Volkswagen

Having successfully kept it completely under wraps, Volkswagen revealed the all-new Polo at the Geneva Auto Show. And in sharp contrast to the worthy but far from exciting current car, VW has tried to inject a bit of Scirocco glamour into its supermini.

 

As promised, the Scirocco’s "face" is now appearing across the VW range, having already been adapted for the new Golf. And it brings a much more dynamic look to the new Polo, too, the new compact VW that is now tall, edgy and discreetly more stylish than before.

 

There are hints of Skoda Fabia in its proportions, which should come as no surprise given that they share much in their construction. The Polo’s underpinnings are more closely related to the SEAT Ibiza, however, as its updated platform will underpin all VW group superminis from now on. 

 

So much for family resemblance though, because the new Polo is technically and in engineering terms a significant step up from either the SEAT or the Skoda. Five of the seven engines are all-new, weight is down by an average of 7.5 percent and technology like VW’s 7-speed automated DSG gearbox will be available, too.

 

All this benefits fuel consumption and emissions significantly. The champion in this respect is the new Bluemotion, version with its hybrid beating 96 g/km CO2 and 74.3 mpg fuel consumption. Even non-Bluemotion versions of this all-new 1.6-liter common-rail TDI diesel manage 109 g/km and 69.7 mpg in outputs of 90 or 105 horsepower.

 

Gas-powered engines are versions of the existing 1.2-liter 3-cylinder with 60 or 70 horsepower or the 85-horse 1.4 liter. Most interesting is the turbocharged 1.2 TSI with 105 horsepower, emissions of 129 g/km CO2 and fuel efficiency of 51.4 mpg. With the optional 7-speed DSG gearbox – also available on the 1.4 and 90-horse 1.6 TDI – it’ll be a punchy performer but frugal.

 

The new chassis has been much updated and, if the closely related Ibiza is anything to go by, should offer a much livelier and entertaining drive, which it’ll need to, if it’s to go up against the Fiesta and refreshed Clio. Track is wider by 1.2 inches, bushings have been uprated and steering geometry changed, all to improve stability.

 

Inside, there’s a big focus on quality and more space for all. Like the Golf, instruments are now white-lit for clarity and, in typical VW fashion, they are all very functional and ergonomic, if slightly lacking in flair. Soft-touch surfaces and discreet chrome trim and are a clear step up from SEAT and Skoda relatives, though.

 

So, no surprises from the Polo beyond the fact VW managed to keep it hidden right up to the moment the covers came off. "No gimmicks," said VW’s Ulrich Hackenberg as he presented the car to the press. Sensible innovation is the name of the game, which in the current climate is probably the way to play it.