Hello all,

Looking for a reliable run around and the Polo seems to tick all the boxes (second is the Fiesta).

Has anyone got any experience with the mk5 polo? Particularly the 1.2?
The larger engines seem to cost a couple thousand more.
Can you fit a bike in with the wheels off? Real world mpg and running costs?

Any feedback would be great.

I have the 1.2TSI engine (are you looking at the TSI?) in the Skoda equivalent (Rapid) and it’s a cracking engine – even with my heavy right foot I get 45mpg around town and can get up to 55mpg on a run. I’d imagine the Rapid is a damn sight heavier than the polo too.

I think that engine is a bit on the small side and one reason the bigger engines cost more is because that’s what people want. Is the 1.2 a 3 cyclinder ? If you are town/short drives only then it might be ok. The Polos are good cars with quite a big car feel but I do have a preference for the larger engines.

Hmm, currently looking at the 1.2 S (60 PS).
These can be had for £6,500 with low mileage. My budget is £6,000-7,500.
Obviously I’d like to keep the price low.

Car will be used for short journeys most of the time but I hope to go to Wales (140miles) at least once a month with the MTB, as well as other adventures (Scotland/Alps?). I’m happy to sit at 70mph on the motorway. Slow but steady 😀 !

@cokie, the car is relatively quiet and smooth for a small car and if you are patient the 1.2 will be fine. We bought a 1.3 Yaris which is pretty nippy but feels lightweight at 70, the Polos are much more solid.

Mrs Carlos has a 10 plate 1.4 Polo and whilst you get a good mpg, its not nippy or quick as it lacks torque. The feel of the car is great and quite roomy, its comfy, got some toys on it, colour coded etc.. and is generally a very nice little car. With the rear seats down, yes you can easy get a bike in with the wheels off, maybe even just without the front on and kit.

She test drove a 1.2 Polo but it was absolutely gutless and even she thought it was slow.

The supercharged turbo engines are completely different though, nice and smooth, decent torque and BHP, and they return a good MPG. I’ve got the Golf 1.4TSI (140BHP) and get 45mpg on a run to Wales easily, so I acan only guess the Polo being lighter would be marginally better.

Best advice, as always is test drive the whatever size engines your thinking of. Only you will really know if you can live with the performance

Carlos

They’re pretty reliable. They do eat ignition coils so either keep a spare in the boot or join the AA, as they carry them and will fix it on the spot.

Thanks for the feedback! I’ll get a test drive lined up I think.
I suppose if I just try the 1.2 and find it Ok then I wont try the 1.4. That way I won’t know what I’m missing.

I had a 1.2L 60 Moda, 2010, so basically what your looking at, last August drover from Cheltenham to Verbier, with bike luggage and partner. Not the fastest car up the mountain to Verbier other than that perfectly happy truddling down the peage at 130kmph. Plenty of trips to North Devon and Cornwall, just be aware you have to change down a gear before you hit the hill and rev it a bit but no great hardship. fold the back seats flat and bike went in road bike with mudguards and leaving the back wheel in was a squeeze but taking both wheels off no problems at all.

The moda had a false boot floor which meant I could cram crap under there and keep chain oil off it. It also had draws under the front seats which was handy for hi-viz, as per the French laws, as well as other useful but not very often needed crap.

Overtaking on A roads involves a little thought as you don’t have the acceleration of a larger engine but again not really an issue.

As for running costs, I handed the car back at 45k back tyres were still original but did need changing, servicing was main dealer and all fixed price. economy was around the 50mpg. Insurance was minimal.

A car is a tool, it was reliable, fairly comfy, cheap-ish.

cokie – Member

Hmm, currently looking at the 1.2 S (60 PS).

I would say that 60ps in a Polo would make for a pretty frustrating driving experience. It weighs over a ton & 0-60 is almost 16 seconds…

It might be OK about town, but I wouldn’t want to be driving it on open roads/motorways unless I had to.

My Wife’s Ka had the same power, but weighed over 100kg less and that was about the limit of acceptable engine power for open road driving. Of course, you can drive cars with less power perfectly well (and her Ka was great to drive), but cars with low power require much more forethought and planning and give you less options….

jambalaya, if it was the original Yaris 1.3 then I think it had about 25bhp more than the Polo that the OP is proposing and again, weighed about 100kg less.

I have one for commuting on the days I don’t ride. One thing to bear in mind if you dogo for the 1.2 S spec, is that the rear seats don’t split, it is a bench setup. So if you ever need to carry bikes (or other large loads) in the car and also 3 people then it won’t work. (2 bikes with the wheels off fit in fine with the rear seats down).

Otherwise yes it’s slow think 0-62mph is around 15s. And the 3 cylinder engine is noisy when accelerating. However, they are good little cars, great around town and will cruise quietly on the motorway fine. Fairly economical, although nowt special. Nice to be in, the layout is very similar to all other Vag cars and feels well made. Also look at the Fabia and Ibiza as they are the same underneath but do feel a bit cheaper inside.

So general consensus is that the Polo is a nice, reliable little car but it would benefit from a larger engine.
I might get lucky and find a 1.4 within my budget & spec.

cokie – Member

I might get lucky and find a 1.4 within my budget & spec.

As mentioned above – the Polo is based on the same platform as the Fabia and Ibiza. They are obviously quite different cars though so you might have your heart set on the Polo and not want to look at alternatives.
But, you generally pay a premium for the Polo – so, perhaps you might find something closer to the age/engine/mileage if you look at something else.

Older versions, but when I was looking for my current car I quickly ruled out the Polo as they were generally about 15% more for a car with a smaller engine and worse specification. The Fabia vRS was next in line, until someone pointed out that the Ibiza Sport 130 was the ‘same car’, but could be had for less, and broadly speaking the same age/mileage Ibiza was about £1k less than the equivalent Fabia. I ended up with the Ibiza.
My sister has got a 1.4TDi Polo about the same age as my Ibiza – no question that the interior is better quality and looks/feels more solid. But, the kit on it is woeful – it’s an 05 plate and it’s got a cassette player….

The 1.2 is under powered. So is the small diesel. Test drove both and then bought the 1.2 TSI. This is a much better engine. Other than cost all the other petrol options are pointless (ignoring the ‘hot’ engines). TSI I think has better economy, lower co2 and more power.

Thanks for all the details.
Wasn’t aware of the 1.2 Tsi variant.
I’ll do some research tonight.

Quick update- I’ve started looking at the Fiat Panda 100HP. They look like great cars. Similar mpg (especially on the motorway) to the 1.2/1.4 in the Polo. Larger and more practical size.

I’ve found a 2010, 43,000, lots of extras for £5000. About £1500 cheaper than the equivalent 1.4 polo.

Crunched some numbers and it should equal roughly the same, taking into account depreciation, tax, insurance & servicing.

Any thoughts? Am I a bit nuts?