2003 Volkswagen Polo Sport from UK and Ireland - Comments

Dashboard Rattle.

Scratched trim when delivered - replaced by dealer.

Fuel economy problem.

I bought a Polo 1.9 TDI Sport in August and have done about 4,000 miles so far. I'm really happy with the car and it's given me no problems no far, other than a dashboard rattle which was fixed by the dealer (apparently VW know about this common problem, it's caused by an air duct going under the dash and VW have supplied dealers with a retrofit part to correct the problem if you ask).

The one issue I have with the car is that I paid a lot extra for the TDI PD model partly because of its fuel economy, which promised 55+ mpg around town and around 70mpg extra urban, but only once has the car ever gone into the 50's (its first motorway journey, 150 miles at 70mph, taking it REALLY easy - 51.5mpg). Driving carefully on quiet country roads, on around a 10-mile journey, engine fully warmed, occasionally braking, but usually cruising at about 40-50mph, the car gives an average of between 35-45mpg, and on the motorway at 80mph the guage settles at around 47mpg. If I drive it hard around the lanes I can get it down to the 20's.

I took it the dealer to check out and they say VW won't give them permission to instigate work given that the car runs fine and it's still got such a low mileage (even though it's officially run in at 1,500 miles), and tried telling me that some cars only bed in at 20,000 miles so I'll just have to wait. If anything my economy's getting worse!

Another 1.9 TDI Sport review said their car returns 55+mpg when driven hard and 65+ when driven frugally - can anyone back this up? At what mileage did their fuel economy settle down? When I think about how much extra fuel I'll burn over 20,000 miles with a 20mpg deficit...

Other than that I love the car. Some people say the Polo's a girls' car, but in metallic indigo, lowered, with the optional 16" alloys (well worth it) it really looks good. Also everyone who's been in it wants to swap with theirs, particularly at night (isn't the blue lighting great) and when I put my foot down. The interior may not particularly daring, but everything's very well finished and feels "quality", the sports seats are great, and it really does feel like you're driving a much more expensive, bigger car (until you come to park it!). Even my dad who has a 2001 Range Rover said he'd seriously consider getting a Polo instead - praise indeed.

I have very good experiences from installing a new chip in many VW Caravels. Maybe this would solve your problem? Expect dramatic changes in fuel consumption and performance!

I am interested in your comments on the VW Polo 1.9 TDi Sport, as I am considering buying one for my partner. Therefore, could you clarify if your fuel consumption concerns are based on readings from the trip computer and are they instantaneous or average readings? Also, if you really do have poor fuel consumption based on the average reading could this be related to the optional 16" wheels having a higher rolling resistance? I currently drive a Audi A3 1.9Tdi Sport which has the 130bhp engine and get regularly 53mpg average fuel consumption.

I wonder whether you tell me exactly were the facia rattle was coming from and was it necessary to remove the facia to fix the problem? I am not keen on buying a new car with this problem if the dealer has to resort to removing the facia, as this can cause other issues and may result in other rattles being created.

I have a 2002 Polo 1.4 TDI which is also beset with a creaking dashboard. It creaks and groans over bumpy roads, on the top of the dashboard. 2 separate dealers have tried to fix the problem without success. Other than that, my Polo is an excellent little car which averages over 55mpg in cold weather, and last summer regularly gave over 60mpg, even using the air conditioning on a regular basis.

I have had a 1.9TDi Sport since March 2002.

It had the obligatory dash-board rattle and it took the dealer a few goes to sort it out.

As this was 1 of the first of the new Polos WV probably did not know about the problem at that time.

It was finally fixed 1 year ago and my opinion of the car has changed-it seems to get better as it gets older.

I have now done 20000 miles with no other mechanical problems. It uses no oil and its performance shames most cars.

In terms of fuel consumption the trip computer shows an average of 57mpg.I have actually had 74mpg once, but this is not typical.

