Volkswagen POLO

685,298 on UK roads in 2025-648 vs 2024

On the road

685k

685,298 licensed

Change vs 2024

-0.1%

-648 cars

New in 2025

26,573

first-time registrations

Electrified

hybrid, plug-in & battery

The Volkswagen POLO is one of the most common cars on UK roads, with 685,298 licensed in 2025 - down 0.1% on 2024. 26,573 were registered new in 2025. The fleet is overwhelmingly petrol (94%), with most in the 1.0-1.6L class. Most date from the 2015-2019 era.

How many are left?

Licensed Volkswagen POLO cars on the road over time

New registrations

First-time registrations per year

What the typical Volkswagen POLO looks like

Fuel, engine size and age across every Volkswagen POLO on the road today.

Fuel mix

Current split

685ktotal

Petrol93.6%
Diesel6.3%
Hybrid0.0%
Other0.0%

Engine size

Cars on the road by engine capacity

Under 1.0L51
1.0-1.6L656k
1.6-2.0L16,301
2.0-3.0L12,647
Over 3.0L2

How old are they?

Share of cars by the year they were first registered

Before 20000%
2000-20044%
2005-200913%
2010-201427%
2015-201933%
2020-202523%

MOT & reliability

2025 MOT data

How a Volkswagen Polo holds up at its MOT and how it's driven - from 728,781 tests, tracked across 2022-2025.

First-time pass rate

Average for its class

71.5%

728,781 MOT tests in 2025 · 578,206 first-time

Pass rate over time

2022

75.1%

2023

73%

2024

71.8%

2025

71.5%

▼ 3.6 pts since 2022

Pass rate by age

First-time pass rate by the car's age (tested in 2025)

How a Volkswagen Polo is driven

tracked across 2022-25

How much it's driven

miles a year, from 611,115 cars tracked across years

6,073miles a year · average use

45.4%

low · <5k

51.7%

avg · 5-15k

2.9%

high · 15k+

Most cover 3,232-8,097 miles a year (median 5,404).

Miles driven by age

Yearly mileage as the car ages

Driven most when newer, easing as it gets older.

Mileage & condition

Typical mileage at test

Odometer when tested (2025)

71,495

28,647middle 50%: 44,650-93,880119,333

Typical odometer rising: 61,593 → 64,757 → 68,372 → 71,495

Holds up by mileage

Pass rate as the odometer climbs

Under 40k

86%

40-80k

74%

80-120k

62.1%

120k+

56.6%

Petrol vs diesel

First-time pass rate by fuel

Petrol

534,151 tests

72.2%

Diesel

44,038 tests

62.4%

A 2025 Volkswagen Polo passes first time 71.5% of the time - below the 77.6% UK average, and easing slightly year on year. The typical one is driven about 6,073 miles a year, and reliability is mostly about miles: 86% of low-mileage cars pass versus 56.6% past 120k.

Why a POLO fails its MOT

2025 MOT data

Of 165,069 first-time fails, here's what gets flagged most. Most cars fail on more than one item, so shares add up past 100%.

Where a POLO fails

Share of failed tests, by area

Suspension42.1%

Lamps & electrical32.4%

Brakes29.7%

Tyres21.1%

Body & structure18.5%

Exhaust & emissions16.1%

Steering13.2%

Visibility13%

Top specific defects

Exact items most often recorded as the reason a car failed

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn26,992

The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements17,598

A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc17,450

Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc17,309

A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened14,715

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements13,854

A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc12,946

Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement12,734

Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen12,686

A tyre seriously damaged12,175

24.7% flagged dangerous·2.8 defects per fail·165,069 fails analysed

Volkswagen POLO - frequently asked

How many Volkswagen POLO are left in the UK?

There are 685,298 Volkswagen POLO cars still licensed on UK roads in 2025, down 0.1% on 2024.

How many new Volkswagen POLO were registered in 2025?

26,573 brand-new Volkswagen POLO cars were first registered in 2025.

What fuel does the typical Volkswagen POLO use?

Most are petrol - about 94% of all Volkswagen POLO on the road, with the majority in the 1.0-1.6L engine class. In total, 0% are electrified (hybrid, plug-in or battery).

How old is the typical Volkswagen POLO?

