Celebrating a 50-year legacy
The iconic supermini
6 generations, across five decades, over 20 million units and an enduring formula. The Polo has reached a number of notable milestones through its history, from expanding production across the world to expanding the line-up with a myriad of body styles.
The history of Polo
"Small on the outside. Big on the inside.” This was the Slogan by Volkswagen when introducing the first Polo in May of 1975 manufactured in Wolfsburg, Germany.
Polo production starts in Pamplona, Spain — the first plant outside of Germany to do so.
Pamplona was the main production site for the Polo for more than 40 years, with over 8.4 million Polo units produced there.
The Polo is assembled locally in Pekan, Pahang in hatchback and sedan forms.
The Volkswagen Polo has come a long way in the last fifty years.
Fun facts about our favourite supermini
Polo I Jeans
Denim-inspired details blends automotive style with fashion in the Polo Jeans special edition.
Polo II Genesis
This limited edition model featured a Violet Touch Pearl Effect paint, inspired by the English rock band Genesis.
Polo III Open Air
Made for those who love living in the sun, the Polo Open Air brought convertible sensibilities to the compact car space.
Polo III Harlekin
The Polo Harlekin started as a marketing stunt but became so popular that 3,806 units were produced.
Twin siblings
The first generation Polo shares its roots with the Audi 50, the most compact offering from Audi at the time. Both models were only available as 3-door hatchbacks.
20 million and counting
Number of units of the Polo that have found happy homes.
From 0.9L to 2.0L
The engine size in the Polo has more than doubled over time since its inception.
Rock your body
The Polo was made as a hatchback, sedan, estate, convertible, coupe, and crossover too.
Famous Polo owners
British former tennis star Andy Murray started his car collection with the Polo IV.
British Formula 1 driver George Russell once owned a Polo, which was his very first car.
Famous Indian-American actor Imran Khan sold his Ferrari and bought a Polo GT, feeding his passion for hatchbacks.
The Polo in motorsports
Punching above its weight
More than just an entry-level hatchback, the Polo became the ideal platform for Volkswagen motorsports endeavours in both rally and rallycross.
The 2013 Polo R WRC is unveiled
Fielding an entry in the Monte-Carlo World Rally Championship meant that Volkswagen would need an adequate vehicle, and there was no better choice for this than the Polo. The compact hatchback was further developed to handle the rigors of rally, with long travel suspension and all-wheel drive.
Incredible performance
Powered by a race-homologated turbocharged 1.6-litre engine limited to 315 bhp and 425 Nm of torque, the Polo R WRC could sprint to 100 km/h from a standstill in just 3.9 seconds.
Four-time World Rally Champion
Dominance became a habit for the Polo R WRC, with four consecutive driver and constructor titles between 2013 and 2016.
Success in World Rallycross
Following the exit from the World Rally Championship in 2016, the Polo R WRC evolved into the Polo R Supercar and took 5 World Rallycross titles between 2017 and 2024.
