@@KGFClassicCars I had the same polo from 1992 with a 1.4 diesel engine, same as a 3 door station wagon. We were its second owner because the first owner had the original documentation in Italian, since this polo was assembled in Italy and was bought there in 1992, and we bought it in 2006. What can I say, it was a small city car intended exclusively for women. But in terms of quality, it is far from the original German volkswagen because in that period the passat b3, golf 2 and jetta were more popular. This is a good car, but like diesels they are not very good, it knows after driving thousands of kilometers that the engine head is damaged, since ours had that problem and the oil was leaking on the engine head gasket, and the repair is expensive and unprofitable. Then after problems with the gearbox and clutch, it was sold for scrap in 2019. At least I saved its pictures as a memory.
My mother bought a carbureted facelift CL here in Italy when i was One years old and owned It until i was 11, It was replaced After a crash by a white lupo wich became my First car, that Little Polo started my love for Volkswagens, i became a mechanic and a little VW parts hoarder🤣 i have not been inside a MK2 polo since 2001, when we got the Lupo, those Polos are extinct here, seeing the interior again Is an emotion and many Memories come to my mind, thanks
Gone are the days when dashboards incorporated a sub-cubby, and we’re all the poorer for that. ;-) Seriously, what a delightful little car. We didn’t get the Polo here in the USA, so this was really interesting.
A brake servo! I agree, that was the biggest upgrade VW could have done to the Polo. I still remember with horror trying to perform an emergency stop in my early MkII van. Both feet and a lot of praying. It did stop but, by 'eck, it was a heart stopping moment. Good to see the fens are still flat and wet, no change there then.
I learned to drive on a 72 Dodge Dart that had no power assist on the 4 wheel drum brakes. My first car, a 69 Acadian also had unassisted 4 wheel drum brakes. Push hard enough, the braking was actually pretty good. The limiting factor was the tyres, not the brakes themselves. At the time, I had no experience with anything else, so never thought twice about it
Nothing wrong with wheel trims. You feel a lot less sick when you kerb them. My brand new 1992 Peugeot 106 1.1 Graduate only had plastic centre caps. Wheel trims were luxury items, at Peugeot anyway.
Testement that VW Coolant bottles must be good that they are still using them, I have the same bottle in the 2017 Fabia we have as a family car. Never realised it was only out for 2 years. Now going to have to say it... Phil Collins must love it through.... Or was there something in the air when VW came up with the trim levels!
Can’t believe this top of the range Polo didn’t have a 5 speed gearbox, a lockable glovebox or even a ciggi lighter. It reminds me of my 82 Golf N which had No equipment.
Volkswagen didn't have a five-speed gearbox for the 1.05 and 1.3 litre engines so they couldn't offer one even if they wanted to. Back in the day we always joked about Volkswagen that they came only standard with the steering wheel, everything else was an option.
@@shugthehornyhaggis I literally still own a Genesis spec coupe and a G40, both are 1.3l and both have a 5 speed gearbox. 86c polos never even came with a 1.6l engine....get your facts straight before you accuse people of 'talking shite'.
@@shugthehornyhaggis all base spec mk2f Polos were SPI and apart from the very early NZ 1.3 (which was a MK2 Golf engine) all the mk2f 1.3s came with a 5 speed gearbox. There was even an optional 5 speed gearbox for the 1.0 although it is very rare.
@@shugthehornyhaggis Every single mk2f sold in the UK had fuel injection. The NZ, 3F & PY were multipoint injection while the AAU & AAV were single point injection.
Had one of those as a first car, was really well built and nice to drive. Only thing that let it down was the gutless 1 litre engine and 4 speed box. Don’t see many on the road now so nice to be reaquainted.
@@livc444111 I had a polo like this in 1991, but with a 1.4 diesel. Too bad we sold it for parts, it was a good little car exclusively for women. But the German volkswagen golf 2 is far better than the ones that were assembled in Italy under volkswagen's license, since our vw polo had original documentation from 1991 when it was bought in Italian, because its first owner bought it directly from Italy that year was produced. We were the second owners.
This car is oddly optioned for a top spec. I have a CL (Italian top of the range model) and it came with a 5 speed gearbox, power locks, a cigarette lighter, leather shifter, roof bars, moonroof and a glovebox lid. But either way these cars all sound the same, it's fascinating. I was instantly at home the moment I heard the sound of the keys banging against the steering wheel cowling, or the sound of the starter, the handbrake lever and the engine accelerating in 1st gear. I wonder if the cabin fan sounds like a broken vacuum cleaner on this car also :) The heated rear screen button appears to be the same item as is found on LHD vehicles, just installed upside down. The Polo G40 (not sure about the GT) came with a 240km/h speedometer as opposed to the 200km/h speedometer on the regular cars. That would be 150mph and 125mph respectively. Great video as per usual.
@Paulie Gualtieri Aye. The Genesis, if memory serves, was a special ed tie in with the band Genesis because VW were a major sponsor of their 91/92 world tour. Interestingly, though VW also sponsored Pink Floyd's Division Bell tour, I don't think they did a PF special ed.
KGF Classics do have some really nice cars and its good you managed to review this for us. I really like this generation of Polo. I think its a nice looking car from the outside and very nicely styled on the inside too. Yes they did seem to like the tartan pattern back then and even now you see it on Golf GTi models. My friends girlfriend had one of these back in 1997 and i remember us taking a journey to Brighton in it (about 140 miles round trip) and i was sat in the back all the way and it was nice and comfy, well comfy enough, we also managed to pack camping gear for 4 people in it. This is a good example of this model and a great video as always.
What Car? magazine reviewed the facelifted Polo in their December (or maybe November? ) 1990 issue. It came out about the same time as the facelifted Vauxhall Nova (Corsa A).
On my walk to high school I used to see a silver saloon mk2f and always fancied having one when I learned to drive. I am guessing they have all but disappeared now.. Another great review Matt..
Thank you for your thorough car reviews. In my home country (South Africa) we never had the early Polo's and only got a modified Seat Cordoba / Ibiza in 1996 with a Polo badge. Interesting to see these and being put through it's paces and getting a history lesson on the car as well.