Most Volkswagen POLO cars on the road today date from the 2015-2019 era.

How reliable is the Volkswagen POLO?

71.5% of Volkswagen POLO cars pass their MOT first time, compared with a UK average of 77.6% across all cars. The typical tested Volkswagen POLO has around 67,292 miles on the clock.

Buying a Volkswagen POLO?

Before you buy a specific Volkswagen POLO, run its registration through AnalyzeMyCar for MOT history, mileage checks, service history and valuation.

Check a car

What the typical Volkswagen POLO looks like

Fuel, engine size and age across every Volkswagen POLO on the road today.

Fuel mix

Current split

685ktotal

Petrol93.6%
Diesel6.3%
Hybrid0.0%
Other0.0%

Engine size

Cars on the road by engine capacity

Under 1.0L51
1.0-1.6L656k
1.6-2.0L16,301
2.0-3.0L12,647
Over 3.0L2

How old are they?

Share of cars by the year they were first registered

Before 20000%
2000-20044%
2005-200913%
2010-201427%
2015-201933%
2020-202523%

MOT & reliability

2025 MOT data

How a Volkswagen Polo holds up at its MOT and how it's driven - from 728,781 tests, tracked across 2022-2025.

First-time pass rate

Average for its class

71.5%

728,781 MOT tests in 2025 · 578,206 first-time

Pass rate over time

2022

75.1%

2023

73%

2024

71.8%

2025

71.5%

▼ 3.6 pts since 2022

Pass rate by age

First-time pass rate by the car's age (tested in 2025)

How a Volkswagen Polo is driven

tracked across 2022-25

How much it's driven

miles a year, from 611,115 cars tracked across years

6,073miles a year · average use

45.4%

low · <5k

51.7%

avg · 5-15k

2.9%

high · 15k+

Most cover 3,232-8,097 miles a year (median 5,404).

Miles driven by age

Yearly mileage as the car ages

Driven most when newer, easing as it gets older.

Mileage & condition

Typical mileage at test

Odometer when tested (2025)

71,495

28,647middle 50%: 44,650-93,880119,333

Typical odometer rising: 61,593 → 64,757 → 68,372 → 71,495

Holds up by mileage

Pass rate as the odometer climbs

Under 40k

86%

40-80k

74%

80-120k

62.1%

120k+

56.6%

Petrol vs diesel

First-time pass rate by fuel

Petrol

534,151 tests

72.2%

Diesel

44,038 tests

62.4%

Why a POLO fails its MOT

2025 MOT data

Of 165,069 first-time fails, here's what gets flagged most. Most cars fail on more than one item, so shares add up past 100%.

Where a POLO fails

Share of failed tests, by area

Suspension42.1%

Lamps & electrical32.4%

Brakes29.7%

Tyres21.1%

Body & structure18.5%

Exhaust & emissions16.1%

Steering13.2%

Visibility13%

Top specific defects

Exact items most often recorded as the reason a car failed

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn26,992

The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements17,598

A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc17,450

Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc17,309

A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened14,715

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements13,854

A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc12,946

Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement12,734

Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen12,686

A tyre seriously damaged12,175

24.7% flagged dangerous·2.8 defects per fail·165,069 fails analysed

Volkswagen POLO - frequently asked

How many Volkswagen POLO are left in the UK?

There are 685,298 Volkswagen POLO cars still licensed on UK roads in 2025, down 0.1% on 2024.

How many new Volkswagen POLO were registered in 2025?

26,573 brand-new Volkswagen POLO cars were first registered in 2025.

What fuel does the typical Volkswagen POLO use?

Most are petrol - about 94% of all Volkswagen POLO on the road, with the majority in the 1.0-1.6L engine class. In total, 0% are electrified (hybrid, plug-in or battery).

How old is the typical Volkswagen POLO?

Most Volkswagen POLO cars on the road today date from the 2015-2019 era.

How reliable is the Volkswagen POLO?

71.5% of Volkswagen POLO cars pass their MOT first time, compared with a UK average of 77.6% across all cars. The typical tested Volkswagen POLO has around 67,292 miles on the clock.

Buying a Volkswagen POLO?

Before you buy a specific Volkswagen POLO, run its registration through AnalyzeMyCar for MOT history, mileage checks, service history and valuation.

Check a car