First look: VW renews Polo for Geneva

THE next generation of Volkswagen’s smallest model in Australia has emerged on the eve of the Geneva motor show, featuring and all-new and slightly longer, wider and stronger body.

Designed to offer class-leading safety, the 7.5 per cent lighter Polo replacement is due to go on sale in Australia in early 2010 when it is likely to come standard with six airbags and electronic stability control (ESC).

Riding on a longer wheelbase, the new Polo is 36mm longer than before at 3952mm, as well as 32mm wider at 1682mm and 13mm lower at 1454mm. VW says it liberates more head, shoulder and legroom, plus a larger 280-litre cargo area, which now extends to 952 litres with the rear seats down.

Cleaner new turbocharged 1.2-litre TSI petrol and 1.6-litre TDI diesel engines will join carryover naturally-aspirated 1.2 and 1.4-litre engines.

Each engine will be equipped with five or six-speed manual gearboxes or, as a debut option for selected Polo variants, VW’s new seven-speed dual-clutch DSG automated manual transmission.

The fifth-generation Polo, which features VW’s new corporate design as seen on the Scirocco and Golf VI, will make its world debut at Geneva alongside a new Polo BlueMotion II concept car.

The latter employs an idle-stop system, longer gear ratios, low rolling-resistance tyres and 15mm-lower suspension to produce average CO2 emissions of just 87gm/km.

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