VW has started road tests of the facelifted Polo new generation
The current generation Polo is getting old. No, not the one which is sold in India, well, that is almost a decade old by now. Instead, we are referring to the one which is sold in the international markets.
The internationally sold Polo, which had made its debut back in 2017 is almost 4 years old now. Unsurprisingly, VW is planning on a mid-life facelift of its hatchback and latest spy shots (captured in Europe) of the 2021 Polo have already surfaced on the internet.
Mild Hybrid Polo on Cards?
With the introduction of the 6th generation Polo, VW had brought in Active Cylinder Technology (ACT) and now the hatchback can possibly get a mild hybrid pack which will help it to curb down on emissions and improve overall fuel efficiency/performance (depends upon the way VW engineers tune the system).
Back in 2017, VW R&D Head, Frank Welsch had stated that once they bring in the mild hybrid technology on a MQB-based model, it will be easy for the engineers to use the same tech on other cars based on the MQB platform. VW has already brought in the Golf eTSI mild hybrid and hence it is logical to expect the 2021 Polo to feature the same eTSI mild hybrid technology too.
Powertrain Options
Currently, VW has 2 eTSI mild hybrid powertrains. These include a 1.0 L 3-cylinder eTSI motor which can dish out 110 PS and 200 Nm of max torque. The other powertrain option is based upon a 1.5 L eTSI 4-cylinder petrol engine which can churn out 131 PS/200 Nm or 150 PS/250 Nm, depending upon the state of tune. The mild hybrid system consists of a 48-volt Lithium ion battery and a belt-driven starter-alternator.
Expected Updates
As is the case with most facelifts, the 2021 Polo too will be getting updated headlamps, tweaked tail-lamps, redesigned bumpers, new wheels, basically exterior cosmetic updates which will help to infuse a fresh lease of life in the model and its sales. Some updates on the interiors are also possible, however there is no confirmation from VW’s end as of now.
VW Polo’s Future in India
In case you are a Polo fan based out of India and are excited about the latest development, we would recommend that you hold your horses for a moment. As per the last communication from the VW group, the new generation Polo hasn’t been planned for India, at least, not in the near future.
However, if the India 2.0 project of the VW group does well, giving the hatch-back a much required update ideally should be on minds of VW India’s Strategy Team. But that is likely not going to happen this year.
