Internally designated Typ 6R, the Polo Mk5 is based on Volkswagen's PQ25 platform shared with the SEAT Ibiza Mk4 and the Audi A1 Mk1.

The Polo has thorax airbags and has been awarded a five-star Euro NCAP crash impact rating.

[7] For the first time in a Polo, a 7-speed dual clutch transmission and navigation systems with touchscreen controls are available as an option.

[9] As the result, the South African-made Polo was exported throughout many right-hand-drive markets, including UK, Ireland, Australia, Singapore and Malaysia.

[15] The Volkswagen Polo won the 2010 European Car of the Year, defeating the Toyota iQ and Opel/Vauxhall Astra.

[17] The European version, with exceptions for the French and Turkish market, includes a standard ESP electronic stabilisation program with Hill Hold Control, head-thorax airbags (integrated in the front seatbacks), belt tensioners and belt force limiters plus seatbelt warning indicator and head restraints, three rear head restraints and Isofix child seat preparation.

Until 2013, the Highline variant of the Polo in India had dual front airbag with ABS and ESP was standard equipment.

From 2013 onwards, the Comfortline and Highline variant had factory fitted Dual front airbag with ABS and ESP as standard.

In France, ESP and Hill Hold Control are standard equipment only on the models with engines no less than 85 hp (63 kW).

In Turkey, ESP and Hill Hold Control are optional equipment on all models except GTI and BlueMotion.

In its native Germany, India and South Africa as well as some European markets except France, Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Trendline, Comfortline and Highline trim levels are being offered in all versions.

The Polo GTI was presented together with the CrossPolo at the Geneva Motor Show in early March 2010 and was available since the end of May 2010.

[19] Styling-wise, the Polo GTI differs from the standard Polo with its redesigned front and rear bumpers, widened side skirts, roof spoiler, standard fog lights, red brake calipers, 17-inch alloy wheels and a chrome-plated twin tailpipe.

It is also equipped with a sports suspension that is about 15 mm (0.6 in) lower and an extended electronic limited slip differential, which is intended to reduce the vehicle's tendency to understeer by braking the front wheel on the inside of the bend when cornering quickly.

[21] The 2010-2013 models are equipped with a 1.4-liter engine with a turbocharger and supercharger installed producing a maximum power 180 PS (178 hp; 132 kW) combined with a 7-speed double-clutch transmission and front-wheel-drive.

At the same time, an improved technology is said to have reduced fuel consumption by 25 percent compared to the equally powerful previous model, the Polo GTI Cup Edition, and now amounts to 5.9 L/100 km (16.9 km/L; 39.9 mpg‑US; 47.9 mpg‑imp).

[22] In June 2010, Volkswagen presented the 2011 edition of the CrossPolo, a crossover-styled version of the Polo with extra ground clearance mainly obtained by the addition of an aluminium distancing block.

The standard equipment includes sports seats for the driver and front passenger, and leather steering wheel.

The facelift Polo adds technology such as Automatic Post-Collision Braking System as standard across all model lines.

[32][33] The Polo Vivo is offered in four trim levels including Trendline, Comfortline, Highline, and GT.

The extra 82 mm (3.2 in) wheelbase offers more rear legroom than the hatchback, while the three-box design generates additional trunk space of 500 liters.

In 2016, Volkswagen redesigned the front so it resembled the (at the time) new Jetta (mk7): grill, fascia, fog lights and chrome inserts.

In 2011, VW introduced a special edition called the "Breeze" on the Trendline trim, featuring added accessories.

[41] The car became available in Argentina as the Polo Sedan from October 2015 to February 2018, when it was replaced by the Virtus sourced from Brazil.

The Ameo is a notchback sedan based on the hatchback Polo Mk5 which was introduced for the Indian market in June 2016.

Slotted between the Polo and the Vento, the Ameo was developed to fit the tax bracket for vehicles under 4,000 mm (157.5 in) in length in order to occupy the sub-four metre sedan segment in India.

The diesel variant is a 1.5-litre TDI four cylinder engine, that develops 108 hp (81 kW) at 4,000 rpm and 250 N⋅m (184 lbf⋅ft) of peak torque.

[44] The Ameo was discontinued in April 2020, as the vehicle was not updated to be compliant with the Bharat Stage 6 emission norms, which came into force in that month, due to its decreasing sales.

Anecdotal reports have appeared of problems with the 66 kW diesel engine, including poor fuel consumption and surging.

The street version features a 2.0 litre turbocharged engine producing 220 PS, and is mated exclusively to 6-speed manual gearbox.