I am not a particularly hard driver most of the time, but the worst I have ever managed is 50mpg and it has been economical since I got it new.

Thanks for your answers to my review. Replying to some of your comments (sorry about the wait!) : the mpg readings were average readings from the trip computer, which I verified from the odometer every time I refilled. To fix the dashboard they certainly removed the centre console, as to the whole dash I can't be sure.

The mpg difference can't be due to the 16" alloys, as looking into figures: going from a set of standard low rolling-resistance radials to a set of high-performance low-profile tyres with a 20% greater rolling resistance would only produce around a 3-5% decrease in fuel economy (about 1-2mpg). Since the TDI Sport has 15" performance low-profiles as standard I don't think the difference between 15" and 16" performance tyres would produce the 20-30% decrease I'm seeing.

As the car has been pulling to one side from new I took the car to a local tyre centre for a wheel tracking/alignment check (£15, compared to VW's quote of £125!!), they found the rear tracking was off and the tyre's were on the wrong side for their bias. Since that was fixed my mpg has improved to an maximum average of about 53mpg for a long easy motorway trip and 47mpg out of town. However looking at your comments this still isn't near enough. Resetting the single-trip reading when the car's warmed up and trying to get the mpg up as high as possible on quiet country roads (little to no braking, minimum acceleration, low cruising speed etc.) the most I've ever got is about 53mpg - you say I should be getting about 25mpg more!

Right, back to the dealer we go.

I bought an ex-demonstrator 1.9TDI Sport 3-door from a dealer with 2,500 miles on the clock. Now, 14 months later, it's at 46,000.

During this time I have never dropped below 50mpg on ANY journey. My daily commute is either 75 miles of motorway or 65 miles of (quite ropey) B-roads. Either way the car is a dream to drive (motorway it is fast and sprightly; B-road it handles perfectly even at speed and in the wet). I average 550 miles per tank; according to the computer that's 55-60mpg irrespective of the route or the mood I'm in! 65mpg is not uncommon on a leisurely drive.

So far all I've done to the car is:

- new set of front tyres at 30,000 - replaced with Toyo Proxes (£60 each) and the difference was unbelievable - it was like fitting rails!

- replaced brake pedal sensor under warranty (caused ECU indicator to come on and brake lights to flicker whilst driving)

- had it serviced!

- and that's it!!

Very, very impressed. Now looking to replace due to rapidly-approaching 60,000 warranty limit and am seriously considering another one. Or maybe a Golf/Bora with the 130bhp engine. My wife has a Bora 130bhp and they go like a rocket without much difference in the fuel consumption thanks to the 6-speed box (I guess).

I have had my 1.9 TDI sport for just over a year now, and have covered over 18000 miles. I purchased it with the optional 16 inch alloys, but have not noticed any negative effects on the fuel economy.

My normal commute to work is 64 miles round trip and is a mixture of 80mph on the motorway and urban stop/start traffic. A typical run gives about 55-60 mpg, even with a slightly faster journey the mpg seldom drops below 50. It may be that your vehicles ECU is faulty, I know that there have been problems with the 1.4 TDI.

I also noticed a dashboard rattle soon after purchasing mine, the noise seemed to be coming from the passenger side and was louder when the weather was cooler. However it seems to have subsided at the moment, but this could just be due to warmer weather.

A word of warning about changing wheels, apparently Volkswagen don't put any copper grease between the wheel hubs and alloy wheels. This caused me problems when trying to get the wheels off to fit mud-flaps, and in the end I had to call out Volkswagen assistance. The response was very quick, and the technician helpful, putting a generous coating of copper grease on for me.

However I wouldn't like to be on the hard shoulder of the M25 with a flat tyre, trying to force the wheel off with the car perched on the scissor jack!

The service light has not yet come on (variable servicing), and my local dealer has informed me that the TDI engine can do up to 30k before it does. The car continues to impress me with its fuel efficiency, and even though it is the sport model I find it is comfy round town and on bumpy roads. I think it handles well for a relatively heavy car, and is quick off the mark when you need it to be. It cruises well, so well in fact that you forget you are in a "small" car when on the motorway.

