Volkswagen Polo (1994 – 1999) Review

2024 Volkswagen Polo 1.0 TSI Life 5dr DSG

Volkswagen Polo
1.0 TSI Life 5dr DSG
£21,495

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Volkswagen Polo (1994 – 1999) At A Glance

Competent hatchback with a comfortable ride and a classier image than it deserves.

Dated-looking dashboard. Patchy build quality. Heavy on front tyres and front brakes. Rusts badly in doors.

Completely new, bigger, more substantial Polo available as a 3 or 5 door hatch.

What do owners think of the Volkswagen Polo (1994 – 1999)? Check out our Owners' Reviews from people who live with the car day in, day out.

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Reviews for Volkswagen Polo (1994 – 1999)'s top 3 rivals

Ford Fiesta

1995 Fiesta faclifted. Retained much improved handling and decent engines.

Nissan Micra

Cute looks. Not very different from the Fiat 500.

SEAT Ibiza

More interesting looking than a Polo. 1.8 petrol turbo FR good fun.

Ask Honest John

My insurance has offered scrap value for my car after an accident - what do I do?

"I own a 1996 Volkswagen Polo MK3 which has been in the family since new. Recently I had a small dent in the wing caused by a third party. The insurance engineer stated that it was not worth repairing and offered scrap value for it. How do I stand with the law on this one. Should my car be restored to its condition prior to the accident, regardless of value?"

No. Consistent County Court judgements have been that you are entitled to be put back in the position before the damage was done, but that paying you 'market value' for your car meets that requirement. It stinks. Basically someone wants to rip off your car, fix it cheaply and re-sell it. So refuse to allow them to 'write off' your car and simply demand whatever figure their sums came up with that allow you to keep the car without it becoming a Cat D, a Cat C or a Cat B. Even if they pay you nothing, that would be better than being given £200 as 'market value' for your car.

Answered by Honest John

Fuel gauge fault on Polo

"I have a 1996 Volkswagen Polo 1.4 petrol and my fuel gauge is fluctuating between full and empty tank. Is this problem common and can I fix it myself?"

This will be the fuel tank float sender. The float might be punctured, or the earth may be poor. You can access it via a plate under the rear seat but I strongly advise you not to because petrol fumes can very easily ignite from the slightest spark, even from a screwdriver. Whatever you do, disconnect the car battery before doing anything.

Answered by Honest John

Shall I change the timing belt on my recently purchased Polo?

"We recently purchased a used Volkswagen Polo 1.4 (1999) with 180,000 km from a family that was the original owner. We have taken it to mechanics that confirm it is in very good condition. However, they do urge us to replace the timing belt. The timing belt only has 40k Km on it but was replaced 6 years ago. Neither mechanic took the cover off to see the condition of the belt itself, but stated that because so much time has passed, it needs to be replaced immediately. Thus, my question to you is, are they looking to make a buck or is time really an important factor to consider for the condition of a timing belt?"

It's not the mileage or kilometerage, it's the age and the number of cold starts. I'd change it and the water pump as well if it is driven by the belt.

Answered by Honest John

My Volkswagen Polo won't start

"My car's starter turns on the engine won't fire up. I've had a diagnostic session, but they can't find any problems. When driving, the speedometer went to zero and car stopped in middle of road - and would not start again. Had clutch changed two weeks ago, and cant go into fifth gear - can this be a cause? Owned car 13 years no problems. "

When you say Variant what size engine and is it diesel or petrol

Answered by Alan Ross