CONFIRMED: VW Polo coming to the U.S.
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Volkwagen Polo
According to Automotive News, Volkswagen has determined that Americans might like a Polo, so it's bringing the 80-hp subcompact Stateside in the not-too-distant future. Until now, the importation of the Polo was all conjecture, but now we have confirmation, straight from the horse's mouth. No specifics were given about the diminutive hatchback's U.S. debut, but Volkswagen Group of America CEO Stefan Jacoby confirmed they think the time is right. The automaker feels that Americans are more open to smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles following the summer of high gas prices and the struggling economy.
The car, which would slot in between the Toyota Yaris and the larger Honda Fit in size, could be built at the company's plant in Puebla, Mexico. Although they've never sold anything smaller than the Rabbit/Golf in the States, VW thinks the Polo could help them reach their goal of tripling U.S. sales over the next ten years. The latest genereation of the Polo is set to debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March, but it's unclear if we will be getting that model or its predecessor. We just hope the Polo GTI version is in the cards.
Gallery: Volkswagen Polo
[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Carlos 1:00PM (1/16/2009)
Awesome!
First
Reply
Carlos 1:01PM (1/16/2009)
I hope and pray they also bring the diesel along with this model. Can you say 50+ mpg?
zamafir 1:18PM (1/16/2009)
The TDI gets 60 US MPG on the highway :).
F-22 1:34PM (1/16/2009)
You were so excited by the fact of being first that you posted and then thought what was your REAL opinion about it?
Carlos 2:17PM (1/16/2009)
Boo I got voted down lol
Judy Zik 3:05PM (1/16/2009)
Posting ``First`` is pretty much like standing on a box in traffic and saying look at me! I am lame!
Greenies aside if it arrives in North America with an 80hp engine it will be a tough sell. Personally I have owned and loved a few econoboxes with that kind of hp but that was before today`s safety standards. With all the added weight from modern safety features plus the average person buying cars with AC and AUTO (I personally would want the AC but skip the AUTO) this thing will likely have trouble getting out of it`s own way on a big hill. Add in the average over weight people these days and passengers. Yikes.
montoym 2:07AM (1/19/2009)
Quote from Judy Zik: -
"Greenies aside if it arrives in North America with an 80hp engine it
will be a tough sell. Personally I have owned and loved a few
econoboxes with that kind of hp but that was before today`s safety
standards" -
In all honesty, we likely won't see an 80hp version here. VW also
builds 80hp Golfs also, but the smallest engine we get here is the
170hp 2.5L(unless you count the 140hp TDI we may or may not get in
the Rabbit).
It's tough to say what engines we'll actually get since VW doesn't
have engines available in the US currently that are smaller than 2.0L
or less than 140hp(both for the TDI)
Might be a good time to introduce the TSI engines here?
I could see a 1.4L TSI with 120hp being a good sell here. That's
pretty equivalent to the power levels of comparably-sized cars and
would return probably close to 40mpg or better through the EPA. That
same engine scores 47.1mpg combined in Europe in the Golf(so about 40mpg US in a larger car).
They also have a 160hp version of the same 1.4L TSI. Those two gas
engines and a TDI option would make for a very fuel efficient model
line with some fun as well.
montoym 2:46AM (1/19/2009)
@Judy Zik:
Keep in mind also that the Yaris has only 106hp and the larger Prius has 110hp combined net(gas engine and electric motors). Granted, the Prius has a significant amount of torque, virtually all from the electric motors, but that just goes to show that HP isn't everything.
I wouldn't count on a sub 100hp Polo hitting our shores. Not considering that VW typically offers the US cars with some of the largest motors they have available for those models elsewhere. Not to mention that they likely want it to be competitive power-wise.
andrinoe 1:04PM (1/16/2009)
It's about time. This is how they will increase their market share projetions for their stated future.
Reply
Nightcrawler 1:05PM (1/16/2009)
I'm trying to remember which is smaller, the VW Polo or the VW Lupo? I thought it was the Lupo, but this article makes the Polo sound pretty small so I'm thinking I was wrong.
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friko 1:07PM (1/16/2009)
I think the Lupo is smaller. It's a bit taller, but shorter indeed.
Ken Stamper 2:03PM (1/16/2009)
The Lupo was smaller, it was built on a shorter-wheelbase version of the Polo platform, originally for SEAT. But it has been out of production for some time. VW's sub-Polo car is now the Brazilian-built Fox.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VW_Fox
Dazza 2:15PM (1/16/2009)
VW Up = sub-A segment
VW Fox (and formerly VW Lupo/Seat Arosa) = A-segment
VW Polo/Seat Ibiza = B-segment
VW Golf/Jetta/Seat Leon = C-segment
Martin 4:08PM (1/16/2009)
@ Dazza:
VW Up = sub-A segment
VW Fox (and formerly VW Lupo/Seat Arosa) = A-segment
VW Polo/Seat Ibiza = B-segment
Sorry, but that is wrong:
VW Lupo (1998) / VW up! (2010) are both A-segment (~3.5m)
VW Fox / Polo are both B-segment (~3.8m)
The main difference between the Fox and the Polo is that the Fox is utilitarian, cheap and cheerful with a limited engine choice, where as the Polo is more comfortable and upscale with more modern and fuel-efficient engines
P.V. 4:29PM (1/16/2009)
Remember, the IROC concept was the predecessor to the ScIROCco production model. Thus, the up! is the predecessor to the L_up_o (Lupo) production model. The Polo is subcompact (it's about time VW got a subcompact model to slot under the (somewhat pricey) Rabbit); the Lupo is a microcar (smart ForTwo/Chevrolet Spark competitor).
GOT 4:22AM (1/19/2009)
LOOK at this comparison (made it a couple of years ago but I checked the current dims and they are the same). http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/Got10mm/SPORTS/GolfYearsSTUDY.jpg
The Polo ROCKS!!! My brother still drives my '89 Mk2 and my friend had an 80s Rabbit GTi and it was awesome. The current Golf is too big. The Polo is for the most part the same size as the original Rabbit (the real Rabbit). So glad VW is FINALLY (!!!!!!!) bringing the Polo to the USA! I was hoping was going to bring over the Fox (in it's 3 variations: Fox, CrossFox & Pepper). Polo will work though.
Will buy one!
Kumail 1:04PM (1/16/2009)
if they bring over the gti version, i think i found my next car.
Reply
Torrent 1:26PM (1/16/2009)
I'm glad they're bringing this over. it's adorable.
ambientFLIER 10:55PM (1/16/2009)
They already have that. It's called the GTi.
Travis 11:46AM (1/17/2009)
@ambientflyer - you do know that there's a difference between the Polo and the Golf/Rabbit, right? As in, the Polo GTI and the Rabbit GTI are two completely separate vehicles?