WOLFSBURG: VW is preparing to launch the next generation of its popular Polo, with the sixth edition of the beloved supermini on the way for the second half of 2017.
During test drives in South Africa, the Polo’s series production manager Klaus-Gerhard Wolpert stated that the direct competitor to the Ford Fiesta and Opel Corsa will be switching to a body constructed using the Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform, and will thus offer more space, less weight and, above all, plenty of new technology.
With the exception of digital instruments, almost all of the infotainment and assistance systems available in the compact segment will also be available for the Polo, explains Wolpert.
In the Polo, however, they will be presented in a more lively and colourful environment - at least if you order the optional colour consoles, which the Polo's designers have borrowed from VW’s Up.
Despite being only slightly larger on the outside than its predecessor, the next generation Polo’s larger wheelbase will give it a more spacious interior, and will be available with either a three or four-cylinder engine.
The Polo is also set to feature an SCR catalytic converter for the diesel models, and particle filters for petrol engines, both of which are firsts for a vehicle in its class.
The Polo’s petrol engines will be a choice of either a 1.0-litre three-cylinder with 65 horsepower or a brawnier 1.5-litre four-cylinder with 150hp. The diesel engine will be available with 1.6-litre displacement and either 80 or 105hp. There will also be a Polo GTI model once again, which, according to Wolpert, will reach up to 200hp.
To begin with, the car will come in either three or five-door configurations. VW is already planning a CrossPolo with slightly more ground clearance and, for 2018, a proper SUV for the first time in the Polo series.
