PoloDriver

The Volkswagen Polo held firm in the first batch of 2019 new car registration figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), and in January was at number eight in the UK’s most popular cars list. A total of 2,963 Polos were registered during the first month of the year, the small Volkswagen also at number eight in the year-to-date list, too.

Fords in top two places
At number one, the Ford Fiesta kicked off 2019 in the position it has held from what seems like the start of time. Overall, 5,399 units of the Ford supermini were registered in January, with its larger Focus sibling one place below with a tally of 4,397. A figure of 3,930 gave the Volkswagen Golf fourth place, with the third place 4,270-registration Nissan Qashqai in-between the two most popular C-segment cars.

UK registrations dipped 1.6 per cent in January compared to the same period in 2018. A total of 161,013 cars were registered, with the alternative-fuel and electrified market surging 26.3 per cent, the segment now enjoying a 6.8 per cent market share. Petrol car registrations were up 7..3 per cent, but diesels were down 20.3 per cent. The UK’s top ten most popular cars during January 2019 and the year-to-date (sales figure and position in brackets) were as follows:

1 Ford Fiesta: 5,399 (5,399, 1st)
2 Ford Focus: 4,397 (4,397, 2nd)
3 Nissan Qashqai: 4,270 (4,270, 3rd)
4 Volkswagen Golf: 3,930 (3,930, 4th)
5 Mercedes-Benz A-Class: 3,768 (3,768, 5th)
6 Vauxhall Corsa: 3,097 (3,097, 6th)
7 Kia Sportage: 3,063 (3,063, 7th)
8 Volkswagen Polo: 2,963 (2,963, 8th)
9 Toyota Yaris: 2,821 (2,821, 9th)
10 Mercedes-Benz C-Class: 2,606 (2,606, 10th)

Pole position
In South Africa, the latest sixth-generation Polo started the new year in pole (Polo?!) position, topping the passenger car sales chart with 2,512 cars registered. The fifth-generation-based Polo Vivo was second with 2,461 units, while the Toyota Corolla/Auris/Quest rounded out the top three.

The Volkswagen Polo scored its highest most recent position in the UK’s most popular cars list in December 2018, jumping to second place with a total of 4,928 examples finding new homes. That’s a stark contrast to the first three months of the year when the Polo didn’t appear in the list at all, due to the changeover of the fifth-generation model to the sixth.

It’s all the more impressive when it comes to the final year standings: with 45,149 Polos moving off the forecourts, the small VW was the sixth most popular nameplate in the UK during 2018. That’s one place higher than in 2017, when, with 47,855 units registered, the Volkswagen supermini was the UK’s seventh most popular car. And one more thing to take note of is the fact that the Polo outsold all versions of the supposedly more premium and design-led Mini, proving that quiet style, high quality and a wide range with models for most budgets are still valid selling points for a good deal of drivers.

The Polo’s higher 2018 achievement with a lower number of units hints at the UK market as a whole. In general, the market fell by 6.8 per cent to 2,367,147 units after a turbulent 12 months. Demand for superminis and small cars also fell by 2.5 per cent, but along with ‘lower medium’ cars, still accounted for 58.7 per cent of the market.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders’ (SMMT) December 2018 figures record the Ford Fiesta as the most popular car for another year, with 95,892 cars registered, a massive 31,063 more than the runner-up Volkswagen Golf. With a total of 5,719 units, the small Ford once again topped the chart in December, while 4,224 Golf registrations saw the evergreen VW drop to number six. The Vauxhall Corsa rounded out the top three in the year-to-date list, with 52,915 registrations.

The UK’s top 10 most popular cars during December 2018 and the final year-to-date (sales figure and position in brackets) were as follows:

1 Ford Fiesta: 5,719 (95,892, 1st)
2 Volkswagen Polo: 4,928 (45,149, 6th)
3 Mini: 4,650 (44,904, 7th)
4 Mercedes-Benz A-Class: 4,284 (43,257, 8th)
5 Vauxhall Corsa: 4,264 (52,915, 3rd)
6 Volkswagen Golf: 4,224 (64,829, 2nd)
7 Ford Focus: 3,919 (50,492, 5th)
8 Vauxhall Astra: 3,677
9 Ford Kuga: 2,646 (40,398, 9th)
10 Nissan Qashqai: 2,609 (50,546, 4th)

(The UK’s 2018 year-to-date top ten most popular car absent from December’s registration figures was the tenth-placed Kia Sportage with 35,567 registrations.)

Popular Polos
In December 2018, the sixth-generation Polo was once again the most popular car in South Africa with 2,051 cars registered With 1,771 units at new homes, the fifth-generation Polo-based Polo Vivo was, again, not for the first time, runner-up to both its newer and bigger brother.

