- Volkswagen is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Polo
- First produced back in 1975
- 20 million vehicles sold across six generations
- Affordable hatch has enduring appeal
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Volkswagen is preparing to give the birthday bumps to its long-running Polo, as the compact hatchback turns 50 years old in 2025.
It’s fair to say that the Polo, first launched in 1975, has stood the test of time.
It hit forecourts just after the Mark 1 Golf was introduced and was styled in part by legendary Italian coachbuilder Bertone.
The recipe was a simple one, with VW aiming to offer a practical, affordable and decent-looking everyday driver for the masses.
Fast forward five decades, and that’s still the case. You can lease a VW Polo with Select for less than you might expect and it’s an alternative to cars like the SEAT Ibiza, Skoda Fabia and Renault Clio.
Now VW is readying to celebrate the Polo’s longevity with a special exhibition at the Bremen Classic Motorshow 2025, which runs from 31 January to 2 February 2025.
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A VW spokesperson said: “When the VW Beetle was due to be replaced in the 1970s, Volkswagen had several models up its sleeve: the Passat came on to the market in 1973, followed a year later by the Golf, while the Polo made its debut in 1975. No vehicle before had been so short and refined. Positioned a class below the Golf, the Polo perfectly rounded off the then new model family with front-wheel drive. Now, 50 years later and in its sixth generation, the Polo has proven how a small car can assert itself confidently in a likeable way. More than 20 million cars sold speak for themselves.”
As VW rightly points out, there’s a Polo flavour to suit all sorts of customers. Plenty of folks will learn to drive in a Polo, even more will choose one as their first car.
Yet it’s also up for grabs in sporty GTI trim, which unlocks power of 207 PS and a 0-62 mph acceleration time of 6.5 seconds.
Don’t need all of that oomph but still want to get up to motorway speeds with ease? A Polo with a 1.0-litre petrol engine and 115 PS will do the job just fine.
Here’s a quick look at the Polo’s unique timeline:
Polo II
With each generation, the small car has been developed further. The Polo II brought a number of improvements from 1981 onwards, including more space and comfort as well as modernised engines. In 1987, the limited special series Polo Coupé GT G40 saw the debut of the scroll-type supercharger, which provided more power. Another leap forward followed in the third generation from 1994, also in terms of technology.
Polo III
The Polo III was one of the first vehicles in its class with innovative safety features such as airbags. In 1998, the Polo was available for the first time as a GTI.
Polo IV
With a significant increase in size, the fourth generation offered a new level of comfort and safety from 2002, with front and side airbags, power steering and ABS as standard. The Polo V saw the introduction of a host of digital innovations: from 2009, infotainment and assistance systems made driving more comfortable than ever.
Polo V
The Polo V also impressed in motorsport: with the Polo R WRC, Volkswagen won the World Rally Championship title four times in a row from 2013.
Polo VI
The sixth generation was based on the modular transverse matrix (MQB) and set new standards in 2017 in terms of connectivity, safety and driving dynamics. The Polo became even more digital and innovative with the product upgrade in 2021. The compact car boasts assistance and comfort systems that are otherwise known only from higher vehicle classes.
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