Volkswagen Polo vs Renault 5
Figures updated
The Renault 5 is a new rival to the Volkswagen Polo, one of the UK's most popular superminis. We compare the Polo Mk6 (2017–) and the E-Tech (2024–) 5 on price, size, boot space, performance, safety, official economy and running costs.
The short answer
The Volkswagen Polo comes out ahead, with the lower price, the bigger boot and more performance; the Renault 5 is close on everything else.
- The Volkswagen Polo is the cheapest to buy new: from £22,310, £685 less than the Renault 5.
- The Volkswagen Polo has the biggest boot: 351 litres, 25 more than the Renault 5.
- Euro NCAP safety: Volkswagen Polo 5 stars (2017), Renault 5 4 stars (2024). Ratings from different years aren't directly comparable, as the tests get tougher.
- No MOT reliability comparison yet: the Renault 5 is too new for MOT records (cars first take an MOT at three years old).
- Watch the steering on a Volkswagen Polo: it fails on them 1.6 times as often as the average car.
| Figure | Volkswagen PoloPolo Mk6 (2017–), 5-door hatchback | Renault 5E-Tech (2024–), 5-door hatchback |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | £22,310 to £28,920October 2026 price list | £22,995 to £30,695October 2026 price list |
| Body | 5-door hatchback | 5-door hatchback |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| BootSeats up / folded | 351 litres (best) | 326 litres / 1,106 |
| Length | 4,074mm | 3,922mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | 1,751mm | 1,808mm |
| Height | 1,451mm | 1,498mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 80–207 PS (best) | 120–150 PS |
| 0–62mph | 6.5–15.5 sec (best) | 7.9–9.0 sec |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2017) | ★★★★★ (2024) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Diesel, Petrol | Electric |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 43.5–76.3 mpg | – |
| CO2 | 97–148 g/km | – |
| Electric range | – | 190–255 miles |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.8p a litre, today's UK average | £1,099 (53.3 mpg) | – |
| Diesel198.4p a litre | £910 (74.3 mpg) | – |
| Electric, charged at home26.3p per kWh standard tariff | – | £548 (4 mi/kWh) |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £910 (diesel) | £548 (electric) |
| Car tax a yearCars registered from April 2017 | £200 | £200 |
| Reliability from real MOT tests | ||
| Reliability score | 87Below average | Too new for MOT data |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 32.9% | – |
| Failed at 3 years old | 11.8% | – |
| Failed at 5 years old | 19.9% | – |
| Failed at 10 years old | 34.3% | – |
| Most common MOT fault | Pins and bushes (3.1% of tests) | – |
| Fails more than average on | Steering (1.6×), Body and structure (1.5×) | – |
| MOT tests analysed | 600,518 | – |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Supermini | Supermini |
| Owners' average miles a year | 6,700 | – |
| On sale | 2017 on | 2024 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 Volkswagen Polo or the Renault 5 more reliable?
It's too early to say from MOT records: the Renault 5 is too new, as cars take their first MOT at three years old. The Volkswagen Polo has a reliability score of 87 (100 is average) from 600,518 MOT tests in 2024.
›Which is bigger, the Volkswagen Polo or the Renault 5?
The Volkswagen Polo is 152mm longer (4,074mm against 3,922mm). The Volkswagen Polo has the bigger boot: 351 litres against 326.
›Which is cheaper to buy, the Volkswagen Polo or the Renault 5?
The Volkswagen Polo: new prices start at £22,310, £685 less than the Renault 5 (from £22,995). These are manufacturer list prices; dealers and brokers often sell for less.
›Which is safer, the Volkswagen Polo or the Renault 5?
Euro NCAP gave the Volkswagen Polo 5 stars (2017) and the Renault 5 4 stars (2024). Euro NCAP makes its tests tougher every few years, so ratings from different years aren't directly comparable.
›Should I buy the Volkswagen Polo or the Renault 5?
The Volkswagen Polo comes out ahead, with the lower price, the bigger boot and more performance; the Renault 5 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.