals 2024: this week’s top car offers
Carbuyer best new car deals hero
Deals
28 Mar 2024

Best new car deals 2024: this week’s top car offers

Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Tips and advice
21 Mar 2024

Average speed cameras: how do they work?

Tips & advice

View All
Car dashboard warning lights: the complete guide
Car dashboard symbols and meanings
Tips and advice
26 Mar 2024

Car dashboard warning lights: the complete guide

Electric car charging stations: a complete guide
Public EV charge point
Tips and advice
11 Jan 2023

Electric car charging stations: a complete guide

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?
PCP vs HP
Tips and advice
17 May 2022

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?

Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Tips and advice
21 Mar 2024

Average speed cameras: how do they work?

Best cars

View All
Top 10 best car interiors
Peugeot 208 hatchback
Best cars
25 Jun 2021

Top 10 best car interiors

Top 10 best electric cars 2024
best electric cars
Best cars
28 Mar 2024

Top 10 best electric cars 2024

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2024
The best cheap-to-run cars 2023
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2024

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2024
Fastest hot hatchbacks hero
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2024