Volkswagen plans to launch new generation Polo hatchback soon in India
Volkswagen India may have decided to go aggressive with its SUV lineup in the country, but the German carmaker is in no mood to desert its popular hatchback model Polo in India. Recently, the carmaker hinted that the new generation Polo, currently under development, may hit the Indian shores in 2023.
During a recent Volkswagen event, the carmaker's Brand Director in India Ashish Gupta said that the German auto giant is still evaluating the prospect of the seventh-generation Polo hatchback for the Indian market.
Polo hatchback has been easily the most popular offerings from Volkswagen in India so far, and is currently its top-selling model with as many as 15,085 units sold last month. It is much higher the carmaker's second best-seller in India - Volkswagen Ameo - with just 4,729 units.
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Volkswagen is all set to bring in a special Matte edition of the Polo hatchback to Indian market. The brand showcased the new Polo recently during a media event where it also showcased its new SUVs - the Taigun and the Tiguan facelift.
The Volkswagen Polo Matte edition will continue to be powered by the BS 6 1.0-litre three-cylinder, turbocharged TSI engine. Mated to a six-speed manual transmission, the engine is capable of churning out 108 bhp of power and 175 Nm of peak torque. The interior of the Matte edition Polo, the design and other spec remain the same as the existing models.
Volkswagen currently offers Polo hatchback in India with two engine options. There is a 1.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine producing 75PS and 95Nm and a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol motor making 110PS and 175Nm. Priced between ₹6.01 lakh and ₹9.92 lakh (ex-showroom), the Polo is available currently in four variants - Trendline, Comfortline, Highline Plus and GT. The hatchback rivals the likes of Hyundai i20, Maruti Suzuki Baleno, Toyota Glanza, Tata Altroz and Honda Jazz.
The sixth generation Volkswagen Polo model is based on the MQB A0 platform. According to reports, the seventh generation models is going to be based on the local MQB A0 IN platform. However, the Polo hatchback sold outside India is more than four metres in length, and may impact taxation if brought to India with the same dimension. For India, Volkswagen would need to plan for a sub-four metre Polo to be able to make it a viable option for the Indian market.