That hazard warning light switch reminded me of a MK3 Escort I had in the early to mid '80s which had a similar arrangement. A friend of mine was a somewhat credulous young lady and she asked me what the red button on top of the steering column was for. So, having had a Corgi James Bond Aston Martin in my childhood, I told her that it was for the ejector seat. When I pressed the button and it started to flash she began to look quite worried! :-)
I just love the polo, you do an amazing job with these videos and really enjoy watching them. I've owned a mk3 in the past and currently own a mk2 and a 9N. The Mk2 is a country model and believe it was the run out version before the mk2F came along. It's loaded with extras and options and can only conclude that people were very easy to please back in 1990.
That’s a really nice car - I was never a big fan of the original mk2 breadvan - and those brakes! A friend of mine had one, and nearly killed us both in it when hooning around some lanes. But the facelift was a really quite pleasing shape - especially the coupe. Fabulous seats, and a really neat interior - I miss seeing colour in car interiors - that tartan looks great. Matches your scarf too......
My dad's old Nissan Bluebird ZX Turbo had a Pioneer pull out radio/cassette. 87 on a D plate. Dump valve, tsw 17in blades, full scorpion exhaust system and chipped by RGS Motorsport. Was pretty quick for what it was. Rare as hen's teeth though.
Ah, these take me back to my childhood. Many a Saturday spent in the Polo Mk2 and Mk3 coupé (and those seats!) with my Grandmother, such fond memories, thanks.
Where's the fun in good brakes? I had the base Mark 1, a well used red one followed by a well used pale blue one. They both had one winning feature for me. I could afford them. A regular trip was Edinburgh to Newcastle over the Carter Bar. I could drive them at their limits on these roads without breaking the speed limit. One memorable day I saw an identical polo to mine ahead and decided to show it a clean pair of hells over the Bar. But try as I might I just couldn't catch the driver up. To add insult to injury, the car ahead appeared to be on rails as opposed to the heroics I was putting mine through in trying to keep up. Coming down the other side of the hill, I saw the polo ahead, stopped outside a cottage. I slowed down to give this Sterling Moss due respect with a nod and hand as I drove by, and lo and behold, the driver was a genuine little old lady. I shrunk to two inches high, but consoled myself that she must have been plying those bends every day for decades to drive like that. She must have, mustn't she? *sigh*
No sure that statement correct "top of the range" as at some point a GT MK2F was put into the range (not to be confused with the brilliant quick GT40).
I love watching your drives! I'd just like to correct your statement that the Mk2F Polo was only built for 2 years: It was built for 4 years; from October 1990 to July 1994. ;) If you ever come across a Lancia Y10 (GTi.e., for example), I'd be super interested in watching that drive and hearing your thoughts!
Great review! The controls are very Volkswagen, common to even us plebeian US citizens! I must say your scarf complements the upholstery! And the seats are very VW as well. If it handles well in inclement weather, it is a testament to WHY many were sold; alas, never marketed or sold in the US, although VW did import the Fox 🦊 from Brazil 🇧🇷! You did not perform a rear seat review! And that classic Rolls-Royce, how "posh"! I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed this!
Compared to all the other manufacturers small cars of this era the polo felt solid and built properly. Screws and bolts where other used plastic clips and glue.
Just bought a 1.1 Coupe version of this car and its the best little car Ive ever owned. Gets some great looks on the streets and its just a dream to drive. Great fun
Despite having a brake servo on all models (right or left hand drive), the Mark II facelift Polo brakes are still shockingly bad. I can confirm that having driven a G40 on the channel a year ago. It did 0-60 mph in a bit more than 20 seconds, though...
Did these not come out earlier than 92? I've definitely seen H reg Mk2fs in the past. These always seemed very well put together so I'm quite surprised there aren't more still surviving. Agreed on the seat covers. They are a total triumph too. Importantly it has my 90s car must haves. No power steering, sliding sunroof and radio cassette. The holy trinity
Calling the Genesis the 'top spec' isn't accurate. Genesis was a run-out set trim level which included the tartan seats which were not available in any other spec, green tinted glass, manual sliding sunroof and the same steering wheel as the GT/G40, no genesis came with a cigarette lighter or a glove box cover and some didn't even have a radio where as all GT's and G40's and most of the C, CL and even Fox models had those as standard depending on what year they were.
Always liked the breadvan-style rear of this car, thought the rest of it was too sobre and simple at the time. Looking at it now it was a very clever and well executed bit of design.
It is again fascinating to see what Europe gets versus North America. These would've been too small to sell here, especially as Volkswagen was failing in the states at that point. It's interesting in fact how each side viewed Volkswagen, because over here VW was seen as overpriced junk. But I love honest small space efficient cars (I had a Focus with a manual that I loved very much) so this looks great to me.
One of ex neighbors had a MK2 Polo like the one you tested, but the coupé version. I always thought the coupé looked like a hatchback and the one you tested looked like a small estate styling wise. Well my ex neighbor replaced the MK2 skipped a generation and bought a early MK4 Polo that's VW loyalty for you. My one and only VW was a poor buy and I was glad to get rid of it after 2 miserable years. You live and learn.
Nice too see a very good looking Polo, but in comparison with Rover 100, it has a depressing and sad interior - the exception is the colorful seats. I need to see one more time the Rover to recover some happiness. 😉
German cars particularly of the 80's and 90's always were a bit stingy with their standard fit equipment albeit with solid construction. No electric windows or central locking with the top spec model, not even a cigarette lighter.
I think it depends on the market; here in the US, we had much of this standard on a US VW, especially either a Jetta and Passat, to which we had first as the Dasher, then the Quantum. By 1991,1992 it became the Passat, to which the same has stuck ever since!
I thought all these were made in Pamplona Spain, like the MK4. These were so ancient and outclassed even in 92, even the Rover Metro drove better. Both were crash death traps though, in those days pre euro-ncap. They always smelt of rubber glue from new, very distinctive smell.
A big improvement in the facelift was the rear hatch button instead of the old twist handle. Thieves loved them. Just had to break them off & they’d easy access to the boot!
The 2f ran from 90 to 94 so 4 Year production run, the tailgate was different on the 2f both on the breadvan and coupe and the only bonded glass on it was the rear screen, the small engine is actually a 1043 and all Polo's from 1986 or 87 were built in Spain, a 5 speed on the 1043 was an option but tbh it does not really need it as the 5th is just a bit tall for the 1043. The Fox had internally adjustable mirrors, 2 sunvisors and side repeaters. it did only have a courtesy light switch on the drivers a post though. I still daily drive a 92 Fox that I purchased 19 Years ago and they are very reliable and able cars
Volkswagen didn't have a five-speed gearbox for the 1.05 and 1.3 litre engines at the time, so it couldn't be offered even as and option. I always thought these cars to be very Spartan having owned both Polo and Golf from the 1990s (in the "C" trim level, which stands for Crisis), however the seats in the facelift model look very luxurious.
