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Volkswagen Polo 2009 Problems

Are you having problems with your 2009 Volkswagen Polo? Let our team of motoring experts keep you up to date with all of the latest 2009 Volkswagen Polo issues & faults. We have gathered all of the most frequently asked questions and problems relating to the 2009 Volkswagen Polo in one spot to help you decide if it's a smart buy.

Used Volkswagen Polo review: 1998-2014

Volkswagen Polo is one of the smallest cars from the German giant vehicle maker. Until 2010 it was a slow seller in Australia, possibly because it was rather plain Jane in its shape.

The all-new 2010 Polo had more style and it was finally seen as a serious contender in the small car market in Australia. Sales increased markedly and quite a few of these are now on the used-car market.

The Polo has a solid feel that's not usually felt in Asian competitors in this class. Owners love them for that and say they feel safe and secure within them.

As is common in many cars these days, the VW Polo grew in size over the years and later models have similar dimensions to older Volkswagen Golfs, meaning the most recent Polo can be used as a family car if the children are in their pre-teen years.

Most Polos sold in Australia are hatchbacks, with either two or four passenger doors, but a four-door sedan, tagged as the Polo Classic, was imported from a VW factory in China during 2004 and 2005. It showed signs of poor quality control, potential buyers spotted this and the Classic was quietly slipped off the Australian market.

An interesting model is the Polo Open Air of 1998 to 2000. Though a five-door hatchback, it had a huge sunroof that could let in plenty of fresh air when fully open.

It wasn't a success either, so is comparatively rare on the used-car front. Interestingly, Fiat 500 and Citroen DS3 are offered with huge sunroofs, which may spark interest in the Polo Open Air.

Handling was nothing special in the earlier days, with too much understeer, even in relatively moderate cornering. The message got back to the factory and handling was improved in Polos from 2002 onwards.

The sporty Polo GTI is worth looking at as it's pretty modestly priced for its type.

Early versions aren't all that quick because the turbocharged 1.8-litre engine runs relatively modest boost. The Polo GTI launched in November 2010 had its power increased from 110kW to a much better 132kW when a TwinCharger (supercharged and turbocharged) engine was installed.

The real strength of the Polo GTI is its nimble handling. Firmer suspension and added precision through the steering means it gives you driving fun at a modest price.

Most early Polos in Australia had petrol engines. But turbo-diesels have really started to sell in reasonable numbers in recent years. Petrol engine capacities in the standard models are 1.4 and 1.6 litres. Performance from the smaller engine is better than you might expect due to the little VW's relatively light weight.

The 1.4 engine from the year 2000 was a more modern unit than the one it superseded and has a good combination of economy and performance. The original diesel was a 1.9-litre unit of relatively old design and isn't all that much more economical than modern petrol units. The 1.6-litre turbo-diesel from 2010 onwards is a much better unit.

Transmission options are five-speed manual and four-speed auto until the new model of 2008. The Polo Classic sedan, pre-2010 GTI, and TDI diesel are only sold with the manual gearbox. From 2008 a six-speed automatic was installed, this expanded to seven speeds in 2010. Manuals remained at five-speed units.

Volkswagen has undergone a big shakeup in Australia over the past decade. This has not only led to much higher sales numbers, but also the addition of a lot of new dealerships.

Dealers still tend to congregate in major metro areas, but an increasing number are being set up in country cities and large towns in the bush.

Service and repairs are moderate in price, though they can be higher than for equivalent Asian sourced cars. We have heard of no real complaints about the cost or availability of spare parts.

A good amateur mechanic should be able to do a fair bit of their own work as the Polo has a simple mechanical layout and the underbonnet area isn't too crowded. Have a repair manual at your side, and keep well clear of repairs that could affect the car's safety.

Insurance costs are about average for a car in this European class, but you are likely to be charged extra, possibly substantially extra, to cover the Polo GTI.

Interior trim that has been continuously scorched by the Aussie sun may fade badly in pre-2005 Polos. The dash top and luggage cover will be the first to suffer.

The VW Polo is generally well built, however the quality of assembly on the Polo Classic sedan left a lot to be desired. 

Look and feel for cracks, as well as for a dry feel in the plastics. Check a Classic's interior as it can be on the rough and ready side.

Ensure the engine starts quickly and idles reasonably smoothly immediately it fires up. Older VW Polo engines aren't the most refined of units, but if one seems too bad it may be due for major repairs.

Gear changes should be light and easy, with no crunching when you shift down quickly. The clutch should be smooth and predictable in its operation.

