Ford Fiesta vs Volkswagen Polo
Figures updated
The Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo are two of the UK's most popular superminis. We compare the Mk8 (2017–2023) Fiesta and the Polo Mk6 (2017–) on price, size, boot space, performance, safety and running costs, plus how reliable each has been across 1,969,415 real MOT tests.
The short answer
The Volkswagen Polo comes out ahead, with the bigger boot; the Ford Fiesta is close on everything else.
- The Volkswagen Polo has the biggest boot: 351 litres, 40 more than the Ford Fiesta.
- Their MOT records are close: once age and mileage are taken into account, they fail about as often as each other.
- Running costs are close: the petrol versions cost within £10 a year of each other to fuel at 7,500 miles a year.
- Watch the steering on a Ford Fiesta: it fails on them 1.8 times as often as the average car.
- Watch the steering on a Volkswagen Polo: it fails on them 1.6 times as often as the average car.
| Figure | Ford FiestaMk8 (2017–2023), 3/5-door hatchback | Volkswagen PoloPolo Mk6 (2017–), 5-door hatchback |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | – | £22,310 to £28,920October 2026 price list |
| Body | 3/5-door hatchback | 5-door hatchback |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| BootSeats up / folded | 311 litres / 1,093 | 351 litres (best) |
| Length | 4,048mm | 4,074mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | 1,735mm | 1,751mm |
| Height | 1,490mm | 1,451mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 70–200 PS | 80–207 PS (best) |
| 0–62mph | 6.5–14.9 sec | 6.5–15.5 sec |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2017) | ★★★★★ (2017) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Hybrid, Petrol | Diesel, Petrol |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 43.5–58.9 mpg | 43.5–76.3 mpg |
| CO2 | 110–147 g/km | 97–148 g/km |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.7p a litre, today's UK average | £1,098 (53.3 mpg) | £1,098 (53.3 mpg) |
| Diesel198.4p a litre | – | £910 (74.3 mpg) |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £1,098 (petrol) | £910 (diesel) |
| Car tax a yearCars registered from April 2017 | £200 | £200 |
| Reliability from real MOT tests | ||
| Reliability score | 86Below average | 87Below average |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 34.3% | 32.9% (best) |
| Failed at 3 years old | 13.2% | 11.8% (best) |
| Failed at 5 years old | 14.6% (best) | 19.9% |
| Failed at 10 years old | 36.6% | 34.3% (best) |
| Most common MOT fault | Stop lamp (6.1% of tests) | Pins and bushes (3.1% of tests) |
| Fails more than average on | Steering (1.8×), Lights and electrics (1.4×) | Steering (1.6×), Body and structure (1.5×) |
| MOT tests analysed | 1,368,897 | 600,518 |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Supermini | Supermini |
| Owners' average miles a year | 6,800 | 6,700 |
| On sale | 2017–2023 | 2017 on |
Green marks the better figure where the difference is more than 3%. Reliability figures cover every version of each model tested in the year. Running costs use the typical official economy of recent versions (WLTP where available); real-world economy is usually a little worse for every car.
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
›Is the Ford Fiesta or the Volkswagen Polo more reliable?
There's little in it. Once age and mileage are taken into account, both fail their MOT about as often as each other (reliability scores 86 and 87, where 100 is average).
›Which is bigger, the Ford Fiesta or the Volkswagen Polo?
The Volkswagen Polo is 26mm longer (4,074mm against 4,048mm). The Volkswagen Polo has the bigger boot: 351 litres against 311.
›Which is cheaper to run, the Ford Fiesta or the Volkswagen Polo?
Comparing petrol versions, fuel costs are within £10 a year of each other at 7,500 miles, using typical official economy and current UK average fuel prices.
›Which is safer, the Ford Fiesta or the Volkswagen Polo?
Euro NCAP gave the Ford Fiesta 5 stars (2017) and the Volkswagen Polo 5 stars (2017). Euro NCAP makes its tests tougher every few years, so ratings from different years aren't directly comparable.
›Should I buy the Ford Fiesta or the Volkswagen Polo?
The Volkswagen Polo comes out ahead, with the bigger boot; the Ford Fiesta is close on everything else. The comparison above sets out price, space, performance, safety, running costs and reliability side by side.
Sources: manufacturers' UK specifications and price lists and Euro NCAP (listed on each model's page); DVSA anonymised MOT tests 2024 (Open Government Licence v3.0); Vehicle Certification Agency car fuel data, © Crown copyright, VCA cannot accept liability for its accuracy; fuel prices from the GOV.UK Fuel Finder scheme. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each picture.