Volkswagen Polo hatchback (2009-2017) | owner reviews: MPG, Problems & Reliability

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Great for driving to work each day. Also does the job for everything else in between. Trim is generous.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Lovely car. Well built, comfortable to drive even on long journeys and so smooth. I love the gearbox it just easily glides into gear so smoothly. Very light steering and spacious inside. Generous boot space with interior light. Reliable nippy and a good sound system. The nicest car I've ever owned. Stylish . I love it.

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Had my car since April 2014 and it has been a pleasure to drive. Whether that be at 30 round town or 70+. The ride is quiet with no knocks or rattles and the stereo is high quality. Only problems I have had is with a resistor on the heater fan which was fixed under warranty and the fact I have had 5 punctures on my run flats but with the tyre insurance is has cost me £50 all in. All in all it's a VW and does what it says on the tin.

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While I've only owned the car for less than a year, it's been a fantastic car to own so far. Process of ordering the car was brilliant, and staff at Lancaster VW St Albans were particularly helpful and informative all the way along. The car one issue when I picked it up - the USB slot wasn't working, but that was remedied quickly and free of charge - they couldn't do enough for me. The car performs very well considering its engine size, and it's settled and refined on long motorway trips. It's got all the kit I need for what I use it for and feels very well put together. All-in-all I'm very happy with it and hope it continues this way until it's time to change it for something else!

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After 40,000 miles needed new timing chain! Apparently not that uncommon for Polos (£500). Also needed new water coolant bottle because of leak. Always something needing done to brakes.

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No Red thumbs down

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Bought as needed small motorway runner, had quite a budget so thought I would buy a brand new car for my first! Tried the Fiesta, Ibiza and a ton of of others, but the Polo wins by a mile on the Motorway side of things. Car is quiet, comfy, and refined. I've drove this from Manchester to Germany and no issues at all, maybe except the fact I didn't buy enough Red Bull! I have had a gearbox replacement, I have the DSG 7 Speed box in my Polo and it basically grinder itself to bits, took into VW and they were great about it, had my car back in two days and feels amazing, done another 25'000 miles and no issues at all, VW have since recalled all DQ200 (DSG7) cars to get these boxes checked. Engine is nice, peppy enough for 70+ on Motorway and gets me decent MPG for my 65mph work commutes. I normally average around 44-48 and that's a little urban driving too. One thing I must say if you put your foot down the milage rand will take a good few miles away from you as punishment! Admittedly not as fun as the fiesta, but that doesn't mean you can't chuck it around, grip is good, and predictable, and with the DSG is easy to power out and have a bit of fun with, the Polo can put a smile on your face when you/it wants. Another reason why I bought the Polo, quality, the interior is lovely, it's like a mini MK6 Golf! Touch points all feel soft, as does the upper dash, doorsills are soft, and overall, it's just a nice place to be, especially in jams, stereo sounds nice, not tinny, nor does it have too much bass. VW have concentrated on making a solid all rounder, not a good driving car, or something with supersoft suspension for comfort, they made a quality product, and it does everything well.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Never had a problem and the car is always reliable

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car 3 weeks old and been in garage for 8-9 days total for problems pulling to the left

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NEVER LETS US DOWN

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Ther was an engine management problem within 2 months of owning the car. Was a faulty sensor.

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no problems and dealer helpful

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Works well every time, all the time. It only goes the garage for the yearly service.

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ok

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Would not engage reverse once (Automatic gearbox)

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rear brakes gone after first 11,000 miles other than that A1

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No Red thumbs down

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I`m coming to the end of my 3 years with this car and wont be sad to see it go. The first 18 months this car was brilliant, it looks good in the Nimbus grey, boot space is excellent and the under boot shelf is handy for storage. The gearbox was smooth and was very nippy for a little 1.4 engine. But, even with its regular servicing the car feels older than it is. The powers dramatically gone and when slowing can hear the lower gears clunking. When I back out of the drive the brakes seize if I dont drive it for a week. The car has only done 14,000 miles in 3 years and serviced when the handbook tells me to, but the car just doesnt feel as good as it should. Which is a shame, so going for a Fiesta now, the wifes had 5 so far and each one has been problem free and she drives 10,000 miles a year.

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Its a good runabout car, not designed for top performance but it gets you about town easily enough and can hold its own on the occasional long journey when required

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I am satisfied - it is a cheaper car with lower running costs that the one i had previously but speed/performance is (obviously) reduced.

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A fun car

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Well built, reliable, economical and enjoyable to drive.

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No Red thumbs down

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I have owned many vw over the last 30 years but the tsi 1200cc engine make it a star! Its overall a better cat than the golf mk 5 it replace. Down sizing worked for me.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Typically reliable volkswagen. Build quality excellent.