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Used Volkswagen Polo review: 1998-2013

Volkswagen Polo is a small car from a German giant, but hadn’t done a lot in Australia until recent years. That was chiefly because the local importer concentrated on the larger Golf and Passat models, but the somewhat dull styling of the Polo didn’t to it any favours.

The all-new 2010 model improved the looks and Volkswagen Polo finally become a serious contender in the small car market in Australia although it has been recently upstaged in the styling stakes by its smaller brother the VW up!

To make way for the upcoming up! the Polo grew in size over the years and later models have similar dimensions to older VW Golfs. This means that recent Polos can be used as a family car if the kids are in their pre-teen years. This is common in Europe, but Aussies still prefer larger cars and SUVs for family use.

The Volkswagen Polo has a solid feel that’s not the norm in Asian competitors of this size. Owners love them and say they feel safe and secure within them. Most Polos sold in Australia are hatchbacks, with either two or four passenger doors, but a four-door sedan, tagged as the Polo Classic, was imported from China during 2004 and 2005. The latter wasn’t a success due to dubious quality control.

Another interesting model is the Polo Open Air of 1998 to 2000. Though a five-door hatchback it had a huge sunroof that could let in plenty of fresh air when fully open. It wasn’t a success either, so is comparatively rare on the used-car front. Interestingly Fiat and then Citroen have since released models with huge sunroofs (Fiat 500 and Citroen DS3) so interest in the Polo Open Air may lift. If that’s the case and you get in quickly there may still be bargains on offer.

Handling was nothing special in the earlier days, with too much understeer. It can show up in anything more than moderate cornering and is presumably in there to maximise safety in the hands of clumsy drivers. This was improved in Polos from 2002 onwards. Most Polos in Australia had petrol engines until about five years ago. But turbo-diesels have really started to sell in reasonable numbers in recent years.

Petrol engine capacities in the standard models are 1.4 and 1.6 litres. Performance from the smaller engine is better than you might expect due to the little VW's relatively light weight. The 1.4 engine from the year 2000 was a more modern unit than the one it superseded and has a good combination of economy and performance. The diesel is a 1.9-litre unit of relatively old design and isn’t all that much more economical than the later model petrol units.

Transmission options are five-speed manual and four-speed auto until the new model of 2008. The Polo Classic sedan, pre-2010 GTI, and TDI diesel are only sold with the manual. From 2008 a six-speed automatic was installed, this expanded to seven speeds in 2010. Manuals remained at five-speed units. An interesting model is the spory Polo GTI.

In its early versions it wasn’t the pocket rocket its name might suggest, chiefly because the turbocharged 1.8-litre engine is running only modest boost. Engine power in the Polo GTI launched in November 2010 was increased from a modest 110 kilowatts to a much healthier 132 kW when a TwinCharger (supercharged and turbocharged) engine was installed.

The real strength of the Polo GTI is its nimble handling. Firmer suspension and added precision through the steering means it gives you a lot of driving fun at a pretty modest price. Volkswagen has undergone a big shakeup in Australia in recent years, which has led not only to better sales results, but also an increased number of dealerships. Dealers still tend to congregate in major metro areas, but an increasing number are being set up in country cities and large towns in the bush.

Service and repairs are moderate in price, though they can be higher than for equivalent sized Asian cars. We have heard of no real complaints about the cost or availability of spare parts. A good amateur mechanic should be able to do a fair bit of their own work as the Polo has a simple mechanical layout and the underbonnet area isn’t too crowded. Have a repair manual at your side, and keep well clear of repairs that could affect the car’s safety. Insurance costs are about average for a car in this European class, but you are likely to be charged extra, possibly substantially extra, to cover the Polo GTI.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Interior trim that has been continuously scorched by the Aussie sun may fade badly. The dash top and luggage cover will be the first to suffer. Look and feel for cracks, as well as for a dry feel in the plastics. Later models are better than those prior to 2005. The VW Polo is generally well built, however the quality of assembly on the Polo Classic sedan left a lot to be desired.

Check a Classic’s interior as it can be on the rough and ready side. Ensure the engine starts quickly and idles reasonably smoothly immediately it fires up. Older VW Polo engines aren't the most refined of units, but if one seems too bad it may be due for major repairs. Gearchanges should be light and easy, with no crunching when you shift down quickly. The clutch should be smooth and predictable in its operation. Look inside the boot for signs of harsh treatment as cars in this class sometimes get treated as small trucks by inner-city residents carting things around.

CAR BUYING TIP

Walking into a car yard with your finance and insurance already organised can help you push through a better deal.

