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In a very welcome, exciting, and surprising, but perhaps not totally unexpected, announcement, Volkswagen has confirmed that the Polo name will carry on into the electric age. The arrival of the ID Polo, a fully electric version of the supermini, spearheads the transfer of established Volkswagen nameplates to its ID family.

In equally exciting news, the ID Polo is the series production version of the ID 2all concept car from 2023. At the time of the concept’s reveal, we asked if it was an electric Polo – even drawing comparisons to the Mk IV Polo – and are delighted that our initial thoughts have been confirmed. The icing on this very important cake is that underneath its heavy camouflage, the ID 2all looks to have been turned into the ID Polo virtually unchanged. Even the wheels are the same as the concept. It’s quite a lot to take in.

ID Polo GTI
However, not content with all that, Volkswagen has also revealed the ID GTI Concept – itself based on the ID 2all – will become the ID Polo GTI in production. And as with the ID Polo, the looks of the concept appear to have been carried onto the car we’ll see on the roads next year. Showing Volkswagen’s new ‘Pure Positive’ design language, no interior images or complete technical specifications have been released, but the ID Polo GTI is said to have 264bhp, while the ID Polo will have a starting price under €25,000.

Volkswagen says that the new naming concept will, ‘provide better orientation for customers,’ and that, ‘ID family and models with conventional drives will be offered in parallel.’ We’re taking that to mean that the combustion-engined Polo will continue until 2030 at least, its scheduled production end date.

Life-extending reprieve
Given a life-extending reprieve in 2024 as Euro 7 vehicle emission regulations were relaxed, the Polo exported to left and right-hand drive European and Asia-Pacific markets is now produced solely in South Africa at Volkswagen’s Kariega factory, the plant being the only exporter for these models in the Volkswagen Group. Newly built Polos leave Kariega for 38 markets around the world.

Between July 2024 and June 2025, 119,336 Polos have been exported from Kariega, the car’s biggest markets being Germany, France and the United Kingdom. On top of this, the Polo was South Africa’s most exported vehicle during 2024. Production of the Polo in Europe stopped on 2 July 2024, 40 years since the first model built at the Volkswagen Navarra factory in Pamplona, Spain, rolled off the lines on 20 March 1984.

A total of 8,422,161 Polos have been manufactured at the Landaben plant, and the facilities are now being readied for the start of production of two electric models in 2026, one Škoda and one Volkswagen, one of which may even be the ID Polo…

‘Just the beginning’
Commenting on the new naming strategy – more familiar-named and heritage-steeped models will follow the ID Polo – Thomas Schäfer, CEO of the Volkswagen brand, Head of the Brand Group Core and member of the Group Board of Management said, ‘Our model names are firmly anchored in people’s minds. They stand for a strong brand and embody characteristics such as quality, timeless design and technologies for all. That’s why we’re moving our well-known names into the future. The ID Polo is just the beginning.’

The Volkswagen brand’s more established names will move to the electric portfolio with each new model generation. Alongside, all vehicles with ‘conventional’ (internal combustion) drivetrains will continue to run under their previous and long-standing names. The aim, Volkswagen says, is to help customers navigate the brand’s product range more easily in the future.

Polo’s 50th anniversary year
The ID Polo reveal comes during the Polo’s 50th anniversary year. Martin Sander, Member of the Volkswagen Brand Board of Management for Sales, Marketing and Aftersales, said, ‘Our cars often accompany people for many years – they shape memories and stages of life. A model like the Polo shows just how powerful a name can be: it stands for reliability, personality and history. That’s precisely why we are again giving our ID models names that arouse emotions and are anchored in people’s everyday lives. Electric mobility should not only be progressive but also accessible and personal.

‘We are bringing one of our strongest brands, the GTI, into the electric world, too,’ added Sander. ‘Launching in 2026, the ID GTI Concept will go into production as the ID Polo GTI. It will offer outstanding dynamics and plenty of driving pleasure.’ This is significant, as the first electric GTI will not be a Golf, but a Polo, presumably as it’s a slightly less hallowed model with less risk attached. Whatever the reason, it’s a huge landmark in the Polo story.

Camouflaged public debut
The ID Polo and ID Polo GTI will make their first global public appearance at the IAA Mobilty motor show in Munich, from 8-14 September. They will still be wearing their striking camouflage – the ID Polo’s pop art-inspired wrap draws on elements from the special anniversary livery unveiled on a Polo rally car in April – with presumably an unwrapped debut coming later in the year, but you can strip the camouflage away…

Speaking of the anniversary-liveried rally Polo, computer-generated teaser videos have trailled a special ‘Polo Project Drift’ event taking place on 5 September at 16:00 CEST (15:00 UK BST), which we take to be around, and part of, all the various Volkswagen IAA Mobility activities.

On 7 September, Volkswagen will unveil the concept car for an electric compact SUV, the new ID Cross Concept. The production version of this – the ID Cross – will be launched at the end of 2026 as the electric counterpart to the current Polo-based T-Cross. Exciting times.

