Volkswagen Polo vs Skoda Fabia
Figures updated
The Volkswagen Polo and Skoda Fabia are two of the UK's most popular superminis. We compare the Polo Mk6 (2017–) and the Mk4 (2021–) Fabia on price, size, boot space, performance, safety and running costs, plus how reliable each has been across 826,090 real MOT tests.
The short answer
The Skoda Fabia comes out ahead, with the lower price, the bigger boot and the better MOT record; the Volkswagen Polo is close on everything else.
- The Skoda Fabia is the cheapest to buy new: from £21,070, £1,240 less than the Volkswagen Polo.
- The Skoda Fabia has the biggest boot: 380 litres, 29 more than the Volkswagen Polo.
- The Skoda Fabia has the better MOT record. Like for like on age and mileage, the Volkswagen Polo fails its MOT about 11% more often.
- Running costs are close: the petrol versions cost within £30 a year of each other to fuel at 7,500 miles a year.
- Watch the steering on a Volkswagen Polo: it fails on them 1.6 times as often as the average car.
- Watch the body and structure on a Skoda Fabia: it fails on them 1.3 times as often as the average car.
| Figure | Volkswagen PoloPolo Mk6 (2017–), 5-door hatchback | Skoda FabiaMk4 (2021–), 5-door hatchback |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | £22,310 to £28,920October 2026 price list | £21,070 to £30,010April 2026 price list (best) |
| Body | 5-door hatchback | 5-door hatchback |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| BootSeats up / folded | 351 litres | 380 litres / 1,190 (best) |
| Length | 4,074mm | 4,108mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | 1,751mm | 1,780mm |
| Height | 1,451mm | 1,459mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 80–207 PS (best) | 80–177 PS |
| 0–62mph | 6.5–15.5 sec (best) | 7.4–15.7 sec |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2017) | ★★★★★ (2021) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Diesel, Petrol | Petrol |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 43.5–76.3 mpg | 52.3–56.8 mpg |
| CO2 | 97–148 g/km | 112–122 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) | £1,068 (54.8 mpg) |
| Diesel198.4p a litre | £910 (74.3 mpg) | – |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £910 (diesel) | £1,068 (petrol) |
| Car tax a yearCars registered from April 2017 | £200 | £200 |
| Reliability from real MOT tests | ||
| Reliability score | 87Below average | 97Below average (best) |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 32.9% | 29.6% (best) |
| Failed at 3 years old | 11.8% (best) | 13.6% |
| Failed at 5 years old | 19.9% | 16.6% (best) |
| Failed at 10 years old | 34.3% | 27.8% (best) |
| Most common MOT fault | Pins and bushes (3.1% of tests) | Pins and bushes (3.7% of tests) |
| Fails more than average on | Steering (1.6×), Body and structure (1.5×) | Body and structure (1.3×) |
| MOT tests analysed | 600,518 | 225,572 |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Supermini | Supermini |
| Owners' average miles a year | 6,700 | 6,900 |
| On sale | 2017 on | 2021 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 Skoda Fabia more reliable?
The Skoda Fabia. Like for like on age and mileage, the Volkswagen Polo fails its MOT about 11% more often (reliability scores 97 and 87, where 100 is average). 29.6% of Skoda Fabias and 32.9% of Volkswagen Polos failed first time in 2024.
›Which is bigger, the Volkswagen Polo or the Skoda Fabia?
The Skoda Fabia is 34mm longer (4,108mm against 4,074mm). The Skoda Fabia has the bigger boot: 380 litres against 351.
›Which is cheaper to buy, the Volkswagen Polo or the Skoda Fabia?
The Skoda Fabia: new prices start at £21,070, £1,240 less than the Volkswagen Polo (from £22,310). These are manufacturer list prices; dealers and brokers often sell for less.
›Which is cheaper to run, the Volkswagen Polo or the Skoda Fabia?
Comparing petrol versions, fuel costs are within £30 a year of each other at 7,500 miles, using typical official economy and current UK average fuel prices.
›Which is safer, the Volkswagen Polo or the Skoda Fabia?
Euro NCAP gave the Volkswagen Polo 5 stars (2017) and the Skoda Fabia 5 stars (2021). 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 Skoda Fabia?
The Skoda Fabia comes out ahead, with the lower price, the bigger boot and the better MOT record; the Volkswagen Polo 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.