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No Red thumbs down

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The car runs beautifully, the ride and comfort is excellent, build quality is excellent, feels like you are driving a much larger car. The interior is lovely and would recommend this car for sure, I am well pleased. It has put the fun back into driving for me,

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Good reliability

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Absolutely no problems in the six months or so that I have owned the car.

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all ways works, well made

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Never had a moment's trouble.

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Has yet to let me down

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Yes Green thumbs up

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.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Vw polo 6n, what can i say? Picked it up for less than 400, runs perfectly, and got nothing wrong to say about it. Practical and feels safe. Old but doesn't seem to want to stop running. A***!

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Practical, reliable and stylish for a good price; quite economical to run.

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No Red thumbs down

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A big improment on the previous model which i would never have bought, all the qualties of a golf but more afrodable

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Relibable

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No Red thumbs down

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Excellent small car, has the feel and quality of a much bigger car.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Brilliant

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Yes Green thumbs up

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It is a concept car and i am delighted with it.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Tough, reliable, quiet-running small car-would buy another.

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Does what i require

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No Red thumbs down

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I am an unashamed vw addict and rate their cars as 1st class in every department.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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I believe that my car is a brilliant concept car. It is built for a purpose and that is to save fuel and to give out small emmissions. I believe that it meets those criteria and is great to drive and ride in.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Easy to drive,smooth and comfortable

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Great

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Very good car got the 3 door fuel consumption very good round the doors.had a diesel car before this one had on got problem with dpf went for this model because it got the power with it having a 150 bhp plus got act engine that drops in to 2 sillenders when your at the speed you need very smart car had 2 previous polos but this is far the best

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Bought this car for my son as he only liked the Volkswagen polo models 09 onwards, and didn't like Vauxhall corsas or the Ford Fiesta (which he learned in) . Bought outright, car under his name and insurance policy. The insurance quote at first was £870 now after 1 years no claims he then paid £520. This motor can get from 0-60 with no problems taking about 11 seconds which is fast for a small car compared to other competitors! And for a 17 year old it's a pretty nippy and stylish car for someone who has passed. However when changing into 3rd gear he's told me that the gear box can make an odd scrapping noise as if he hasn't dipped the clutch enough, although nothing drastic has happened it's just once in a while this happens. This car is also fitted with stop start and one day when commuting through the city centre, the car failed to start backup after a couple tries manually it finally did, but then proceeded to die out again at the next stop. When taken back to the dealer we were then told to switch stop start off everytime when entering the car as it drains the battery, which is what happened! Other than that he has never had a problem with the car and personally I think it's one of the best smart minis on the roads today!

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Use mostly for around town, but a few fairly long trips every few months or so. On motorway trips it gets fairly good economy in the high forties, around town it can get around low thirties depending on traffic. Lots of kit, A/C great, cruise control a real plus for motorways. Boot is a reasonable size, movable boot floor an excellent addition, as it means a flat load through with the rear seats down, though not great for long items. Comfortable and quiet for long distances, though seats can be a little tough after a really long way. Not had any problems to speak of in 18months, though have started to notice the odd suspension related knocking of late. Engine (1.4 petrol, 85bhp) is ok around town - it's quiet, but does need working to move quickly but handles motorway well. 5-speed manual is a little worked when doing 70mph, 6th gear would have been welcome. Overall a good little car, as long as you don't need to carry too much, too far, too often!

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Yes Green thumbs up

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i have had zero problems with my vw

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Yes Green thumbs up

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No Red thumbs down

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I have never had a problem

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Has broken down once. Manufacturer mod. to the turbo carried out by dealer.

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No Red thumbs down

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Nothing wrong with it

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Yes Green thumbs up

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its never let me down yet

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Yes Green thumbs up

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start first time no matter the weather or time of year

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Great engineering from VW

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No Red thumbs down

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couple of minor problems sorted under warantee

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Yes Green thumbs up

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During the first year it had about one month off the road due to oil leaks and parts shortages. Since then it's been solid.

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No Red thumbs down

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Not only reliable but the franchised dealer ensures I'm rarely inconvenienced. Dearer there but the car is known from day 1 to the day I trade it in.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Very good build-quality.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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No Red thumbs down

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Excellent value if somewhat lacking in all rrespects from the golf it replaced, after 19 years

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Solid, reliable, suits me

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Ok so far

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No Red thumbs down

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Fairly reliable, keeps running with a little tlc, amazing for its age.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Ok for a second hand car that was cheap to buy. Lasting longer than expected compared with other makes i,ve owned. Extremely good on fuel on long runs, 60 mpg. The interior looks as though it will wear out before the motor.

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No Red thumbs down

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The polo is a great car for the job except for the power surges when car is supposed to slow down. You can only turn a corner in 1st gear

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No Red thumbs down

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Changing from toyota has not made any difference so far in reliability or pleasure of motoring

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Oh dear! The car developed a gearbox oil leak, loose trim and a few other issues and was at the dealer for around 3 weeks to get the issues resolved. When it came back the steering didn't seem right and the dealer thought the oil leak was back so kept the car for another week and a half. Parts delays have been some of the issue. A month for a piece of exterior trim was a joke.

