In short
At 7–8 years (mostly built 2017–2019) 3.4% of 20,631 inspected Volkswagen Polo VIs had at least one A-problem at the APK, against 3.1% for all cars of the same age. Over all ages together an A-problem occurs 28% more often on this model than on average (rank 263 of 328 in the ranking). Most often it concerns steering, brakes, seat belts and seats and airbags — steering occurs 5.2× as often as on comparable cars.
Cite these figures
CarXray.nl (2026). Volkswagen Polo VI — APK defects by age. Based on RDW Open Data, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026. https://carxray.nl/en/modellen/volkswagen/polo-vi/
A-problems
3.4%
n = 20,631 · 95% CI 3.2 – 3.7%
National, same age
3.1%
n = 884,744 · 95% CI 3.1 – 3.1%
Defects at the APK by age
- Volkswagen Polo VI
- National, same age
- 95% confidence interval
| Age | Built (approx.) | n | A-problems | 95% CI | All defects | National A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 – 4 years | 2021–2023 | 9,980 | 2.3% | 2.0 – 2.6% | 24.8% | 1.3% |
| 5 – 6 years | 2019–2021 | 13,711 | 2.8% | 2.6 – 3.1% | 35.4% | 1.9% |
| 7 – 8 years | 2017–2019 | 20,631 | 3.4% | 3.2 – 3.7% | 42.0% | 3.1% |
| 9 – 10 years | 2015–2017 | 9 | insufficient | 4.7% | ||
| 11 – 12 years | 2013–2015 | — | insufficient | 7.2% | ||
| 13 – 15 years | 2010–2013 | — | insufficient | 10.6% | ||
| 16+ years | 2010 or older | — | insufficient | 15.3% |
Weak spots
What to check extra on this generation.
| Point to check | Share · sample · 95% CI | Vs. same class | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 1.3% · n = 20,631 · 1.1 – 1.4% | 5.2× | |
| Brakes | 0.9% · n = 20,631 · 0.7 – 1.0% | 0.7× | |
| Seat belts, seats and airbags | 0.6% · n = 20,631 · 0.5 – 0.7% | 1.2× | |
| Springs and shock absorbers | 0.3% · n = 20,631 · 0.2 – 0.4% | 0.8× |
Open recalls
Check the status of this specific car.
About this generation
- Production years
- 2017 – 2026
- RDW type code(s)
- AW
- Trade name(s)
- POLO
- Registered (type group)
- 96,735
- Generation boundary
- Draft, being checked
Similar models
Same type of car and era, at 7–8 years. Polo VI: 3.4% A-problems.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Volkswagen Polo reliable?
The APK tells you about defects, not breakdowns. At 7–8 years 3.4% of inspected Volkswagen Polo VIs had at least one A-problem (structure, safety or costly mechanics), against 3.1% nationally at the same age. The maintenance of the specific car matters more than the model.
How does the Volkswagen Polo VI compare with other cars?
Over all ages together an A-problem occurs 28% more often on the Volkswagen Polo VI than on cars of the same age. That puts it at rank 263 of 328 models in the CarXray ranking.
Which model years do these figures cover?
The inspections run from 2025-10 to 2026-09. Cars aged 7–8 years were then mostly built in 2017–2019. The data table shows the build years per age class.
What are the most common problems?
The most common A-problems at the APK are steering, brakes, seat belts, seats and airbags. See the weak spots above and take them into your checklist.
Take these insights to the viewing
Use our checklist and focus on the key points for this Volkswagen Polo VI.