New 2010 VW Polo: lighter, safer, higher mpg (71), better looking... Coming here?

[RobertSmalls]

The North Americans are only getting the big gas engine? That's the way of things. According to Toyota.de, you can get a Yaris in Germany with either the 1.0L gas, the 1.33L with the six-speed, or the diesel with the 6-speed. The 1.4L diesel gets 46mpg city, 65mpg highway on whatever driving cycle they use over there. It's 2000 Euro more than the 1.3L engine, which would imply they could sell one here for around $15k, neglecting the cost of emissions compliance. I want one!

All we get in 'merica is the oversized 1.5L gas engine.

[tasdrouille]

Now that is unfair. My govt can buy one, test it, and showcase its technology to the Canadian public, but we can't buy one.

ecoTECHNOLOGY for Vehicles - ecoTRANSPORT - Environmental Programs - Environment - Transport Canada

I hope it's a sign we'll get it.

[PaleMelanesian]

A 1.2L is not bad, though. That's smaller than one of the Yaris engines that we still don't get. I'd be happy to try it for a while.

[MetroMPG]

More speculation about the North American future of the little VW... This article hints it may come to Canada first, then the US. VW has given an official indication that it's coming.

Volkswagen Polo destined for Canada?
Compact a big hit in Geneva

So, how does North America fit into Volkswagen’s Polo plans? ...

If it could be so easy then it would have already been announced, but other than a hint dropped in its press release Volkswagen is being extremely mum about any such plans. [...] The issue isn’t whether or not the car would sell on North American soil or for that matter if it could meet our safety and emissions standards; yes to both of these questions by the way. The real issue is where it could be built.

Germany is out of the question as such a move would price it out of contention due to high labour costs. Volkswagen has plants in the US and Mexico, either currently running near capacity or planned/expected to soon be, so the Polo is a great idea that’s sorely needed, albeit a car without a place to call home.

Production of the Euro Polo begins at the end of this month, with a full market launch in the final week of June. Two weeks later the car will be available in dealer showrooms across the entire European mainland, “and soon Polo engines will be revving up across all continents.”

There you have it folks, what can only be taken as an admission by Volkswagen via its press release that a North American-bound Polo is forthcoming (North America being one of “all continents” mentioned). So obviously VW is preparing to sort out the production issue.

Full article and VW press release: Volkswagen Polo destined for Canada?

[tasdrouille]

I just hope the pricing will make sense. The 3L cars didn't fly much because of that.

[MetroMPG]

They're aiming for the price range of the Yaris/Fit.

Sadly, the more I learn, the less hopeful I am that VW will do anything meaningful with this car - in terms of efficiency - in the Canada/US market:

The second issue, says White, is that the European version is not what Canadians will get. The Polo sold in Canada and the U.S. will be designed and outfitted especially for Canada (and the U.S.).

Our Polo will be a bit bigger than the European car. If it is to sell in the U.S., it will need to be super-sized like so many Americans.

globeandmail.com: Driving It Home - Volkswagen getting serious in Canada


I won't be surprised if in the end we end up with a watered down AND plumped up Polo, which, like the Fit, will have short gearing and no way to opt for a smaller engine.

[Drive Stick]

See, I like seeing all these new efficient vehicles being produced, but no matter what I can't justify the purchase of any of them even.

My current vehicles are probably not going to die anytime soon, and at about $1,000 each with 31 and 37 mpg there's no way to make up for the fact that they cost me next to nothing and perform exactly as I need them to.

I am however sick of seeing every VW on the road look exactly the same. How many damn names can you put on the same played out hatch back body.. fox golf GTi rabbit polo.. all of them are the same car as far as I'm concerned.

Americans are only being fed the larger gas engines because we still don't pay 10 bucks a gallon like the Europeans do. Once that day comes, and it very well could - we will not accept vehicles which aren't on par with the motherland counterparts.

[tasdrouille]

Yet another shattered dream...

It's too bad Canada, being a small market, gets tagged with the US. We are quite different from our neighbor. We like small cars and the TDI engine gets a lot of love up here.

[elhigh]

I have an uncle in MN who somehow graymarketed a Polo into the States from Canada several years ago. He drove it for a long time before it finally crapped out. He said it had a tiny-dinky engine and accelerated like an arthritic slug, but if you needed to wring every inch out of every drop of fuel, it was the way to go.

I like this new one, even if it does look like a Robeast from Voltron. Sign me up!

[noxman]

I like this car. Looks nice and with new 1.2 Tdi engine will be efficient shark. (Maybe better then Audi A2 TDI eco ).

Citation"
"To be examined as much fuel, not an automatic system and the Start-Stop system for recovery resulting from the kinetic energy during braking. Just these two technologies reduce consumption 3cylinders allegedly by 0.2 liters per 100 km. "

Saving 0.2 l ? Isn't better use smooth wheel cover and rear wheel skirt for saving the same amount, but at low cost?

I hope, that will be cheaper than Audi A2 and Lupo 3L. One thing is good consumption, second is high price for new car (in Europe 2x times expensive than classic small car )
Another thing are used technologies. Example the automatic transmission used in these 3 liter cars. As far as I know every 30 000 km is necessary to make adjustment service interference. Starts mostly out of 100 000 km, its exchange is run.

If counting the cost versus the cost of petrol, so it is preferable to always buy a car cheaper with consumption about 5 /l to 100km, than 3 l car for 2x price.


Citation 18. 04. 2005:
Last week, Volkswagen said current boss Bernd Pischetsrieder in an interview with the Financial Times Deutschland that terminating further development Piechova children called 1 L car. With the prototype of this car Piech arrived in 2002 to its last annual conference in Wolfsburg to Hamburg, but the preparation of a production version already left for his successor. The reason for termination of the project, which was already in the final development stage designed as a three-vehicle, is the inability of manufacturers to push the price below 20.000 Euro, which would likely lead to failure to mature markets of Western Europe. I return on investment in the 3L cars was problematic. Lupo 3L as 15,225 Euro or Audi A2 1.2 TDI for 19,000 Euro has not sold too, despite government support and the high price of gasoline. According to the weekly Automobilwoche from 1999 only sold about 27,000 booty 3L, while the manufacturer foresaw at least double sales. Audi its 3L model technique Zoom 3L cease production due to low sales this year, Lupo 3L should produce more.

I hope new Polo Blue Motion will be little cheaper