Berlin - Volkswagen has debuted its new Polo at a event in Germany.
The Polo sports an entirely new exterior design, more spacious interior, new cockpit and the addition of a TGI (natural gas) engine. Another first, borrowed from its Golf sibling, is its new digital instrument display.
The new model also coincides with launch of the sportiest version yet - the 2017 Polo GTI.
New generation
Klaus Bischoff, head of design of Volkswagen, explains: "This Volkswagen can immediately be made out as the original of its class, but also as a completely new generation. A Polo with an expressive design which makes the compact sportier, cleaner and unique within the brand range. This is a car that fits in perfectly with our times – both visually and technologically."
Key facts of the new Polo:
1 Largest yet - 4053mm long, 94mm longer wheelbase.
2 Boot volume grew 25% to 351 litres.
3 Golf features in Polo - park assist, Blind Spot Detection, ACC and LED headlights.
4 First Polo with digital instruments - second-generation Active Info Display.
5 New exterior design, assertive front end.
6 Trendline, Comfortline, Highline, GTI, Beats and lifestyle packages.
7 14 body colours and 13 dashpad colours
8 Engines have outputs from 48kW to 147kW
9 New Polo engine: TGI (natural gas) with 66kW
10 Use Modular transverse matrix or MQB platform.
Image: Newspress
Engines
The new Polo will be sold later in Europe in 2017 with nine Euro-6 engines. The power range at market launch - 48kW to 110kW. For the first time, the Polo is available with a natural gas engine; the newly developed 1.0 TGI with an output of 66kW. Four petrol and two diesel engines are also available.
Natural gas
1.0 TGI with 66kW 5-speed gearbox
Petrol
1.0 MPI with 48kW 5-speed gearbox
1.0 MPI with 55kW 5-speed gearbox
1.0 TSI with 70kW 5-speed gearbox/7-speed DSG
1.0 TSI with 85kW 6-speed gearbox/7-speed DSG
1.5 TSI with 110kW 6-speed gearbox/7-speed DSG
2.0 TSI with 147kW 6-speed gearbox/7-speed DSG
Diesel
1.6 TDI with 59kW 5-speed gearbox
1.6 TDI with 70kW 5-speed gearbox/7-speed DSG
Image: Newspress
Much more interior space
The sixth generation Polo has grown, making it larger than its predecessor in all of its dimensions. This has resulted in significantly increased boot volume - from 280 to 351 litres.
Image: Newspress
The new Polo, with its length of 4m, is slightly shorter than the fourth- generation Golf, but it surpasses that Golf when it comes to its wheelbase (53mm longer) and space for the driver, passengers and luggage (21 litres more).
Key dimensions in comparison:
Image: Newspress