2018 was yet another busy year for the Volkswagen Polo. The launch and introduction of the all-new sixth-generation model into the UK and the debut of the Polo GTI R5 rally car have been the biggest happenings, while, yet again, the PSRX Volkswagen Sweden Polo R has dominated the World Rallycross Championship in the hands of Johan Kristoffersson.

Historically featuring the current Polo, the South African Engen Volkswagen Cup also starred new sixth-generation Polo GTI racing cars, and while PSRX Volkswagen Sweden has bowed out of the World Rallycross Championship series for 2019, team boss and ex-rally champ Petter Solberg has promised there will be some action. Whether that turns out to be Polo-based or not, we’ve yet to find out.

Right now, though, we round up the Polo’s biggest achievements in 2018. (Bold entries are illustrated by the picture above that particular month’s list of events.)

January

• Sixth-generation Polo launched in South Africa
• Polo Vivo named the most popular passenger car in South Africa
• Polo is the fourth most popular passenger car in South Africa
• Fifteen orders confirmed for new Polo GTI R5 rally car as Petter Solberg tests the car in Sweden
• New Polo GTI chosen as basis for 2018 Engen Volkswagen Cup circuit racer.

February

• Sixth-generation Polo launched in Australia from $17,990
• New-generation Polo Vivo launched in South Africa
• Sixth-generation Polo named the most popular passenger car in South Africa.
• Polo Vivo is the second most popular passenger car in South Africa.

March

• Polo claims Car South Africa magazine’s ‘Top 12 Best Buys 2018 – Small Hatchback’ award (Polo Vivo and Mazda 2 runners-up)
• Polo named as ‘Best Car 2018 – Sub-Compact Cars’ by Auto Motor und Sport
• Volkswagen India replaces Polo 1.2 with Polo 1.0 MPI
• Indian-market limited edition Polo Pace launched
• Polo Vivo is the most popular passenger car in South Africa for Q1 2018 with 7,027 units sold
• Polo is the second most popular passenger car in South Africa for Q1 2018 with 6,610 units sold
• Polo Vivo named the most popular passenger car in South Africa
• Polo is the second most popular passenger car in South Africa
• Polo announced as the World Urban Car 2018 winner
• 2018 World Rallycross Championship Volkswagen Polo R Supercar revealed
• Jeffrey Kruger wins race one of the 2018 Engen Volkswagen Cup at Kyalami.

April

• Volkswagen Connect DataPlug and smartphone app-based connectivity system now standard on new Polo
• Polo named ‘Safe Car of the Year’ at inaugural FirstCar Awards
• 140bhp Polo VRS 1.2 TSI launched at 2018 Indonesia International Motor Show
• Volkswagen India launches the Vento Sport
• Polo Vivo is the most popular passenger car in South Africa
• Polo named the second most popular passenger car in South Africa
• Polo is the fifth most popular car in the UK
• Volkswagen Motorsport announces Polo GTI R5 set for competitive debut at 2018 Rally Spain
• Johan Kristoffersson and PSRX Volkswagen Team Sweden Polo R Supercar wins World RX of Barcelona; Petter Solberg fifth
• Johan Kristoffersson and PSRX Volkswagen Team Sweden Polo R Supercar wins World RX of Portugal; Petter Solberg third
• Jeffrey Kruger wins races two and three of the 2018 Engen Volkswagen Cup at Killarney.

May

• Rear seat belt safety issue found on sixth-generation Polo models
• Polo is the most popular passenger car in South Africa
• Polo Vivo named the second most popular passenger car in South Africa
• Polo is the fifth most popular car in the UK
• Petter Solberg and PSRX Volkswagen Team Sweden Polo R Supercar finish second at World RX of Belgium; Johan Kristoffersson fifth
• Johan Kristoffersson and PSRX Volkswagen Team Sweden Polo R Supercar wins World RX of Great Britain; Petter Solberg seventh
• Tasmin Pepper wins races four and five of the 2018 Engen Volkswagen Cup at Zwartkops.

June

• New South African-only Volkswagen Polo Vivo Maxx revealed
• Volkswagen South Africa launches new Polo GTI from R375,900
• Polo Vivo is the most popular passenger car in South Africa
• Polo named the second most popular passenger car in South Africa
• Polo is the fifth most popular car in the UK
• Johan Kristoffersson and PSRX Volkswagen Team Sweden Polo R Supercar wins World RX of Norway
• Johan Kristoffersson and PSRX Volkswagen Team Sweden Polo R Supercar wins World RX of Sweden
• Jonathan Mogotsi wins races six and seven of the 2018 Engen Volkswagen Cup at East London.

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Following its re-entry into the UK’s top ten most popular cars chart in October after an absence in September’s Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) figures, the Volkswagen Polo climbed four places in November’s list. A total of 3,115 Polos were registered in the UK during November, rewarding it sixth place. Its tally of 40,221 units puts it seventh in the year-to-date list.