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No Red thumbs down

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Not at all bad (so far!)

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No Red thumbs down

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An amazing little runaround with cery few problems considering her age,, was right to isten to my freinds and family and go for a vw!

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Wonderful little car. Just perfect for shopping and collecting the grandchildren from school.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Fairly nice car to drive but considering it’s only just 4 years old and done 38,000, i’ve already had to replace the water pump, the air con has died and the radio unit is faulty and switches itself on and off all the time. I'm not particularly impressed.

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No Red thumbs down

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I had a 2006 Polo 1.2 with 60bhp as my first car which i learned in and drove happily for my first year of driving, loved it. So after a year i decided now i had 1 years No Claims i wanted to upgrade! So another Polo seemed the natural choice. Came across this Polo in SE L top spec trim and Flash Red paint and just couldn't say no. Within the first month of owning the car the EGR Valve went which i later found out was extremely common with this engine and in some occasions VW replaced under goodwill. However having bought the car privately i was on my own so forked out £800 at a local independent garage. The car was 5 years old yet had only covered 37000 miles which on first glance looked good, however all the short journeys meant the engine was just full of soot and clogged up. My advice would be be wary of buying this 1.6TDI engine if you do below 15k miles a year or do lots of short journeys, as the DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) needs to regenerate itself every 100-200 miles and if you turn the car off while its doing it it dumps unburnt Diesel into the Oil and a light comes on on the dash! So I often find myself sitting on the drive for 10 minutes after getting home just for it to finish this process. You can tell its regenerating as the car stinks outside and the RPMs sit at 1000. It has been doing this a lot more since the TDI Emissions Fix Update was applied. I have also had a few electronic issues such as interior lights not working and the AUX is a pain. All in all the Polo is a good car, but to be honest the new petrol engines are just as efficient as the diesels. Just go for a petrol, wish i did!

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Never ever again!!! A brand new car plagued with problems and rubbish customer service. 4 yrs old this week 17,500 miles and the power steering pump has gone at the fine tune of £750 for the part. Had to have new battery due to faulty electrics, passenger side window fell in randomly whilst driving and the Bluetooth needs an update which requires inserting a USB lead in which vw tell me will cost over 100 pounds. So my advise is don't bother

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No Red thumbs down

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Lovely car. Well built, comfortable to drive even on long journeys and so smooth. I love the gearbox it just easily glides into gear so smoothly. Very light steering and spacious inside. Generous boot space with interior light. Reliable nippy and a good sound system. The nicest car I've ever owned. Stylish . I love it.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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I bought this car as I like the solid, non namby-pamby, smart and sophisticated look. Also it is a small car without looking really girly. I wanted the Golf but too expensive for me at this point. Mine is 3 door in sea blue, petrol. The colour is unusual. The vehicle is very smooth to drive and has that quality German drive with not many bumps, outdoes the jerkier cars on the road like the Fiesta and Corsa any time. I think the car has plenty of space and feels much bigger than it appears from the outside. To travel in it is smooth, quiet, comfortable and spacious like the Golf. There are few other superminis in my opinion, with this bigger car feel. So far my 6 year old Volkswagen Polo has had no problems in the year I have had it.

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No breakdowns yet

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No Red thumbs down

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Faultless

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Yes Green thumbs up

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No Red thumbs down

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Battery went flat - dealer found a voltage leak. Reset electronics and it worked ok. Nothing actually fixed so still waiting for it to happen again. Flooded badly once from cold starting.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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1 - shock absorber and boot lock replaced under warranty

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No Red thumbs down

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Seems very Unstable, bought the car 5 months visit dealer 4 times. First time loud noise from handbrake, second time rear speaker failure, third time went to fixed the rear nearside wheel liner, because it stick out dealer mention it, it was a weather defect. Failed first mot because when pulled handbrake car will still have moment. All these are minor fault so cannot put it unreliable.

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No Red thumbs down

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Rattles, vibrations, turbo failure, minor electronic faults - all fixed under warranty.

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No Red thumbs down

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Typically Volkswagen - everything fits perfectly, turn the key and she goes - simples! The only fault is it lacks excitement.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Quite happy with the car, but would like a car with lower or zero tax and better fuel consumption .

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No Red thumbs down

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Brilliant, beyond my expectations. Vw build quality is excellent

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Polo is nice and its a good price, but the one i reveived hasn't been very reilable. Speakers on doors went on me, wiper motor fuse blew, clutch and gearbox stick, rigid mudflaps are constantly scraping on the road surface when going over any sort of bump! Would buy the golf next time.

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No Red thumbs down

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The volkswagon polo is the best car i have owned to the present day The design is very nice, it is really great to drive, also very comfortable indeed.

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Yes Green thumbs up