Can i ask are you saying these never came with a five speed gearbox? Because my 1991 1.3 coupe had a 085 five speed and the code in the boot on the sticker under the boot lid was 8p.
I had a mark one polo. it was a great little car. not as nice as a car I had to trade in. As the polo was for the wife, and I had a VW caddy pick up, with a truckmen hardtop on the back, which I needed for my business at the time. The car I traded in was a Passat, GL5. The best car I’ve ever owned, up until my recent purchase of a Nissan Qashqai Tekna +. I get the same feeling driving that, as I used to with the GL5.
I’ve never seen a fuel gauge that actually lists the size of the tank! And this is in imperial gallons for just the UK market. So the gauge at full reads as 9 gallons, but half-full is shown as 4 gallons?! Crazy imprecise math for the Germans. And apparently they didn’t anticipate a move to petrol being sold in liters. The Polo range has never been sold here in the US market, but I think a gas gauge with display markings in (US) gallons would be well received in a car here.
@@jkk244 I know some 1980s larger model Audis and BMW used to have it. It was pretty cool if you had a BMW 750 or alpina with optional larger tank, because then it read "110" at full, as in 110 liters.
Never thought I'd see one of these reviewed! My very first car, a 1990 model on an H-reg, with the 1.3 engine. It was tired, a little scruffy, it cost £650 if I recall, and I loved it. But god, it was basic even by the standards of the time I had it.
My first car! Although mine was the lesser seen saloon (formally the Derby) in CL spec. Interesting to note the equipment levels between this and my car; mine had an aftermarket tilt-only sunroof and huge analogue clock where the rev counter should've been. But it did get a five speed gear box (not that it made much difference mated to an asthmatic 1.3 lump), ashtray with cig lighter and a proper glove box. The saloon boot was gigantic although hindered somewhat by a high loading lip and rear seats that didn't go down. Also suffered from a common occurrence that plagued a lot of VWs of that era, which was that while build quality was exceptional, damp could it's way into the cabin, particularly in the rear. Oh, and electrics could play up after a while...but apart from that, a great little car and sadly a bit under appreciated.
KGF has a mk2 Mondeo ST24 with only 5,124 miles you should do a review on that as it’s the first ever Ford to wear the ST badge it’s about time there should be a mk1/mk2 Mondeo on the channel👍
I’ve had a couple of these, I had this tarton (my favourite interior) in my boulevard and G40 interior in another. Some of the interior parts are from the Porsche parts bins! Haha yeah cup holder was a massive issue for the morning coffee! I loved them .. both lowered which caused so many issues with the flat arch if you wanted any wider alloys or poke (before using camber shims 🥳) Such a shame the prices have soared in the last couple of years 😢
If you do a Polo review again please run your stats by me, all I can hear are the inaccuracies 😂 These were made for 4 years 1990 to 1994 There were 5 engine choices, 1x 1043cc 45bhp, 2x 1272cc 55bhp, one was mpi and the other spi, 1x 1272cc 75bhp mpi came in the GT model only and finally the 1272cc supercharged G40. What you had there was the 1043cc AAU The Genesis was just a special edition, not quite the top of the range. The top of the range (excluding GT and G40) was the CL. Which would have had a glove box lid and a cigarette lighter. The range actually went Fox, Boulevard, Genesis, CL, GT and G40. The speedo goes up to 120mph on all mk2f Polos but the G40 went up to 160mph. Great review though and nice to see there are still great examples out there.
Good review, thanks. Two points of interest: 1) I think the saloon was only available in a single trim level (CL possibly) and discontinued in 1991/2 as it proved to be a very slow seller. You rarely if ever saw them even back in the day but the coupe was quite popular. 2) Were any versions of this generation ever built in Germany? I thought production switched to Pamplona, Spain around the time of the mini-refresh in 1987. We had both a 1987 hatchback and a 1991 coupe in the family and both were built in Spain. Never come across one of these that was built anywhere else.
Good video, but just a couple of anomalies. This model was made between late 1990 and 1994, rather than just the two years you mentioned. The engines were 1043 and 1272cc and there were 3 states of tune for the 1272cc: 55, 75 and 113bhp (G40). Only the hatch glass on the Coupe and 'Squareback' was bonded. The windscreens still used a seal like the earlier Mark2. The G40 had clocks up to 160mph. Most of the range had the rather optimistic 120mph clocks. I'm being a pedant I know, but I've been around these cars for too long 😅.
Good video. Well thought out and presented. Thank you. My first car was the predecessor to this in what VW called the "Country" specification. I have always like this mini estate shooting brake sort of configuration. KGF have some lovely vehicles passing through their hands.
Our family had one of these only it was the coupe model. Not too slow most of the time but hills were not a strength. It got up them but you could probably run up quicker! Fuel injection made for turn key reliability even on a freezing wet day. Definite improvement on the mark 2 pre facelift. It was replaced by a mark 3 which was a huge step up again. Less character though.
this car was first sold in 1991 and last sold in 1994. the glove compartment does have a door, it must’ve been broken off on yours. the g40 speedo goes up to 160 mph.
the 2f came out in 1991 not 92 The windscreen was still held in by a seal. Only the bootlid was bonded 45bhp was a 1.0 54bhp was a 1.3 and 75bhp was a MPI 1.3GT Not all 2f's came with a catalyst. the cut off was 1 August 1992 or around then. So many H reg 91 cars didnt have a catalyst. That particular car should have had side carpets where the wheel iron was, either side. Tea shelf opportunities, a lot of polos, came with a glovebox which housed 2 cupholders, but with it being a genesis it didn't have one as standard GT had a different rev counter, they revved to 6.5k rather than 6k The g40 had a different speedo, it's maximum was 160mph rather than 120mph and going in multiples of 20's and not 10's I wouldn't be impressed with the horn either, it's damaged and thats not how they sound.
