PoloDriver

New figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that the Polo was the most popular Volkswagen in the UK during 2021. More than 30,634 Polos were registered in the UK last year – that’s 394 more than even the perennial Golf.

The small Volkswagen was the fifth most popular car overall, and the third most popular supermini, following the Vauxhall Corsa in first place (40,914 units) and the Mini (31,792 units). The Corsa knocked the Ford Fiesta from its long-held top spot, thanks in part to the sem-conductor chip shortage which has plagued the car industry during 2021 and looks set to continue into 2022.

Volkswagen is UK’s most popular car brand
While the Polo missed out on a place in December’s UK top ten of most popular models, it was the most popular car in the UK twice during 2021, the first time in July, the second in October. The popularity of the Polo helped Volkswagen become the UK’s most popular car brand in 2021, with a total of 147,826 vehicles registered. 

The new all-electric ID 3 and ID 4 cars also aided Volkswagen’s rise to the top, with the ID 3 being the UK’s third most popular electric car in 2021, with 11,032 finding homes. It was also the recipient of 11 of Volkswagen’s 30 UK awards, while its ID 4 sibling was named World Car of the Year. Volkswagen’s share of the UK car market now stands at 8.97 per cent, and it leads the market for the first time.

The UK’s top ten most popular new cars during 2021 were as follows:

1 Vauxhall Corsa: 40,914
2 Tesla Model 3: 34,783
3 Mini: 31,792
4 Mercedes-Benz A-Class: 30,710
5 Volkswagen Polo: 30,234
6 Volkswagen Golf: 30,240
7 Nissan Qashqai: 29,922
8 Ford Puma: 28,697
9 Kia Sportage: 27,611
10 Toyota Yaris: 27,415

The updated version of the sixth-generation Polo went on sale in September 2021, after being unveiled in April. As well as a more digitised interior, the new Polo has sharper looks, and a new range of trim levels. A new more powerful 204bhp Polo GTI opened for UK order in November.