If you still identify Volkswagen with the uncomplicated—and mechanically simple—original Beetle, it’s time to update your thinking. Times have changed, and the focus at VW is now on technology and modern design. The recently launched Golf VI provided a strong hint of where VW is headed with its high-volume cars, but it’s this new Polo that really lights the way. See, the Golf VI is burdened with many carryover parts from the Golf V, a.k.a. Rabbit, whereas the Polo is the first all-new car from the latest leadership group helming the S.S. Vee Dub. "What you see here is VW design for the coming ten years," the company told us at the car’s launch Sardinia. "This car we designed from scratch. A simple, crisp design leading to the future—which will be a lot different from the present."
Compared to the dull-looking outgoing model, the new Polo is a breath of fresh air. The lower and wider body defines simplicity. Details such as the small horizontal grille strip, the silver wing in the headlights, and the L-shaped rear lighting will resurface on other new VW models. The new look, we say, can't migrate too soon to the Jetta and Passat. While the three- and five-door hatchback versions of the Polo won't come to the U.S., we hear that a four-door sedan, which would be produced in Mexico, is considered a strong candidate for American sales.
As Usual, Europeans Have Many Engine Choices
On the Continent, the Polo is offered with three naturally aspirated gasoline engines: two 1.2-liter three-cylinder units producing 60 hp and 70 hp, and a 1.4-liter four producing 85 hp. Three variations of 1.6-liter turbo-diesel producing 75, 90, or 105 hp also are available. A 105-hp, 1.2-liter, turbocharged TSI four will hit the market soon, and a Polo GTI with 170–180 hp from a 1.4-liter TSI—similar in style to the Wörthersee concept car—is a done deal, too.
Keep Reading: 2009 Volkswagen Polo - First Drive Review
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