I took my driving test in an M-reg coupe version of this. It didn’t have servo assisted brake lol. Still fun though and interiors were so much more fun and less pretentious than the default black/piano black/chrome interiors of all new cars. Great review of a fun little car
In 2018 (I think it was) I saw one of these (also a K-reg but in that turquoise-greeny colour) driven by a young lad/boi picking up his mate/bro from a train station :P
Sorry to complain but in most of your videos you say check the link below. There is never a link to the subject vehicle. I always thought the Genesis versions was special edition after the sponsorship of said band. Another observation is that the Metro were criticised for having only a 4 speed gearbox and here we have a a 1990s car which has one. I wonder if the 5 speed for the Polo was an option at this time?
Side indicator repeaters became a legal requirement in the late 1980, around about E/F reg cars. I recall them being added to the bargain-basement Metro City models which didn't originally have them, and they ended production in 1990.
Is there any way the amount of adverts during your videos can be reduced? I had 3 lots of Adverts during this video which is annoying and not slightly relevant to me. Please keep up the great work, I have been a long term subscriber and will continue to be (Since the Mondeo estate days) but the Ads are frustrating.
I just realised, car companies used to put trim level and engine size on the car, does any company do that now in plain view, as in, not hidden in model number?
Oooh, had one of those as in the very early noughties. Drove well but hated it. Got £400 for it in a part-exchange, dealer had it up on the forecourt for 1400 the following week. Never missed that car
@@shugthehornyhaggis I am pretty sure the even the bog all but the most basic Fiestas by 1992 had 5 speed gearboxes, a 12v socket and a glove box. By 1992 even poverty spec Ladas had a 5 speed box.
a college classmate of mine in 2010 had an early (1993 K-reg) Vauxhall Corsa B 1.2 that was a 4-speed manual, but I saw a 1994 M-reg one of those for sale not long after that still was a 4-speed manual! he said it could still do at least 90-something mph; I think because the ratios are different, 4th gear on a 4-speed is like what "4-and-a-halfth-gear" would be like on a 5-speed.
VW seemed to have no rhyme or reason towards equipment. My CL had a five speed gearbox, and a glovebox and a lighter 🤷♂️. Also... no fuel light. Not that it didn’t work, it just didn’t have one; got the better of me more than once. Once drove from Bristol to Hastings in it, not something I’d subject on anyone 😆
The Genesis wasn't the top of the range... it was a limited edition due to music group... it's actually based on the CL... there was the GT, and the G40 which he mentioned... The GT was also a 1.3, though it had multipoint fuel injection... so it was a mini GTI really.
Back when German cars were not about being high performance and were just a solid dependable car as you say. To put it in to perspective a 1992 Rover Metro had 75bhp or 100bhp and 0-60 in 10.5 or 9.5 seconds - twice as powerful and half the acceleration time as the German equivalent here! Modern VW's may have the performance, but I'm not so sure about the dependability and durability.
I have had 3 cars stolen in my life. The first was a MK3 Cortina GT, the second was a Porsche 944 which they broke into my garage to steal and the last one was a Polo Fox bright red with red wheel covers which I had bought brand new and had it a matter of months. I could understand why the stole the first two but I was totally surprised they stole the Polo. I eventually got the Porsche back bot the Polo vanished never to be seen again. I did like the Polo by the way.
"Looks like someone murdered a womble". Love it, Matt.
🤣🤣im dying
not a single mention of his own scarf
@@livingthroughtv 🤣🤣
You're lucky being able to review KGF's stock, they are top tier. That metro sold not long after you reviewed it, maybe this will too lol.
Thank you for the kind words!
@@KGFClassicCars I had the same polo from 1992 with a 1.4 diesel engine, same as a 3 door station wagon. We were its second owner because the first owner had the original documentation in Italian, since this polo was assembled in Italy and was bought there in 1992, and we bought it in 2006. What can I say, it was a small city car intended exclusively for women. But in terms of quality, it is far from the original German volkswagen because in that period the passat b3, golf 2 and jetta were more popular. This is a good car, but like diesels they are not very good, it knows after driving thousands of kilometers that the engine head is damaged, since ours had that problem and the oil was leaking on the engine head gasket, and the repair is expensive and unprofitable. Then after problems with the gearbox and clutch, it was sold for scrap in 2019. At least I saved its pictures as a memory.
My mother bought a carbureted facelift CL here in Italy when i was One years old and owned It until i was 11, It was replaced After a crash by a white lupo wich became my First car, that Little Polo started my love for Volkswagens, i became a mechanic and a little VW parts hoarder🤣 i have not been inside a MK2 polo since 2001, when we got the Lupo, those Polos are extinct here, seeing the interior again Is an emotion and many Memories come to my mind, thanks
Gone are the days when dashboards incorporated a sub-cubby, and we’re all the poorer for that. ;-) Seriously, what a delightful little car. We didn’t get the Polo here in the USA, so this was really interesting.
A brake servo! I agree, that was the biggest upgrade VW could have done to the Polo. I still remember with horror trying to perform an emergency stop in my early MkII van. Both feet and a lot of praying. It did stop but, by 'eck, it was a heart stopping moment. Good to see the fens are still flat and wet, no change there then.
I learned to drive on a 72 Dodge Dart that had no power assist on the 4 wheel drum brakes. My first car, a 69 Acadian also had unassisted 4 wheel drum brakes. Push hard enough, the braking was actually pretty good. The limiting factor was the tyres, not the brakes themselves. At the time, I had no experience with anything else, so never thought twice about it
I got rid of my mk2 simply because the non servo brakes was so scary particularly with passengers in the car.
Nothing wrong with wheel trims. You feel a lot less sick when you kerb them. My brand new 1992 Peugeot 106 1.1 Graduate only had plastic centre caps. Wheel trims were luxury items, at Peugeot anyway.
Testement that VW Coolant bottles must be good that they are still using them, I have the same bottle in the 2017 Fabia we have as a family car. Never realised it was only out for 2 years. Now going to have to say it... Phil Collins must love it through.... Or was there something in the air when VW came up with the trim levels!
If its not broken they aren't going to waste money on a new one, even 25 years later!
Volkswagen sponsored the Genesis 'We can't dance' World tour.....hence the connection
Can’t believe this top of the range Polo didn’t have a 5 speed gearbox, a lockable glovebox or even a ciggi lighter. It reminds me of my 82 Golf N which had No equipment.
Volkswagen didn't have a five-speed gearbox for the 1.05 and 1.3 litre engines so they couldn't offer one even if they wanted to. Back in the day we always joked about Volkswagen that they came only standard with the steering wheel, everything else was an option.
