The Polo is Volkswagen’s very important model with the first iteration dating back to 1975. The German automaker unveiled the fifth generation Polo (Typ 6R) in 2009, launching the model in India at the 2010 Auto Expo. The company made some changes to the Indian Polo in 2012, when it gave it additional features. Last year, Volkswagen gave the Indian Polo two amazing powertrains – 1.2-litre TSI and 1.6-litre TDI engines. Now Volkswagen has unveiled the mid-life facelift of the Polo which will go on sale in India by mid-2014. The sixth generation Polo is due for launch in 2016.
Volkswagen has made minor changes to the exteriors of the Polo to make it look even more classier. The biggest highlight is the addition of LEDs in the headlights which most cars in the segment are now offering (Hyundai i20 and Suzuki Swift). Other exterior changes include new alloy wheels, chrome touches at the front, new bumpers and tail lights. On the inside, Volkswagen has made extensive changes. The dashboard gets a revised centre console, new steering wheel similar to the Golf and a new infotainment system.
Volkswagen has also given the Polo a range of features including adaptive cruise control, traffic monitoring system, driver alert system, automatic post-collision braking system, Sport select suspension and an electro-mechanical steering wheel (most of these features come from the Golf). Many of these features are unlikely to make it to Indian shores. Volkswagen has also reconfigured the complete engine range and claims an improvement in fuel mileage by as much as 21 percent.
The Polo is offered with a wide range of 3 and 4-cylinder engines but the highlight is the 1.4-litre, 3-cylinder diesel unit which uses direct injection technology. This TDI mill replaces both the 1.2 TDI and 1.6 TDI offered in the previous Polo and is available in three outputs – 75 PS, 90 PS and 105 PS. The most interesting part of this powerplant is the torque output, even in the lowest state of tune (75 PS), the Polo 1.4 TDI chalks out 210 Nm of torque at just 1500 RPM. The Polo TDI BlueMotion (with DSG) which produces 90 PS of power returns a stellar claimed mileage of 29.41 km/l.
However in India, Volkswagen isn’t touching the existing engines, at least not till the end of the year when the new 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder diesel unit will replace both the 1.2 TDI and 1.6 TDI. The 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder engines will continued to be offered in India, even in the facelifted model. Expect Volkswagen to initiate a minor price hike when the updated model is launched in our country.