The Polo slipped out of September’s UK most popular cars listing due to new regulation and the introduction of the new Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) certification. This legislation requires car manufacturers to test their complete model range to the new standards that measure fuel consumption and CO2 emissions from passenger cars, as well as their pollutant emissions. September’s figures showed an across the board dip of 20 per cent, so we suspect it wasn’t just Volkswagen which was affected. In October, the Polo reappeared on the rundown in tenth place.

Steady decline
In November, UK registrations dipped 3.0 per cent compared to the same period in 2017, maintaining its steady decline thanks to, states the SMMT, ‘uncertainty, falling customer confidence and supply constraints’. Year-to-date figures point to a 6.9 per cent drop in demand for January to November, which is ‘in line with industry expectations’, the SMMT says.

As ever, the Ford Fiesta still tops the monthly and year-to-date charts, with 5,193 and 90,173 units registered respectively. Volkswagen’s Golf was second with 4,678 cars finding new homes, and with 60,605 units registered during the year so far, it sits in second place behind the Fiesta in the year-to-date list. The UK’s top 10 most popular cars during November 2018 and the year-to-date (sales figure and position in brackets) were as follows:

1 Ford Fiesta: 5,193 (90,173, 1st)
2 Volkswagen Golf: 4,678 (60,605, 2nd)
3 Mercedes-Benz A-Class: 4,104 (39,243, 8th)
4 Nissan Qashqai: 3,195 (47,937, 4th)
5 Mini: 3,170 (40,254, 6th)
6 Volkswagen Polo: 3,115 (40,221, 7th)
7 Ford Focus: 3,068 (46,573, 5th)
8 Vauxhall Mokka X: 2,778
9 Kia Sportage: 2,731 (34,069, 10th)
10 Vauxhall Corsa: 2,594 (48,651, 3rd)

(The UK’s 2018 year-to-date top ten most popular car absent from November’s registration figures was the ninth-placed Ford Kuga with 37,752 registrations.)

Chart topper
In South Africa the latest sixth-generation Polo followed on from its lead for October, and topped the passenger car sales chart with 3,092 cars registered. With 2,427 units in new garages, the fifth-generation Polo-based Polo Vivo was again fast in its tyre tracks. In contrast to the UK, Ford Fiesta registrations totalled just 980. Overall, the South African new car market saw a year-on-year decline in November, with overall sales of 47,486, down 4.6 per cent on the same month in 2017.

The Volkswagen Polo has re-entered the UK’s top ten most popular cars chart, rounding out the countdown for October, according to the latest figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). A total of 2,753 Polos were registered in the UK during October, and is number sixth in the year-to-date list, with 37,106 units registered.

New regulation
The Polo slipped out of September’s UK most popular cars listing due to new regulation and the introduction of the new Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) certification. This legislation requires car manufacturers to test their complete model range to the new standards that measure fuel consumption and CO2 emissions from passenger cars, as well as their pollutant emissions.

However, with UK registrations down 20 per cent in September across the board, Volkswagen wasn’t the only manufacturer affected by the new legislation. But when the Polo did last appear in the SMMT’s list for August, it was at number three in the top ten rundown. We suspect some of the WLTP supply issues are still being felt.

Fighting back
Overall, UK registrations for October dipped 2.9 per cent compared to the same period last year, while year-to-date figures suggest a 7.2 per cent fall. The Ford Fiesta still tops the monthly and year-to-date charts, with 5,564 and 84,980 units registered respectively. Volkswagen’s evergreen Golf is fighting back, too, after it also disappeared from the top ten in September. In October it was back to second place, with 3,765 cars finding new homes. Volkswagen’s Tiguan was also a popular choice, with 3,297 registered.

The UK’s top 10 most popular cars during October 2018 and the year-to-date (sales figure and position in brackets) were as follows:

1 Ford Fiesta: 5,564 (84,980, 1st)
2 Volkswagen Golf: 3,765 (55,927, 2nd)
3 Mercedes-Benz A-Class: 3,339 (35,139, 9th)
4 Volkswagen Tiguan: 3,297
5 Ford Focus: 3,283 (43,505, 5th)
6 Mini: 3,208 (37,084, 7th)
7 Ford Kuga: 2,847 (35,327, 8th)
8 Nissan Qashqai: 2,799 (44,742, 4th)
9 BMW 3 Series: 2,773
10 Volkswagen Polo: 2,753 (37,106, 6th)

(The UK’s 2018 year-to-date top 10 most popular cars absent from October’s registration figures were the third-placed Vauxhall Corsa and the tenth-placed Kia Sportage with 46,057 and 31,338 registrations respectively.)

Switched places
In South Africa, the latest sixth-generation Polo switched places with its fifth-generation Polo Vivo sibling and was the second best-selling passenger car during October 2018, with 2,824 units in new garages. The chart-topping Vivo shifted just 185 units more. In contrast with the UK, the Ford Fiesta was in seventh place, with just 888 cars registered.