@@volvo480 Not correct, I've owned two genesis spec coupes and a g40 and they all had a 5 speed gear box.
@@shugthehornyhaggis I literally still own a Genesis spec coupe and a G40, both are 1.3l and both have a 5 speed gearbox. 86c polos never even came with a 1.6l engine....get your facts straight before you accuse people of 'talking shite'.
@@shugthehornyhaggis all base spec mk2f Polos were SPI and apart from the very early NZ 1.3 (which was a MK2 Golf engine) all the mk2f 1.3s came with a 5 speed gearbox. There was even an optional 5 speed gearbox for the 1.0 although it is very rare.
@@shugthehornyhaggis Every single mk2f sold in the UK had fuel injection. The NZ, 3F & PY were multipoint injection while the AAU & AAV were single point injection.
Great collaboration with KGF, I highly recommend their channel, it is pure car porn 😁
That wicked smile!
Great idea to have these collaborations. We get to watch a great video and they get free advertising.
Thank you for the recommendation!
Had one of those as a first car, was really well built and nice to drive. Only thing that let it down was the gutless 1 litre engine and 4 speed box. Don’t see many on the road now so nice to be reaquainted.
Mine wasn't well built, cooling issues were a pain
@@livc444111 I had a polo like this in 1991, but with a 1.4 diesel. Too bad we sold it for parts, it was a good little car exclusively for women. But the German volkswagen golf 2 is far better than the ones that were assembled in Italy under volkswagen's license, since our vw polo had original documentation from 1991 when it was bought in Italian, because its first owner bought it directly from Italy that year was produced. We were the second owners.
This car is oddly optioned for a top spec. I have a CL (Italian top of the range model) and it came with a 5 speed gearbox, power locks, a cigarette lighter, leather shifter, roof bars, moonroof and a glovebox lid.
But either way these cars all sound the same, it's fascinating. I was instantly at home the moment I heard the sound of the keys banging against the steering wheel cowling, or the sound of the starter, the handbrake lever and the engine accelerating in 1st gear. I wonder if the cabin fan sounds like a broken vacuum cleaner on this car also :)
The heated rear screen button appears to be the same item as is found on LHD vehicles, just installed upside down. The Polo G40 (not sure about the GT) came with a 240km/h speedometer as opposed to the 200km/h speedometer on the regular cars. That would be 150mph and 125mph respectively.
Great video as per usual.
the 45bhp base engine in the Polo's were actually 1043cc not 1073cc
The Genesis was not the top of the range, hence the lack of glove box lid (with tea shelf). The CL, GL and GT were above it in the range.
@Paulie Gualtieri Aye. The Genesis, if memory serves, was a special ed tie in with the band Genesis because VW were a major sponsor of their 91/92 world tour. Interestingly, though VW also sponsored Pink Floyd's Division Bell tour, I don't think they did a PF special ed.
KGF Classics do have some really nice cars and its good you managed to review this for us. I really like this generation of Polo. I think its a nice looking car from the outside and very nicely styled on the inside too. Yes they did seem to like the tartan pattern back then and even now you see it on Golf GTi models. My friends girlfriend had one of these back in 1997 and i remember us taking a journey to Brighton in it (about 140 miles round trip) and i was sat in the back all the way and it was nice and comfy, well comfy enough, we also managed to pack camping gear for 4 people in it. This is a good example of this model and a great video as always.
Thank you for the kind words.
I’m sure the facelift was pre1992. My late 1990 was a facelift model. I’m sure it was about 1990 they face lifted.
Mk2f was 1990 to 1994
@@georgebamber6871 yeah that’s what I thought. Checked Wikipedia since and it concurs.
What Car? magazine reviewed the facelifted Polo in their December (or maybe November? ) 1990 issue. It came out about the same time as the facelifted Vauxhall Nova (Corsa A).
@@mattw8332 yes I have the copy ...crash test cars on cover ... had it as an 11 year old
I bought my K10 Micra from KGF. And I could not possibly be happier with it than I already am. Brilliant car, brilliant people.
On my walk to high school I used to see a silver saloon mk2f and always fancied having one when I learned to drive. I am guessing they have all but disappeared now..
Another great review Matt..
Thank you for your thorough car reviews. In my home country (South Africa) we never had the early Polo's and only got a modified Seat Cordoba / Ibiza in 1996 with a Polo badge. Interesting to see these and being put through it's paces and getting a history lesson on the car as well.
Bring more KGF's cars to review, they are like time capsules!
Thanks, glad you like them!
Thats a stunning Polo. What fab seats ! Thanks for sharing with us. Thanks to KGF classics too. 👍
Very welcome, pleased you liked it!
That hazard warning light switch reminded me of a MK3 Escort I had in the early to mid '80s which had a similar arrangement.
A friend of mine was a somewhat credulous young lady and she asked me what the red button on top of the steering column was for. So, having had a Corgi James Bond Aston Martin in my childhood, I told her that it was for the ejector seat. When I pressed the button and it started to flash she began to look quite worried! :-)
I just love the polo, you do an amazing job with these videos and really enjoy watching them. I've owned a mk3 in the past and currently own a mk2 and a 9N. The Mk2 is a country model and believe it was the run out version before the mk2F came along. It's loaded with extras and options and can only conclude that people were very easy to please back in 1990.
That’s a really nice car - I was never a big fan of the original mk2 breadvan - and those brakes! A friend of mine had one, and nearly killed us both in it when hooning around some lanes. But the facelift was a really quite pleasing shape - especially the coupe. Fabulous seats, and a really neat interior - I miss seeing colour in car interiors - that tartan looks great. Matches your scarf too......
Love these vids. Would be great to see a Mk1 Twingo and a bubble-nosed Multipla if you ever get the chance! The latter becoming increasingly rare 😬
My dad's old Nissan Bluebird ZX Turbo had a Pioneer pull out radio/cassette. 87 on a D plate. Dump valve, tsw 17in blades, full scorpion exhaust system and chipped by RGS Motorsport. Was pretty quick for what it was. Rare as hen's teeth though.
Very exciting to see you at KGF! Hope to see more of their cars on your channel! :)
Thanks, glad you liked it!
Ah, these take me back to my childhood. Many a Saturday spent in the Polo Mk2 and Mk3 coupé (and those seats!) with my Grandmother, such fond memories, thanks.
