Volkswagen to launch the Polo facelift in India on July 15

Volkswagen has officially revealed that the new Polo facelift will be launched in India on July 15. The car gets minor styling updates like a redesigned headlamp cluster and a new front grille, though the biggest change will be under the bonnet as it will also be offered with a new 1.5-litre diesel unit.

The front of the new Polo has been mildly redesigned to set it apart from the current car, though it does retain the overall silhouette. The new grille and the redesigned bumper lend the front of the car an aggressive look. It also gets a new set of alloy wheels, redesigned fog lamp housings and headlamps with silver detailing. The car is expected to be offered with LED headlamps  as an optional extra in the high-end variants. The rear also gets a redesigned bumper and tail lamp assembly.

The interiors of the car have also been revamped along the lines of the European model. Inside, you can find a new steering wheel with repositioned controls and a reworked dashboard with matte silver accents. It will also be equipped with the company’s latest version of infotainment system.

Volkswagen will continue to use the three-cylinder 1.2-litre engine for the Polo’s petrol variants and the four-cylinder 1.2 TSI turbo-petrol in the GT TSI variant. The diesel variants however, will now use the new 1.5-litre unit, which is expected to power both the regular and the GT TDI variants. The engine will adhere to the government’s regulations for concessions for sub-four metre cars and we expect a marginal drop in the price of the GT TDI.

Volkswagen is in the process of setting up a new engine plant in Chakan. While the current engines are sourced from Germany, the new 1.5-litre unit will be locally manufactured at this plant once it is ready. This should help the German manufacturer keep both the production as well as maintenance costs in check.

The new facelifted model will help keep the Polo line-up fresh till a new car based on the Volkswagen group’s MQB platform is launched. It will rival other B+ segment hatchbacks like the Hyundai i20, Fiat Punto and the upcoming Honda Jazz.