Peugeot 208 vs Volkswagen Polo: which is the better used buy?

Neither stands out on the MOT measure. Their first-time MOT pass rates sit 0.9 percentage points apart once each is compared against the national rate for cars of the same age, which is too close to call (we name a winner only at 2 points or more). A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure. The MOT checks safety and emissions items, not the engine, clutch or gearbox, so this is one measure of how each car holds up rather than a full reliability verdict. Pick on the specific faults each is prone to instead.

76.0% of Peugeot 208s pass their MOT first time (23,233 tests in DVSA's records) and 72.7% of Volkswagen Polos pass their MOT first time (66,500 tests). The national first-time rate is 77.3%, but cars of the Peugeot 208's age average 79.9% and cars of the Volkswagen Polo's age 75.8% — so the Peugeot 208 runs 3.9 points worse than its age group and the Volkswagen Polo runs 3.0 points worse than its own. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.

Peugeot 208: 2019–2020 cars are now past the revised 6-year/62,000-mile wet-belt interval. The 1.2 PureTech runs its timing belt in engine oil; as the belt breaks down it sheds rubber into the sump, that debris blocks the oil pick-up strainer, and the engine is starved. Oil consumption and engine failure are both well documented on cars with no belt-change invoice. Volkswagen Polo: 2017–2018 launch cars are the oldest Mk6s on sale, and early automatics carry the most owner reports of DSG judder before the software calibration updates. On an older, higher-mileage car, check when the cambelt was last inspected or changed.

On fuel it depends on the engine, and for a plug-in or electric version on whether you can charge at home. Peugeot 208: 44–51 mpg (1.2 PureTech real-world UK mixed); 59–71 mpg (1.5 BlueHDi); 3.5–4.1 mi/kWh (e-208 real-world). Volkswagen Polo: 44–51 mpg (1.0 TSI real-world UK mixed); 57–67 mpg (1.6 TDI real-world). For cars registered from April 2017, vehicle tax works the same way for both: the £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included, plus the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 on a car that listed at over £40,000 new — the price when new, not what you pay for it used. The electric versions (e-208) pay the same £200/year standard rate since 1 April 2025 (electric cars were exempt before then), with the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 only on one first registered from 1 April 2025 that listed at over £50,000 new. Any Peugeot 208 or Volkswagen Polo registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 pays a CO2 band instead, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates). Insurance differs mainly by driver and postcode rather than by model, so treat any model-level insurance figure with caution.