Where's the fun in good brakes? I had the base Mark 1, a well used red one followed by a well used pale blue one. They both had one winning feature for me. I could afford them. A regular trip was Edinburgh to Newcastle over the Carter Bar. I could drive them at their limits on these roads without breaking the speed limit. One memorable day I saw an identical polo to mine ahead and decided to show it a clean pair of hells over the Bar. But try as I might I just couldn't catch the driver up. To add insult to injury, the car ahead appeared to be on rails as opposed to the heroics I was putting mine through in trying to keep up. Coming down the other side of the hill, I saw the polo ahead, stopped outside a cottage. I slowed down to give this Sterling Moss due respect with a nod and hand as I drove by, and lo and behold, the driver was a genuine little old lady. I shrunk to two inches high, but consoled myself that she must have been plying those bends every day for decades to drive like that. She must have, mustn't she? *sigh*
If this was the top of the range model; I really don't want to know what equipment was like on base models.
No sound deadening, cheasy door cards, no sun roof.......stereo delete....
No sure that statement correct "top of the range" as at some point a GT MK2F was put into the range (not to be confused with the brilliant quick GT40).
I love watching your drives! I'd just like to correct your statement that the Mk2F Polo was only built for 2 years: It was built for 4 years; from October 1990 to July 1994. ;) If you ever come across a Lancia Y10 (GTi.e., for example), I'd be super interested in watching that drive and hearing your thoughts!
Oh yes! Y10 please!!
@@simonhodgetts6530 yeah this was buggin me too ... they were 4 years from 90-94 hence how i have haa 90, 92 and 94
Not the only mistake.
Great review!
The controls are very Volkswagen, common to even us plebeian US citizens!
I must say your scarf complements the upholstery! And the seats are very VW as well.
If it handles well in inclement weather, it is a testament to WHY many were sold; alas, never marketed or sold in the US, although VW did import the Fox 🦊 from Brazil 🇧🇷!
You did not perform a rear seat review! And that classic Rolls-Royce, how "posh"!
I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed this!
We agree, great review!
Ahh, KGF Classic cars, been a subscriber of theirs for a long time, just wish they talked about their cars in the videos.
Thank you for being a subscriber!
Compared to all the other manufacturers small cars of this era the polo felt solid and built properly. Screws and bolts where other used plastic clips and glue.
Just bought a 1.1 Coupe version of this car and its the best little car Ive ever owned. Gets some great looks on the streets and its just a dream to drive. Great fun
Despite having a brake servo on all models (right or left hand drive), the Mark II facelift Polo brakes are still shockingly bad. I can confirm that having driven a G40 on the channel a year ago. It did 0-60 mph in a bit more than 20 seconds, though...
Did these not come out earlier than 92? I've definitely seen H reg Mk2fs in the past. These always seemed very well put together so I'm quite surprised there aren't more still surviving. Agreed on the seat covers. They are a total triumph too.
Importantly it has my 90s car must haves. No power steering, sliding sunroof and radio cassette. The holy trinity
Yup i had one
Sorry to nitpick, the engines were 1043cc and 1272cc. The 1043cc replaced the earlier 1093cc engine from the Mk1 Golf.
The loaded model didn't get a glovebox cover? My aunt had a Mk2F breadvan GT and it had the cover
Calling the Genesis the 'top spec' isn't accurate. Genesis was a run-out set trim level which included the tartan seats which were not available in any other spec, green tinted glass, manual sliding sunroof and the same steering wheel as the GT/G40, no genesis came with a cigarette lighter or a glove box cover and some didn't even have a radio where as all GT's and G40's and most of the C, CL and even Fox models had those as standard depending on what year they were.
@@deadjumpers87 yeah but the c, cl, fox ect didn’t come with a sunroof or a rev counter
Did you wear the seat-matching scarf on purpose..? 🤔
Hours of planning go into these
We shall expect colour coded scarves 🧣 on every test from now on. You have set the standard. 😄
I thought so as well! Great minds think alike!
Always liked the breadvan-style rear of this car, thought the rest of it was too sobre and simple at the time. Looking at it now it was a very clever and well executed bit of design.
It is again fascinating to see what Europe gets versus North America. These would've been too small to sell here, especially as Volkswagen was failing in the states at that point. It's interesting in fact how each side viewed Volkswagen, because over here VW was seen as overpriced junk. But I love honest small space efficient cars (I had a Focus with a manual that I loved very much) so this looks great to me.
One of ex neighbors had a MK2 Polo like the one you tested, but the coupé version. I always thought the coupé looked like a hatchback and the one you tested looked like a small estate styling wise. Well my ex neighbor replaced the MK2 skipped a generation and bought a early MK4 Polo that's VW loyalty for you. My one and only VW was a poor buy and I was glad to get rid of it after 2 miserable years. You live and learn.
I liked the '...over a decade old at this point' audio sample for the radio, rather fitting for this car. :)
.
14:46 for the radio sample.
Nice too see a very good looking Polo, but in comparison with Rover 100, it has a depressing and sad interior - the exception is the colorful seats. I need to see one more time the Rover to recover some happiness. 😉
Subjective I guess. I always found the solidity of the Polo interior satisfying rather than depressing
Love those LED's at the bottom right side of the instrument cluster ! - Great car for its time !
German cars particularly of the 80's and 90's always were a bit stingy with their standard fit equipment albeit with solid construction.
No electric windows or central locking with the top spec model, not even a cigarette lighter.
I think it depends on the market; here in the US, we had much of this standard on a US VW, especially either a Jetta and Passat, to which we had first as the Dasher, then the Quantum. By 1991,1992 it became the Passat, to which the same has stuck ever since!
I thought all these were made in Pamplona Spain, like the MK4.
These were so ancient and outclassed even in 92, even the Rover Metro drove better. Both were crash death traps though, in those days pre euro-ncap.
They always smelt of rubber glue from new, very distinctive smell.
A big improvement in the facelift was the rear hatch button instead of the old twist handle. Thieves loved them. Just had to break them off & they’d easy access to the boot!
The 2f ran from 90 to 94 so 4 Year production run, the tailgate was different on the 2f both on the breadvan and coupe and the only bonded glass on it was the rear screen, the small engine is actually a 1043 and all Polo's from 1986 or 87 were built in Spain, a 5 speed on the 1043 was an option but tbh it does not really need it as the 5th is just a bit tall for the 1043. The Fox had internally adjustable mirrors, 2 sunvisors and side repeaters. it did only have a courtesy light switch on the drivers a post though. I still daily drive a 92 Fox that I purchased 19 Years ago and they are very reliable and able cars
Our window cleaner still uses a MK1 to do his rounds with now. It's red and it's still red! :)
thats rare for a working one to still be red not pink!
