Used comparison · 2025 DVSA data
Ford Fiesta vs Volkswagen Polo
The Fiesta usually costs less to buy, the Polo usually feels a class above inside. The records show how each holds up.
Across 1,986,457 initial MOT tests in 2025, the Volkswagen Polo passed 73.12% against 72.78% for the Ford Fiesta. That is close enough that the specific car matters far more than the badge.
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Head to head on the MOT record
| Measure | Ford Fiesta | Volkswagen Polo |
|---|---|---|
| First-time MOT pass rate | 72.78% | 73.12% |
| Tests in 2025 | 1,355,783 | 630,674 |
| Average mileage at test | 71,345 | 67,881 |
| Average age at test | 11.6 years | 11.3 years |
| Most common fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Diesel share of tests | 12.16% | 6.99% |
The UK average across all cars in this data is 77.3%. The Ford Fiesta sits below it by 4.5 points, and the Volkswagen Polo sits below it by 4.2 points. The Ford Fiesta also arrives at test with roughly 3,464 more miles on average, which usually says more about who buys it and what they use it for than about how long it lasts.
Which one holds up better as it ages
This is the part that matters when you are buying used. A headline pass rate mixes three-year-old cars in with fifteen-year-old ones. Split by age, you can see what each model actually does over time.
| Age at test | Ford Fiesta | Volkswagen Polo |
|---|---|---|
| 3 to 5 years | 91.51% | 91.49% |
| 6 to 10 years | 80.01% | 78.7% |
| 11 years and over | 65.6% | 64.69% |
Both models age at much the same rate, losing around 26.4 percentage points between the youngest and oldest brackets. Neither has an advantage worth paying for on this measure.
What each one fails on
These are the areas testers recorded most often across every failed 2025 test for each model. Read them as a viewing checklist for that model, not as a fault list for any particular car.
Ford Fiesta
- Suspension 25.22%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 23.72%
- Tyres 13.97%
- Brakes 11.01%
- Noise, emissions and leaks 7%
Share of all recorded failure items.
Full Ford Fiesta failure detailVolkswagen Polo
- Suspension 21.71%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 18.99%
- Brakes 18.03%
- Tyres 10.45%
- Noise, emissions and leaks 8.22%
Share of all recorded failure items.
Full Volkswagen Polo failure detailBoth models fail most often on suspension, which is normal for cars of this age and tells you what to look at on either. The difference between them is in what comes next on each list.
The specific items testers wrote down
One level deeper than the category. These are the individual defects recorded most often on each model.
Ford Fiesta
- Ball joint ball joint excessively worn
- Stop lamp not working
- Tread depth tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm
Volkswagen Polo
- Pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn
- Tread depth tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm
- Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt
What this comparison cannot tell you
Everything above describes two models across the whole UK fleet. It says nothing about the one car in the advert you are looking at. Two Fiestas of the same year and mileage can be worth thousands apart because of things that never appear in MOT data:
- Outstanding finance. If a lender still has an agreement recorded against the car, that claim does not disappear because you paid the seller.
- Insurance write-off history. A Cat S or Cat N marker is permanent, changes what the car is worth, and does not appear on the V5C.
- Stolen markers. A car recorded as stolen can be seized even from a buyer who bought it honestly.
- Mileage history. The readings taken at every MOT are the clearest way to spot a clocked odometer.
- Previous keepers. An unusual number of keepers for the age of the car is worth asking about.
A Carpeep car history check reports all of those against the registration, plus tax status, import and export markers, scrapped status and the recorded vehicle identity, in one £15 report.
Check the car you are about to buy
One registration, one report. Finance, write-off, stolen, mileage, keepers, MOT and tax.
Read more on each car
- Buying a used Ford Fiesta Buying guide, MOT record and what to check
- Buying a used Volkswagen Polo Buying guide, MOT record and what to check
Other comparisons with these cars
- Ford Fiesta vs Vauxhall Corsa
- Ford Fiesta vs Renault Clio
- Ford Fiesta vs Toyota Yaris
- Vauxhall Corsa vs Volkswagen Polo
- Volkswagen Polo vs SEAT Ibiza
- Volkswagen Polo vs Skoda Fabia
Ford Fiesta vs Volkswagen Polo FAQs
Is the Ford Fiesta or the Volkswagen Polo more likely to pass its MOT?
The Volkswagen Polo passed 73.12% of its initial MOT tests in the DVSA 2025 data against 72.78% for the Ford Fiesta, a gap of 0.3 percentage points. That is a fleet-wide average, not a prediction about the specific car you are looking at.
Does a higher MOT pass rate mean a more reliable car?
No. An MOT records whether a vehicle met the roadworthiness standard on the day it was tested. It does not test the engine, clutch or gearbox, and it does not measure how often a car breaks down. Pass rates are useful for comparing how two models are holding up across the whole UK fleet, and nothing more than that.
Which is cheaper to keep on the road, the Ford Fiesta or the Volkswagen Polo?
This data does not price servicing or repairs, so it cannot answer that directly. What it does show is what each model most often fails on, which is a fair guide to where the money goes. The Ford Fiesta fails most often on suspension. The Volkswagen Polo fails most often on suspension.
How do I check the actual Volkswagen Polo I have found?
Enter its registration. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, insurance write-off markers, stolen markers, the mileage recorded at every MOT, previous keepers, tax and MOT status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report. None of that appears in model-level MOT statistics.
Which one has covered more miles by MOT time?
The average Ford Fiesta arrived at its 2025 MOT on 71,345 miles, against 67,881 for the Volkswagen Polo. That usually reflects who buys each car and what they use it for rather than how long it will last.
MOT figures aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability.