Volkswagen Polo vs Toyota Yaris
Figures updated
The Volkswagen Polo and Toyota Yaris are two of the UK's most popular superminis. We compare the Polo Mk6 (2017–) and the Mk4 (2020–) Yaris on price, size, boot space, performance, safety and running costs, plus how reliable each has been across 1,002,560 real MOT tests.
The short answer
Pick the Volkswagen Polo for the lower price, the bigger boot and more performance, or the Toyota Yaris for the better MOT record and lower fuel costs.
- The Volkswagen Polo is the cheapest to buy new: from £22,310, £1,535 less than the Toyota Yaris.
- The Volkswagen Polo has the biggest boot: 351 litres, 65 more than the Toyota Yaris.
- The Toyota Yaris has the better MOT record. Like for like on age and mileage, the Volkswagen Polo fails its MOT about 21% more often.
- The Toyota Yaris is the cheapest to fuel: comparing petrol versions, about £165 a year less than the Volkswagen Polo 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.
| Figure | Volkswagen PoloPolo Mk6 (2017–), 5-door hatchback | Toyota YarisMk4 (2020–), 5-door hatchback |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | £22,310 to £28,920October 2026 price list (best) | £23,845 to £30,045March 2026 price list |
| Body | 5-door hatchback | 5-door hatchback |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| BootSeats up / folded | 351 litres (best) | 286 litres |
| Length | 4,074mm | 3,940mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | 1,751mm | 1,745mm |
| Height | 1,451mm | 1,500mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 80–207 PS (best) | 116–130 PS |
| 0–62mph | 6.5–15.5 sec (best) | 9.2–9.7 sec |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2017) | ★★★★★ (2020) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Diesel, Petrol | Hybrid |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 43.5–76.3 mpg | 55.4–68.9 mpg |
| CO2 | 97–148 g/km | 91–116 g/km |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.4p a litre, today's UK average | £1,096 (53.3 mpg) | £931 (62.8 mpg) (best) |
| Diesel198.4p a litre | £910 (74.3 mpg) | – |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £910 (diesel) | £931 (petrol) |
| Car tax a yearCars registered from April 2017 | £200 | £200 |
| Reliability from real MOT tests | ||
| Reliability score | 87Below average | 105Above average (best) |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 32.9% | 27.7% (best) |
| Failed at 3 years old | 11.8% | 9.6% (best) |
| Failed at 5 years old | 19.9% | 13.9% (best) |
| Failed at 10 years old | 34.3% | 25.5% (best) |
| Most common MOT fault | Pins and bushes (3.1% of tests) | Position lamp (4.0% of tests) |
| Fails more than average on | Steering (1.6×), Body and structure (1.5×) | Nothing stands out |
| MOT tests analysed | 600,518 | 402,042 |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Supermini | Supermini |
| Owners' average miles a year | 6,700 | 6,000 |
| On sale | 2017 on | 2020 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 Toyota Yaris more reliable?
The Toyota Yaris. Like for like on age and mileage, the Volkswagen Polo fails its MOT about 21% more often (reliability scores 105 and 87, where 100 is average). 27.7% of Toyota Yarises and 32.9% of Volkswagen Polos failed first time in 2024.
›Which is bigger, the Volkswagen Polo or the Toyota Yaris?
The Volkswagen Polo is 134mm longer (4,074mm against 3,940mm). The Volkswagen Polo has the bigger boot: 351 litres against 286.
›Which is cheaper to buy, the Volkswagen Polo or the Toyota Yaris?
The Volkswagen Polo: new prices start at £22,310, £1,535 less than the Toyota Yaris (from £23,845). These are manufacturer list prices; dealers and brokers often sell for less.
›Which is cheaper to run, the Volkswagen Polo or the Toyota Yaris?
Comparing petrol versions, the Toyota Yaris costs about £165 a year less to fuel at 7,500 miles (£931 against £1,096), using typical official economy and current UK average fuel prices.
›Which is safer, the Volkswagen Polo or the Toyota Yaris?
Euro NCAP gave the Volkswagen Polo 5 stars (2017) and the Toyota Yaris 5 stars (2020). 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 Toyota Yaris?
Pick the Volkswagen Polo for the lower price, the bigger boot and more performance, or the Toyota Yaris for the better MOT record and lower fuel costs. 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.