Or even a faded orange.
Love those seats! What a great little car. KGF have had some stunning cars in stock that I've seen on here. If only I had the money available!
We have the same problem!
It would make an ideal first car for someone at £4400.
Thank you for the kind words!
Volkswagen didn't have a five-speed gearbox for the 1.05 and 1.3 litre engines at the time, so it couldn't be offered even as and option. I always thought these cars to be very Spartan having owned both Polo and Golf from the 1990s (in the "C" trim level, which stands for Crisis), however the seats in the facelift model look very luxurious.
Can i ask are you saying these never came with a five speed gearbox? Because my 1991 1.3 coupe had a 085 five speed and the code in the boot on the sticker under the boot lid was 8p.
I had a mark one polo. it was a great little car. not as nice as a car I had to trade in. As the polo was for the wife, and I had a VW caddy pick up, with a truckmen hardtop on the back, which I needed for my business at the time. The car I traded in was a Passat, GL5. The best car I’ve ever owned, up until my recent purchase of a Nissan Qashqai Tekna +. I get the same feeling driving that, as I used to with the GL5.
My nan used to always buy polos when I was young, she had 2 of this shape, a spearmint green Fox, and a blue boulevard, they were great little cars 👍
I’ve never seen a fuel gauge that actually lists the size of the tank! And this is in imperial gallons for just the UK market. So the gauge at full reads as 9 gallons, but half-full is shown as 4 gallons?! Crazy imprecise math for the Germans. And apparently they didn’t anticipate a move to petrol being sold in liters. The Polo range has never been sold here in the US market, but I think a gas gauge with display markings in (US) gallons would be well received in a car here.
gallons on the gauge isn't that rare, my Rover P6 has that as well
@@furiousdriving That is very cool.
@@jkk244 I know some 1980s larger model Audis and BMW used to have it. It was pretty cool if you had a BMW 750 or alpina with optional larger tank, because then it read "110" at full, as in 110 liters.
Never thought I'd see one of these reviewed! My very first car, a 1990 model on an H-reg, with the 1.3 engine. It was tired, a little scruffy, it cost £650 if I recall, and I loved it. But god, it was basic even by the standards of the time I had it.
That horn sounds like it came off a ship lol
My first car! Although mine was the lesser seen saloon (formally the Derby) in CL spec. Interesting to note the equipment levels between this and my car; mine had an aftermarket tilt-only sunroof and huge analogue clock where the rev counter should've been. But it did get a five speed gear box (not that it made much difference mated to an asthmatic 1.3 lump), ashtray with cig lighter and a proper glove box. The saloon boot was gigantic although hindered somewhat by a high loading lip and rear seats that didn't go down. Also suffered from a common occurrence that plagued a lot of VWs of that era, which was that while build quality was exceptional, damp could it's way into the cabin, particularly in the rear. Oh, and electrics could play up after a while...but apart from that, a great little car and sadly a bit under appreciated.
I love the Steilheck Polo! We had a pre facelift for years as a second car. Dead reliable. The Coupe was also a looker.
It was, wasnt it, very cool at the time
I have a 93 hatchback version of this. fun little car, same seats as this video
The G40 models actually had clocks that read up to 160mph!
the 2F was build from 1990 to 1994. 4 years.
What a nice, clean little car. Can't believe no 12 volt outlet though..
KGF has a mk2 Mondeo ST24 with only 5,124 miles you should do a review on that as it’s the first ever Ford to wear the ST badge it’s about time there should be a mk1/mk2 Mondeo on the channel👍
Happy to oblige but the Mondeo ST24 is now sold. Here are the details: www.kgfclassiccars.co.uk/vehicles/22777/
That was the best mk2 st I’ve seen in that condition that is virtually a brand new car
Nice car. You should get a hold of a 6N next time to see how things changed. Maybe even a GTI one
Love the seats and the steering wheel. Can’t believe it has no glove box door, Ashtray/ cigarette lighter or 5 speed in the top of the range car
I had the 1.3 five speed one of these and I miss it so very much.
I’ve had a couple of these, I had this tarton (my favourite interior) in my boulevard and G40 interior in another. Some of the interior parts are from the Porsche parts bins!
Haha yeah cup holder was a massive issue for the morning coffee!
I loved them .. both lowered which caused so many issues with the flat arch if you wanted any wider alloys or poke (before using camber shims 🥳)
Such a shame the prices have soared in the last couple of years 😢
If you do a Polo review again please run your stats by me, all I can hear are the inaccuracies 😂
These were made for 4 years 1990 to 1994
There were 5 engine choices, 1x 1043cc 45bhp, 2x 1272cc 55bhp, one was mpi and the other spi, 1x 1272cc 75bhp mpi came in the GT model only and finally the 1272cc supercharged G40.
What you had there was the 1043cc AAU
The Genesis was just a special edition, not quite the top of the range. The top of the range (excluding GT and G40) was the CL. Which would have had a glove box lid and a cigarette lighter.
The range actually went Fox, Boulevard, Genesis, CL, GT and G40.
The speedo goes up to 120mph on all mk2f Polos but the G40 went up to 160mph.
Great review though and nice to see there are still great examples out there.
Good review, thanks. Two points of interest:
1) I think the saloon was only available in a single trim level (CL possibly) and discontinued in 1991/2 as it proved to be a very slow seller. You rarely if ever saw them even back in the day but the coupe was quite popular.
2) Were any versions of this generation ever built in Germany? I thought production switched to Pamplona, Spain around the time of the mini-refresh in 1987. We had both a 1987 hatchback and a 1991 coupe in the family and both were built in Spain. Never come across one of these that was built anywhere else.
Good video, but just a couple of anomalies.
This model was made between late 1990 and 1994, rather than just the two years you mentioned.
The engines were 1043 and 1272cc and there were 3 states of tune for the 1272cc: 55, 75 and 113bhp (G40).
Only the hatch glass on the Coupe and 'Squareback' was bonded. The windscreens still used a seal like the earlier Mark2.
The G40 had clocks up to 160mph. Most of the range had the rather optimistic 120mph clocks.