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Used Volkswagen Polo review: 1998-2012

Until the introduction of the cute little Volkswagen up! the Polo was the smallest Volkswagen sold in Australia. As is often the way the Polo grew in size over the years and later models are similar in size to older VW Golfs. This means that a late model Polo can be used as a family car if the kids are in their pre-teen years.

The Volkswagen Polo has a solid feel that’s not the norm in Asian competitors of this size. Owners love them and say they feel safe and secure within them.

Sales of the Polo were slow in its earlier days in Australia, but picked up after significant price cuts. Better styling helped as well, the new model introduced in July 2002 was more stylish than some of the somewhat bland earlier versions. The 2010 model further improved the looks and Polo is starting to become a serious contender in the small car market in Australia.

Most Polos sold in Australia are hatchbacks, with either two or four passenger doors, but a four-door sedan, tagged as the Polo Classic, was imported from China during 2004 and 2005. The latter wasn’t a success due to dubious quality control.

Another interesting model is the Polo Open Air of 1998 to 2000. Though a five-door hatchback it had a huge sunroof that could let in plenty of fresh air when fully open. It wasn’t a success either, so is comparatively rare on the used-car front.

Handling was nothing special in the earlier days, with too much understeer. It can show up in anything more than moderate cornering and is presumably in there to maximise safety in the hands of clumsy drivers. This was improved in Polos from 2002 onwards.

Most Polos in Australia have petrol engines, however turbo-diesels have really started to sell in good numbers in recent years. Petrol engine capacities in the standard models are 1.4 and 1.6 litres. Performance from the smaller engine is better than you might expect due to the little VW's relatively light weight. The 1.4 engine from the year 2000 was a more modern unit than the one it superseded and has a good combination of economy and performance.

Interestingly, the petrol 1.6-litre engine used in the Polo Classic has a twin-cam setup, whereas the others have a single-cam head. In both cases there are four valves per cylinder.

Transmission options are five-speed manual and four-speed auto until the new model of 2008. The Polo Classic sedan, pre-2010 GTI, and TDI diesel are only sold with the manual. From 2008 a six-speed automatic was installed, this expanded to seven speeds in 2010. Manuals remained at five-speed units.

Polo GTI in its early versions wasn’t the pocket rocket its name might suggest, chiefly because the turbocharged 1.8-litre engine is running only modest boost. However, it works very nicely in mid-range torque. The real strength of the Polo GTI is its nimble handling. Firmer suspension and added precision through the steering means it gives you a lot of driving fun at a pretty modest price.

Engine power in the latest Polo GTI, launched in November 2010, was increased from 110 kilowatts to 132 kW thanks to a new TwinCharger (supercharged and turbocharged) engine. Finally the Polo GTI had the grunt to back up its name.

Volkswagen has undergone a revolution in Australia in recent years thanks to a smart new management team. This has led not only to better sales results, but also an increased number of dealerships, many with impressive high-tech facilities.

Service and repairs are moderate in price, though they can be higher than for equivalent sized Asian cars. We have heard of no real complaints about the cost or availability of spare parts.

A good amateur mechanic should be able to do a fair bit of their own work as the Polo has a simple mechanical layout and the underbonnet area isn’t too crowded. Have a repair manual at your side, and keep well clear of repairs that could affect the car’s safety.

Insurance costs are about average for a car in this European class although you are likely to be charged extra, possibly substantially extra, to cover the Polo GTI because of its turbocharged engine.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

The VW Polo is generally well built, however the quality of assembly on the Polo Classic sedan left something to be desired. Check the interior as it can be on the rough and ready side. Ensure the engine starts quickly and idles reasonably smoothly immediately it fires up.

Older VW Polo engines aren't the most refined of units, but if one seems too bad it may be due for major repairs. Gearchanges should be light and easy, with no crunching when you shift down quickly. The clutch should be smooth and predictable in its operation. Look inside the boot for signs of harsh treatment as cars in this class sometimes get treated as small trucks by inner-city residents carting things around.

Interior trim that has been continuously scorched by the Aussie sun through lack of undercover parking may fade. The dash top and luggage cover will be the first to suffer, look and feel for cracks, as well as for a dry feel in the plastics.

CAR BUYING TIP

Try to do any test drive with the car in stone-cold condition, after an overnight stop is ideal. Mechanical problems are often aggravated by cold weather.

Read the article
Safe in the city

IF YOU want to update to a smaller, safer and more efficient car, look at a VW Polo diesel. It'll be more economical than your current car. It will also be safer and give you a good 10 years of service.

Disclaimer: You acknowledge and agree that all answers are provided as a general guide only and should not be relied upon as bespoke advice. Carsguide is not liable for the accuracy of any information provided in the answers.
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Complete guide to Volkswagen Polo 2009
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