How many Volkswagen Polos are left in New Zealand?
Common 1 in 325 on the road Built 1986-2024 Sold new in New Zealand
Updated from the NZTA Motor Vehicle Register, counted as at 31 August 2026. Recounted every month.
Volkswagen's supermini, a size below the Golf. It was launched in 1975 as a cheaper version of the Audi 50 and has run through six generations since. Hot versions have carried the G40 and GTI badges, and the Polo R WRC won four World Rally Championships in a row from 2013.
Still on the road, by model year
The most are from 2011: 1,339 still registered. Every year is listed under the chart.
Every model year
| Model year | Still registered |
|---|---|
| 1986 | 1 |
| 1987 | 1 |
| 1990 | 1 |
| 1994 | 1 |
| 1995 | 13 |
| 1996 | 23 |
| 1997 | 43 |
| 1998 | 57 |
| 1999 | 49 |
| 2000 | 72 |
| 2001 | 76 |
| 2002 | 154 |
| 2003 | 183 |
| 2004 | 110 |
| 2005 | 176 |
| 2006 | 470 |
| 2007 | 554 |
| 2008 | 749 |
| 2009 | 540 |
| 2010 | 1,096 |
| 2011 | 1,339 |
| 2012 | 1,262 |
| 2013 | 1,078 |
| 2014 | 1,082 |
| 2015 | 1,077 |
| 2016 | 913 |
| 2017 | 627 |
| 2018 | 762 |
| 2019 | 793 |
| 2020 | 445 |
| 2021 | 453 |
| 2022 | 189 |
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2024 | 1 |
By generation
How many of each generation are still registered.
| Which one | Built | Left | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Third generation · 6N | 1994–2002 | 334 | Scarce |
| Fourth generation · 9N | 2002–2009 | 2,936 | Uncommon |
| Fifth generation · 6R | 2010–2017 | 8,474 | Common |
| Sixth generation · AW | since 2017 | 2,648 | Uncommon |
By badge
The versions the register records, most numerous first.
| Which one | Built | Left | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| GTI | 1,870 | Uncommon | |
| Comfortline | 1,078 | Scarce | |
| Highline | 466 | Scarce | |
| R-Line | 390 | Scarce | |
| Cross | 66 | Rare | |
| GT | 43 | Rare | |
| BlueMotion | 37 | Rare | |
| 1.4 TDI | 29 | Rare |
What Common means
Spotto grades every car by how many are still registered in New Zealand. With 14,395 still registered, the Volkswagen Polo is Common: the grade for cars with 8,000 or more left.
By how many are left it ranks 3rd of the 48 Volkswagen models and 65th of all 2,903 cars in Spotto's catalogue.
The six grades: Common, 8,000 or more · Uncommon, 1,200 to 7,999 · Scarce, 175 to 1,199 · Rare, 25 to 174 · Super rare, 5 to 24 · Unicorn, fewer than 5.
Seen one?
Spotto grades every car on New Zealand roads by how many are still registered, down to the generation and the badge. Log the ones you spot, build a collection, and see who else has found one.