I'm being a pedant I know, but I've been around these cars for too long 😅.
Good video. Well thought out and presented. Thank you. My first car was the predecessor to this in what VW called the "Country" specification. I have always like this mini estate shooting brake sort of configuration. KGF have some lovely vehicles passing through their hands.
my dad had a origional breadvan polo and also a while one of the facelifts not my kind of car but we had 0 issues with either one
Our family had one of these only it was the coupe model. Not too slow most of the time but hills were not a strength. It got up them but you could probably run up quicker! Fuel injection made for turn key reliability even on a freezing wet day. Definite improvement on the mark 2 pre facelift. It was replaced by a mark 3 which was a huge step up again. Less character though.
this car was first sold in 1991 and last sold in 1994.
the glove compartment does have a door, it must’ve been broken off on yours.
the g40 speedo goes up to 160 mph.
👍🏻. Love a breadvan polo. I had an H reg GT which was great.
the 2f came out in 1991 not 92
The windscreen was still held in by a seal. Only the bootlid was bonded
45bhp was a 1.0 54bhp was a 1.3 and 75bhp was a MPI 1.3GT
Not all 2f's came with a catalyst. the cut off was 1 August 1992 or around then. So many H reg 91 cars didnt have a catalyst.
That particular car should have had side carpets where the wheel iron was, either side.
Tea shelf opportunities, a lot of polos, came with a glovebox which housed 2 cupholders, but with it being a genesis it didn't have one as standard
GT had a different rev counter, they revved to 6.5k rather than 6k
The g40 had a different speedo, it's maximum was 160mph rather than 120mph and going in multiples of 20's and not 10's
I wouldn't be impressed with the horn either, it's damaged and thats not how they sound.
I took my driving test in an M-reg coupe version of this. It didn’t have servo assisted brake lol. Still fun though and interiors were so much more fun and less pretentious than the default black/piano black/chrome interiors of all new cars. Great review of a fun little car
Trust me an M reg coupe did have a servo
I really like this!
Cute mini estate car.
In 2018 (I think it was) I saw one of these (also a K-reg but in that turquoise-greeny colour) driven by a young lad/boi picking up his mate/bro from a train station :P
Sorry to complain but in most of your videos you say check the link below. There is never a link to the subject vehicle.
I always thought the Genesis versions was special edition after the sponsorship of said band.
Another observation is that the Metro were criticised for having only a 4 speed gearbox and here we have a a 1990s car which has one. I wonder if the 5 speed for the Polo was an option at this time?
Love your content!, Hope to see some more on the 214 cabriolet, absolutely love that car
the k series engine is a one of it's kind
More coming soon
Hi Matt,nice review on this Polo Mk2 F,my brother had one in the same colour,and everything,but what a low mileage car it is.looks brand new.
Side indicator repeaters became a legal requirement in the late 1980, around about E/F reg cars. I recall them being added to the bargain-basement Metro City models which didn't originally have them, and they ended production in 1990.
Side repeaters and passenger side door mirrors were mandatory for 1986 model year cars - Late C plate and onwards.
Is there any way the amount of adverts during your videos can be reduced? I had 3 lots of Adverts during this video which is annoying and not slightly relevant to me.
Please keep up the great work, I have been a long term subscriber and will continue to be (Since the Mondeo estate days) but the Ads are frustrating.
Another lovely small car we never got here in Canada!
Have seen the odd one of these in Australia surprisingly enough.
Car reviewer heaps criticism onto the pattern and style of a cars interior whilst seemingly oblivious to his very similar choice in scarves! 😁
I think I said I liked it..I make no claims about my own taste
you should do a review of a Reliant scimitar GTE
Those seats are amazing🤣👍👍
I just realised, car companies used to put trim level and engine size on the car, does any company do that now in plain view, as in, not hidden in model number?
Great Car .I hope your not neglecting Wayne at Stone Cold
I was there this week - check out the Volvo!
See your review on Volvo great as ever.
Oooh, had one of those as in the very early noughties. Drove well but hated it. Got £400 for it in a part-exchange, dealer had it up on the forecourt for 1400 the following week. Never missed that car
Please, test Fiat Uno 😉
I had a boulevard model as my first car, had issues with the head gasket then replaced it with a rover 214 that never had any 🤔
oh the irony!
Quite inverse of the popular sentiment.
Slightly disappointing that its top of the range with blanking switches a 4 speed gearbox.
@@shugthehornyhaggis I am pretty sure the even the bog all but the most basic Fiestas by 1992 had 5 speed gearboxes, a 12v socket and a glove box. By 1992 even poverty spec Ladas had a 5 speed box.
a college classmate of mine in 2010 had an early (1993 K-reg) Vauxhall Corsa B 1.2 that was a 4-speed manual, but I saw a 1994 M-reg one of those for sale not long after that still was a 4-speed manual!
he said it could still do at least 90-something mph; I think because the ratios are different, 4th gear on a 4-speed is like what "4-and-a-halfth-gear" would be like on a 5-speed.
that is a great price for this car, don't think you mentioned it as a bread van though, as in it's sales description.
I always called the mk2 the bread van, funny Ive never referred to these as that
VW seemed to have no rhyme or reason towards equipment. My CL had a five speed gearbox, and a glovebox and a lighter 🤷♂️. Also... no fuel light. Not that it didn’t work, it just didn’t have one; got the better of me more than once. Once drove from Bristol to Hastings in it, not something I’d subject on anyone 😆
The Genesis wasn't the top of the range... it was a limited edition due to music group... it's actually based on the CL... there was the GT, and the G40 which he mentioned... The GT was also a 1.3, though it had multipoint fuel injection... so it was a mini GTI really.
Back when German cars were not about being high performance and were just a solid dependable car as you say. To put it in to perspective a 1992 Rover Metro had 75bhp or 100bhp and 0-60 in 10.5 or 9.5 seconds - twice as powerful and half the acceleration time as the German equivalent here!
Modern VW's may have the performance, but I'm not so sure about the dependability and durability.
I have had 3 cars stolen in my life. The first was a MK3 Cortina GT, the second was a Porsche 944 which they broke into my garage to steal and the last one was a Polo Fox bright red with red wheel covers which I had bought brand new and had it a matter of months. I could understand why the stole the first two but I was totally surprised they stole the Polo. I eventually got the Porsche back bot the Polo vanished never to be seen again. I did like the Polo by the way.