I've got a 52 reg Polo 1.9 TDi Sport. Its got about 40k on the clock and averages 48mpg round town and 57 mpg on the motorway. I can get it to do 50+ mpg round town, but I can't resist the torque! Ps Don't just buy a TDi for the mpg (lots of newer small Petrol cars offer good mpg) - also buy it for torque/fun, relaxed 70+ driving and excellent residual (everyone now wants a diesel it seems).

Pulling power in 3rd and 4th is unbelievable and somewhat addictive.

Yes the dashboard does creak, but compare the car to a Micra, Corsa, Fiesta, Yaris... and not a BMW.. and you'll see what a great car it is.

The TDi Sport is the one to go for. Motorway cruises at 70-80 are very relaxed - its easy to do 100+ without realising.. so be careful. I'll write a full review in due course, but I would recommend one anyday. Just don't expect Japanese reliability (or blandness...) cos you just won't get it - not in a million years.

I bought a 1.9 TDI Sport 3 door in may 2004 and have done 5000 miles in it since. I am very happy (performance - not build quality!) with the car and get about 58.5 mpg on average. I have managed to get it to 67 mpg on the trip computer while driving at 55-60 mph on the motorway. Be light with the throttle and it will reward you. But its just as rewarding when you put your foot down!

But the car is going back to VW at the end of November due to the amount of problems I have had with it (leather on steering wheel peeling off, misaligned passenger door + bonnet, dashboard and drivers chair rattling, badly sprayed rear bumper, etc etc). Just another example of VW build quality!

Luckily I bought the car through HSBC bank and they managed to get me a replacement that will cost me nothing, but best of all they are replacing it with the highest powered Polo - the 1.9 TDI GT (130)!!

Now that flies (and who cares its slightly worse on the fuel economy!)

22nd Nov 2004.

VW Polo 1.4TDI Sport 53 Reg.

I bought my VW Polo in January this year problems so far are;

3 leaks found 1. Door seal. 2. Bulk head 3. Windscreen. Also found Fuel leak, passenger door not in alignment, Tracking out, central locking noisy, head light flickering on dip.

VW garage rectified: New windscreen fitted, aligned door, leaks fixed, new fuel pipe fixed by VW customer care, replaced at garage after ordering it.

It took 3 visits to the garage, time spent in garage 10Days.

Still have problem with lights flickering and noisy locking, not very happy with the after care.

I have just purchased a 1.4TDI sport for my wife. Everything is fine apart from the fuel consumption, we have yet to get 50MPG. The build quality, ride, handling are all exce

llent, but at this we may as well have saved some money and had the FSI.

I also have a bora 1.9 TDI (150), and on exactly the same journeys this does better, it has always averaged 52-53.

Has anyone else had this problem, I noticed a comment that there was a known problem with the ECU, any more details please? VW say should not expect any better, figures quoted are in ideal conditions, lab, set temp, blah, blah.

I know this forum is a getting old now, but does anybody know how to get rid of the dashboard rattles: It's coming from the driver side near the windscreen; frequency and volume vary with fluctuation in temperature. Has anybody had it fixed via an independent dealer? Would really appreciate some help here. Would like to avoid taking it to VW to avoid savage labour costs.

Other than this minor (but very annoying) problem, I've had no others and would recommend this model of polo to anyone. Fuel economy is great, I'm not an aggressive driver so I regularly return 55mpg+. Have driven the car for a few thousand miles now and odometer says I have averaged 52mpg, but I suspect that this is because most of my driving is town driving.

The car really goes when you need it to. I'm very impressed with the acceleration in all gears with the exception of first. Build quality and reliability seem brilliant. I love my car, but really need to get rid of that rattle - because the car is so quiet the rattling is made more prominent.

Servicing costs and parts seem to be average.