Milton Keynes – The Volkswagen Polo has started 2025 with a bang, after being named the Best Car of the Half Century as part of the Best Cars of the Year – The New Car World Championships. It means the UK’s number-one motor manufacturer can celebrate back-to-back wins for this prestigious award, after the Golf received the same accolade last year.
The Best Car of the Half Century title plays a significant part in the annual British Motor Show, which this year is due to take place at the Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre from 15 to 17 August. Visitors to the show will be able to see the Polo for themselves and learn why it has been the supermini of choice for millions of people for the past 50 years.
The judging panel responsible for the award comprises a who’s who of international motoring experts, including car designers and engineers, auto industry figureheads, motorsport personalities, journalists, broadcasters, media professionals, vehicle retailers, automotive consultants, motor club chiefs and motoring event organisers.
One of the judges was automotive journalist Mike Rutherford, who founded the awards. He 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 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, borderline premium-quality family hatchback.”
Rod McLeod, Director of Volkswagen UK, said: “We are 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 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.”
With more than 20 million vehicles sold worldwide since 1975, the Polo has established itself as one of the most successful models in its class. The car has gone from strength to strength over six generations, combining everyday reliability, comfort and affordability with technological breakthroughs and high-performance GTI thrills. In motorsport guise, the Polo R WRC secured four World Rally Championship titles in a row from 2013.
A total of 166,304 new Volkswagen passenger vehicles were registered in the UK in 2024, making Volkswagen the UK’s best-selling 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.