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Whether it be an entry level Polo Life, the distinctive Polo Style or Polo Black Edition, the value-packed Polo Match, or the sporty Polo R-Line and GTI, if you are thinking of buying a new Polo in the model’s 50th anniversary year, you might want to take advantage of the Volkswagen Epic Sale, which began on 26 August and runs until 8 September.

Open to UK customers, the event offers discounts of up to £750 for retail customers on any Volkswagen model, with the exception of the ID Buzz. Available in addition to any existing offers*, there are no restrictions on powertrains, with petrol, diesel, hybrid or electric cars all qualifying for the full £750 discount.

All new car orders must be registered by 31 December 2025, whether they are financed by cash buyers or by customers using a personal contract plan (PCP) from Volkswagen Financial Services (subject to terms, retail customers only aged 18 or over).

Polo range begins at £20,700
With the Epic Sale discount, the Polo range starts at £20,700 for the entry level 78bhp Life, rising to £29,990 for the range-topping 204bhp GTI. In-between, the 94bhp celebratory Polo Edition 50 marking the model’s 50 birthday is priced from £25,600, including discount.

A total of 166,304 new Volkswagen passenger vehicles were registered in the UK during 2024, making VW the biggest-selling brand for new cars in the UK. Holding this position for the past four years, Volkswagen was the only manufacturer to count three models among the UK’s top 10 most popular cars during July this year, with the Tiguan, T-Roc and Golf all making the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders chart.

*Terms and conditions apply. For more details of the Volkswagen Epic Sale please visit www.volkswagen.co.uk.

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Volkswagen has launched a special limited edition of the Polo to mark the model’s 50th anniversary. The Polo Edition 50 comes with extra equipment, and slots in between the R-Line and Black Edition in the UK. Similar in concept to the Golf Edition 50 that marked the Golf’s 50th birthday in 2024, the Volkswagen Polo Edition 50 is on sale today, 19 June, priced from £26,350 (OTR RRP including VAT).

Limited or special editions of the Polo in the past – of which there have been many, but here we’re thinking early Nineties – have used an array of eye-catching stickers to very good effect to differentiate them from their standard siblings, but the Polo Edition 50 is more upmarket with ‘50’ badges on the B-pillar trim and steering wheel, with ‘EDITION 50’ branding on the aluminium door sill protectors and gloss black dashboard insert panel.

Unique paint colour
There is one extra feature, too: its unique Crystal Blue paint isn’t available on any other Polo model. Harlequin aside, we can’t think of another time since a special edition Polo has had unique paintwork since the run-out Polo 2F Parade of 1994, which could be had in Cerise, Light Blue, Aqua Blue Metallic or Green Metallic. (The special edition Polo Original of 2015 that celebrated 40 years of the Polo could be had in Honey Orange, but that colour was available as standard on its CrossPolo sibling.) Other Polo Edition 50 colours include Deep Black Pearl, Kings Red Metallic, Reef Blue Metallic, Reflex Silver Metallic, and Smokey Grey Metallic.

Buyers in the UK get many features as standard that are available as part of the extra-cost ‘Plus’ package on Polo Edition 50s sold in Germany, which is based on the Style model. Among them are 17-inch ‘Tortosa’ alloy wheels, a tilt and slide panoramic glass sunroof, keyless entry and start, and two-zone Air Care Climatronic air conditioning. Inside, regardless of market, all Polo Edition 50s receive gloss black decorative cabin inserts – similar to the Polo GTI Edition 25 of 2023 – rear privacy glass, and a rear-view camera.

There is only one drivetrain option in the UK, a 93bhp 1.0-litre TSI petrol engine mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. In Germany, where the Polo Edition 50 opened for ordering on 12 June, buyers can choose an additional 114bhp TSI petrol engine. Both this and the 93bhp unit can be chosen in combination with a seven-speed direct shift DSG gearbox. The 93bhp manual model is priced from 28,200 euros in Germany.

UK’s most popular supermini
As it has been throughout its five decades and six generations, the Polo remains a popular choice for British car buyers. It was the UK’s most popular supermini last year (source: SMMT) and in May 2025, it was the seventh most popular car in the UK, with 2295 units finding new homes.

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If we’re honest, this is one we weren’t expecting. As part of Volkswagen’s push – and it is a push, going on the sizable amount of social media content generated so far – to celebrate 50 years of the Polo, a special livery has been unveiled at the Bicester Scramble event in the UK. A birthday suit – no, not that kind – if you like.

Chosen by social media poll on Instagram, fans could pick from four different blue, green, red, and yellow liveries referencing… yep, you’re already there aren’t you, the Polo Harlequin from 1996. But the car the winning livery would be adorning wasn’t a standard Polo. A show car replica of the 2018 Polo R WRX World Rallycross car driven to victory by Johan Kristoffersson was the chosen recipient, itself appearing nearly identical to the Polo R WRCs that enjoyed rally success in the World Rally Championship from 2013-2016. (In actual fact, some of the Polo WRXs were repurposed Polo R WRCs, repurposed after their competition careers had ended.)

