Comparison · small hatchbacks
Volkswagen Polo vs Toyota Yaris: which is more reliable?
The Toyota Yaris does better at the MOT, with a score of 104 against 95 for the Volkswagen Polo, comparing each with cars of the same age. Based on 1,068,182 real MOT tests in 2024.
Volkswagen Polo
Toyota Yaris
By age
MOT Rank score for each age group (100 = an average car that age).
| Age at test | Volkswagen Polo | Toyota Yaris |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 years | 100About average | 104Above average |
| 6–9 years | 97Below average | 106Above average |
| 10–14 years | 96Below average | 109Well above average |
| 15+ years | 88Well below average | 99About average |
Year by year
Share that passed first time, same registration year.
| Year | Volkswagen Polo | Toyota Yaris |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 88.7% | 93.1% |
| 2020 | 87.9% | 89.0% |
| 2019 | 83.1% | 87.0% |
| 2018 | 75.9% | 85.1% |
| 2017 | 77.4% | 83.0% |
| 2016 | 75.5% | 82.9% |
| 2015 | 72.7% | 80.5% |
| 2014 | 67.5% | 75.8% |
| 2013 | 63.6% | 72.4% |
| 2012 | 62.0% | 70.7% |
| 2011 | 58.4% | 69.3% |
| 2010 | 57.1% | 65.3% |
| 2009 | 54.3% | 65.2% |
| 2008 | 51.2% | 57.5% |
| 2007 | 51.4% | 56.5% |
| 2006 | 48.4% | 54.5% |
| 2005 | 48.2% | 54.1% |
| 2004 | 47.3% | 53.3% |
| 2003 | 47.5% | 53.8% |
| 2002 | 48.7% | 55.9% |
| 2001 | 54.0% | 55.1% |
| 2000 | 55.4% | 55.1% |
| 1999 | 62.2% | 54.5% |
Problem areas
Failure items per 100 tests.
| Area | Volkswagen Polo | Toyota Yaris |
|---|---|---|
| Lights & electrics | 18.2 | 19.2 |
| Suspension | 13.3 | 9.7 |
| Brakes | 13.9 | 7.9 |
| Tyres | 7.0 | 5.4 |
| Visibility (wipers, screen, mirrors) | 6.1 | 6.3 |
| Emissions & leaks | 6.7 | 3.5 |
| Body & chassis | 6.1 | 3.2 |
| Steering | 3.3 | 0.3 |
Volkswagen Polo: top failures
Toyota Yaris: top failures
Questions
Which is more reliable, the Volkswagen Polo or the Toyota Yaris?
The Toyota Yaris does better at the MOT, with a score of 104 against 95 for the Volkswagen Polo, comparing each with cars of the same age.
Which years of the Volkswagen Polo and Toyota Yaris can be compared?
Both were tested for 23 registration years (1999–2021). The Volkswagen Polo had the higher pass rate in 2 of them and the Toyota Yaris in 21.
What fails most on each?
Volkswagen Polo: suspension arms - pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn; tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. Toyota Yaris: position lamp: not working; wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively.