Comparison · small hatchbacks
Ford Fiesta vs Volkswagen Polo: which is more reliable?
The Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo are very close at the MOT: scores of 94 and 95. Pick on the condition and history of the actual car. Based on 1,974,062 real MOT tests in 2024.
Ford Fiesta
Volkswagen Polo
By age
MOT Rank score for each age group (100 = an average car that age).
| Age at test | Ford Fiesta | Volkswagen Polo |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 years | 100About average | 100About average |
| 6–9 years | 94Below average | 97Below average |
| 10–14 years | 93Below average | 96Below average |
| 15+ years | 94Below average | 88Well below average |
Year by year
Share that passed first time, same registration year.
| Year | Ford Fiesta | Volkswagen Polo |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 86.6% | 88.7% |
| 2020 | 86.7% | 87.9% |
| 2019 | 85.8% | 83.1% |
| 2018 | 84.1% | 75.9% |
| 2017 | 76.4% | 77.4% |
| 2016 | 68.7% | 75.5% |
| 2015 | 67.3% | 72.7% |
| 2014 | 64.7% | 67.5% |
| 2013 | 61.9% | 63.6% |
| 2012 | 58.8% | 62.0% |
| 2011 | 58.1% | 58.4% |
| 2010 | 55.4% | 57.1% |
| 2009 | 54.0% | 54.3% |
| 2008 | 53.8% | 51.2% |
| 2007 | 54.2% | 51.4% |
| 2006 | 52.6% | 48.4% |
| 2005 | 52.7% | 48.2% |
| 2004 | 52.9% | 47.3% |
| 2003 | 54.1% | 47.5% |
| 2002 | 55.4% | 48.7% |
| 2001 | 56.6% | 54.0% |
| 2000 | 54.7% | 55.4% |
| 1999 | 51.8% | 62.2% |
| 1998 | 51.9% | 56.3% |
| 1997 | 56.8% | 59.7% |
| 1996 | 59.8% | 58.8% |
| 1995 | 65.1% | 62.5% |
| 1994 | 65.8% | 66.5% |
| 1993 | 61.9% | 56.3% |
| 1992 | 72.5% | 68.0% |
| 1991 | 78.8% | 66.2% |
| 1990 | 80.1% | 65.3% |
Problem areas
Failure items per 100 tests.
| Area | Ford Fiesta | Volkswagen Polo |
|---|---|---|
| Lights & electrics | 22.1 | 18.2 |
| Suspension | 15.3 | 13.3 |
| Brakes | 7.7 | 13.9 |
| Tyres | 9.0 | 7.0 |
| Emissions & leaks | 5.2 | 6.7 |
| Visibility (wipers, screen, mirrors) | 5.2 | 6.1 |
| Body & chassis | 3.9 | 6.1 |
| Steering | 3.9 | 3.3 |
Ford Fiesta: top failures
Volkswagen Polo: top failures
Questions
Which is more reliable, the Ford Fiesta or the Volkswagen Polo?
The Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo are very close at the MOT: scores of 94 and 95. Pick on the condition and history of the actual car.
Which years of the Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo can be compared?
Both were tested for 32 registration years (1990–2021). The Ford Fiesta had the higher pass rate in 16 of them and the Volkswagen Polo in 16.
What fails most on each?
Ford Fiesta: stop lamp: not working; suspension arms - ball joint: ball joint excessively worn. Volkswagen Polo: suspension arms - pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn; tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm.