Used Car Safety Report
The Volkswagen Polo has been awarded a 2 star Driver Protection rating in the latest Used Car Safety Rating (UCSR) report. UCSR are reported annually by the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC). Ratings are estimated from data on real crashes reported to police in Australia and New Zealand and provide a very high level of confidence. The UCSR report classifies cars according to where their rating lies in relation to a best performance benchmark. The Driver Protection rating measures the relative safety of cars in preventing serious injury to their own drivers in crashes.
Driver Protection Rating
Rating
|
Result
|
|
Excellent
|
|
Good
|
|
Marginal
|
|
Poor
|
|
Very Poor
|
For further information on the UCSR please click here.
If you would like to view the new car safety rating produced by ANCAP please see the archived report below:

Crash Test | Score | Maximum Score |
---|
Overall Score | 27.75 | out of 37 |
Frontal Offset test | 11.75 | out of 16 |
Side impact test | 16 | out of 16 |
Pole test (Optional) | 0 | out of 2 |
Bonus points | 0 | out of 3 |
Data suplied by euroNCAP
The tested model of Volkswagen Polo was introduced in Australia in July 2002.
The Polo scored 11.75 out of 16 in the offset crash test. The passenger compartment held its shape well. Protection from serious leg injury was marginal for the driver.
The vehicle scored 16 out of 16 in the side impact crash test.
Important note: The left-hand-drive European model was tested by EuroNCAP. Australasian specifications may vary and therefore models sold in Australasia might provide different levels of protection to those described on this page. Side airbags are not currently available on the base model in Australia but are optional in New Zealand.
Safety Feature Summary
The safety feature information below is subject to change without notice. For up to date safety feature specifications for all variants, please see the safety feature table to the right or contact the manufacturer.
Dual front airbags are standard in Australia. Side airbags are standard on all models in Europe but they are only available on the Elite variant in Australia. Curtain side airbags are optional in Europe but are not available in Australia. ABS brakes are standard.
The front seat belt buckles are mounted on the seats and the upper anchorages are adjustable. These features improve the fit of the seat belt. Pretensioners are fitted to the front seat belts to reduce slack in the event of a crash. A three point seat belt is fitted to the centre rear seat. This provides better protection than a two point seat belt.
ANCAP & UCSR Rating ExplainedThis shows the differences between the rating processes.
Find out more
Frontal Offset Test Results
Region
|
Score
|
Score Type
|
Maximum Score
|
Frontal Offset*
|
11.75
|
pts
|
(out of
16)
|
Head/Neck
|
4
|
pts
|
|
Chest
|
3.11
|
pts
|
|
Upper Legs
|
2
|
pts
|
|
Lower Legs
|
2.64
|
pts
|
|
The passenger compartment held its shape well in the offset crash test. The clutch pedal moved rearwards by 134mm and upwards 40mm. The steering wheel hub moved rearwards 6mm, upwards 39mm and sideways 3mm. The front ("A") pillar moved 9mm rearwards. The width of the driver's doorway shortened by 8mm. All doors remained closed during the crash. After the crash all doors could be opened with normal effort.
The airbag cushioned the head of the driver and contact was stable. Vehicle components were a potential source of injury for the driver's knees. The passenger's head was cushioned by the airbag.
Side Impact Test Results
Region
|
Score
|
Score Type
|
Maximum Score
|
Side Impact*
|
16
|
pts
|
(out of
16)
|
Head
|
4
|
pts
|
|
Chest
|
4
|
pts
|
|
Abdomen
|
4
|
pts
|
|
Pelvis
|
4
|
pts
|
|
The base model was not eligible for an optional pole test since it did not have head-protecting side airbags. However, in Europe head-protecting curtains are optional and the manufacturer decided to go ahead with the pole test. The European vehicle earned a further two points in this test but it does not apply to Australian vehicles.
Pedestrian Summary
A separate pedestrian impact test is conducted. This test estimates injuries to pedestrians struck by a vehicle travelling at 40 km/h. The more stars the better (maximum 4 stars).
Pedestrian Rating Explained
The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) provides consumers with independent and transparent information on the level of occupant and pedestrian protection provided by different new car models, in the most common types of crashes, through its star rating program.
Find out more
Green Vehicle Guide
Combined Fuel Consumption
|
CO2
|
Greenhouse Rating
|
Air Pollution Rating
|
Overall Rating
|
6.5 L/100km
|
156 g/km
|
|
|
|
Base Model Safety Features
Legend

Standard

Not Available

Optional

No Information
The latest UCSR are based on statistics collected from car crashes in Australia and New Zealand between 1990 and 2017, where someone was killed or seriously injured. Over eight million police reported crashes were analysed in the latest UCSR.