Pop art-inspired
What’s particularly notable about the Harlequin WRX reveal was that it was at a UK event. We were there to see the car in the metal, and it looked stunning, placed at the top of the main drive at the Bicester Motion campus, ensuring a full and steady flow of car fans to pass by it all day. Parked on a low-rise pedestal, the car was, as you might expect, fantastically eye-catching, its pop art-inspired livery using the original Harlequin colours of Chagallblau (Chagall Blue, Pantone code LD5D), Flashrot (Flash Red, LP3G), Ginstergelb (Ginster Yellow, LR132) and Pistazie (Pistachio, LD6D).

In addition to the liveried car, Volkswagen UK displayed a 1980 first-generation Polo GLS in Inari Silver and a second-generation Cherry Red 1990 Polo CL – both mainstays of its heritage press fleet – to make it a real family affair. Sixth-generation Black Edition and GTI models reminded showgoers of the current Polo family, and helped highlight the Polo’s continued evolution and celebrate its 20 million – and counting – sales worldwide.

‘Special and enduring model’
Mike Orford, head of PR and communications at Volkswagen UK, said, ‘The Polo is a model that resonates with so many people for different reasons. They might have been fans of the Polo rally cars as they dominated world championships, their parents might have owned a Mk 1 or Mk 2 Polo, or it might have been the car in which they learned to drive. Whatever the reason is, the Polo is a special and enduring model for Volkswagen and that’s why it is great when we get to celebrate these milestone moments in such a colourful way.

‘We’re really looking forward to seeing this one-off livery in action later in the year as the birthday celebrations really ramp up,’ Orford continued. Yes, the next time the livery will be seen isn’t likely to be stationary, on a pedestal; other championship-winning Polo rally cars are set to wear it for ‘thrilling’ birthday-related activities later this year. Catch them if you can!

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The Volkswagen Polo now has more reason to celebrate in 2025! Alongside the marking of its 50th birthday, it has been named the Best Car of the Half Century as part of the Best Cars of the Year – The New Car World Championships. It is the second consecutive year a Volkswagen has scooped the prize, the Golf being the 2024 recipient, the same year it celebrated its 50th anniversary.

The Best Car of the Half Century title plays a significant role in the annual British Motor Show, which this year is due to take place at the Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre on 15-17 August. Visitors to the event will be able to see the Polo, and learn why it has been the supermini of choice for millions of people for the past 50 years.

The New Car World Championships judging panel responsible for the award comprises a who’s who of international motoring experts, including auto industry figureheads, automotive consultants, broadcasters, car designers and engineers, journalists, media professionals, motor club chiefs, motoring event organisers, motorsport personalities, and vehicle retailers.

Five decades of success
The award recognises five decades of success for the Volkswagen Polo, and judge, automotive journalist Mike Rutherford, who founded the awards, said, ‘The 20 million motorists who’ve been buying Volkswagen Polos since 1975 can’t be wrong. It’s been the most consistently credible supermini of the past 50 years and has repeatedly hit the sweet spot in terms of design, overall dimensions, build quality, competitive retail pricing, efficiency and low standing and running costs.

‘It’s a real-world car for budget-conscious, real-world motorists who appreciate the affordability and durability of their long-lasting Polos. And it’s fair to say that since the birth of the Mk 1 version in 1975, it has grown in size, stature and market relevance. No longer is a Polo a basic supermini to be driven on tight, slow streets, in busy towns and cities across the world. At more than four metres long in its current Mk 6 guise, it’s more of a small, credible, and borderline premium-quality family hatchback.’

(Well-said Mike.)

Rod McLeod, director of Volkswagen UK, said, ‘We are all delighted to see the Polo claim this award; it’s a great way to kick off its 50th anniversary celebrations. The Polo is not just a pioneer in terms of technical innovations, but also represents affordable mobility for all. These attributes and values are as relevant and as important to customers today as they were half a century ago, and we believe that’s why our evergreen supermini has stood the test of time.’

Most successful model
More than 20 million Polos have been sold worldwide since its debut, and it has established itself as one of the most successful models in its class. Now exclusively built in South Africa for the local market, and for export to Europe, the Polo is also built in Anchieta and Taubaté in Brazil, and in China by SAIC Volkswagen. The supermini was also produced for a decade in India, in Volkswagen’s Pune plant.

As well as being popular with everyday motorists in its road car guise, the Polo has also been a phenomenally successful motorsport star. The almost unstoppable four-wheel-drive, 300bhp Polo R WRC secured four World Rally Championship titles in a row from 2013 to 2016.

During 2024, 166,304 new Volkswagen passenger vehicles were registered in the UK, making the marque the country’s most popular new car brand for the fourth year running. Almost 29,000 of those were Polos, second only to the Golf (32,370) among Volkswagen sales in the UK last year. The Polo was also the 20th most popular car in Europe last year, with 135,303 examples finding new homes.

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