There's no denying that South Africans love the VW Polo, through several iterations, the compact hatchback has proven time and time again that it has the right recipe for the enthusiastic South African market. A deeply entrenched love for the brand hasn't hurt it either but even when faced with more modern offerings like the Up!, the Polo has remained a stalwart.
Related: Is the Volkswagen Polo good for Families? Here's our verdict
Cost-effective running and practicality are one thing, but with so many Polos being used as family vehicles, safety ranks fairly high up on the list of attributes that you want from a Polo. Here are some of the safety features that you can find in both the current generation Polo and its more affordable stablemate, the Polo Vivo, which is based on the previous generation Polo model.
Volkswagen Polo Safety
The current generation Polo was released in 2018 featuring a raft of new technology and a reworked body shell. As far as safety systems go, it is equipped with the following:
- ABS with EBD
- Emergency Brake Assist (EBA)
- Traction control (TCS)
- Stability control (ESC)
- Tyre pressure monitoring
- 6 airbags
- ISOFIX mounting points
Buyers are also able to specify Matrix LED headlights for improved visibility and a host of driver aids including; lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and blind spot warning.
The sixth generation AW Polo has scored a 5-star Euro NCAP rating, scoring a 96% for adult occupants, 85% for child occupants, 76% for pedestrian safety, and 59% for their safety assist systems.
Volkswagen Polo Vivo
The current Polo Vivo is based off of the fifth-generation 6C Polo and carries the same intrinsic design as the Polo it is based on. This model is equipped with the following safety systems.
- ABS with EBD
- Stability control (ESC)
- Tyre pressure monitoring (on Highline and GT models)
- 2 airbags
- ISOFIX mounting points
The Vivo has to make do with a lower level of safety and doesn't offer any additional driver aids for the customer.
This version, when tested by Euro NCAP as the Polo, scored a 5-star rating. It was after this that automatic emergency braking was made a requirement for vehicles to received their fifth and final star. As such, the 6C Polo would score a 4-star rating in today's tests.
