Last month, we came up with an exclusive report on Volkswagen India's plan of extending the lifecycle of the India-spec Polo hatchback by introducing a second round of cosmetic updates. Today, IAB’s rendering artist Shoeb Kalania imagines the upcoming 2019 VW Polo.
In an exclusive interaction with IAB, Steffen Knapp, Director, Volkswagen India, said, “We are working on, obviously, some changes in the appearance of the car.” He also said that the updates for the next facelift will “more in the lines of evolution, rather than in the lines revolution.” It may be noted here that the Volkswagen is not sure about launching the sixth-gen VW Polo in India. Hence, it makes sense to update the nearly decade-old hatchback to maintain a favourable sales-momentum.
As visualised, the 2019 VW Polo will carry a handful of cosmetic updates at its front-end. The second refresh for the Polo will likely introduce a new bumper, a new grille and new headlamps. The updated parts should bring the India-spec Polo in line with the styling theme that the sixth-generation model carries. Other than these, the car should come with new alloy wheels and a slightly different rear bumper and tail lights. The interior could get an upholstery change and some additional features.
The Volkswagen Polo facelift won't carry mechanical changes. Earlier this year, the 1.2-litre MPI petrol engine of the India-spec Polo made way for a more frugal 1.0-litre MPI motor. The 1.5-litre TDI turbocharged diesel engine will also be carried over, which is unlikely to be upgraded to BS6 emission norms that take effect in April 2020.
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The successor to the current India-spec Polo is many years away from the market as Volkswagen is moving its game into the premium segments with the T-Cross and the Vento's successor the next rollouts. VW product planners are not keen on sub-4m vehicles, plus, the cost of re-engineering the global car to reduce its overall length will make the next-gen Polo a pricey affair.
