Nother CarGuy

Volkswagen’s Polo is a giant among small cars. In a career spanning almost 50 years it’s shifted over 18 million units, and regularly ranks close to the top of best-seller charts, proving Europeans love competent but dull cars. To ensure it stays there, and to make it slightly less dull, Volkswagen has given it a mid-life refresh, applying a touch of the Mk8 Golf’s design and some tech features more usually seen on cars like the flagship Touareg SUV. This being a facelift rather a ground-up rebuild, the major visual changes are limited to lights and bumpers. LED head and tail lights are standard on every model, the front units connected by an illuminated strip at the base of the radiator grille. Or you can upgrade them to the adaptive Matrix LED technology from the Touareg and Passat. That’s not the only big-car tech the Polo inherits. Volkswagen has bundled various assistance system together and given them the IQ.Drive Travel Assist tag. Those extra cost systems include adaptive cruis...

Volkswagen has unveiled the all-new Polo GTI R5 following a preview last month. Introduced earlier today in Spain, the Polo GTI R5 is a turn-key rally car that was designed to compete in the R5 class alongside rivals such as the Citroën DS3 R5, Ford Fiesta R5, and Skoda Fabia R5. As part of the transformation from street car to rally car, the Polo has been outfitted with an aggressive body kit includes a sportier front bumper, extended fender flares, and a large rear spoiler. The model has also been equipped with lightweight wheels, a roll cage, and an assortment of safety equipment. Motivation is provided by a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine which produces 272 PS (200 kW) and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque. It is connected to a five-speed sequential racing transmission that sends power to permanent four-wheel drive system. This enables the 1,320 kg (2,910 lbs) rally car to rocket from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in just 4.1 seconds. The Polo GTI R5 will be homo...

Volkswagen disappointed rally fans when it withdrew from the World Rally Championship at the end of last season. Now, less than a year later, the German automaker has announced its return to the rally scene, just in a very different capacity. Instead of fielding its own Polo R WRC in the top-tier rally series, VW is preparing to offer another version of the Polo to customer teams. Previewed for the first time in this teaser sketch, the new Polo GTI R5 is being built by the same people behind the previous version – including VW Motorsport technical director François-Xavier “FX” Demaison and Sebastien Ogier's race engineer Gerard-Jan de Jongh. Full specifications haven't been announced, but the R5 is being based on the new Polo GTI with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine employing direct injection to channel 270 horsepower to all four wheels through a five-speed sequential gearbox. “With the Polo GTI R5 we are hoping to transfer our expertise from four WRC titles t...

VW has pulled the wraps off the all-new Polo supermini, with the sixth-generation now being bigger, more technologically advanced and fuel efficient than before. Based off the MQB A0 platform, VW’s new supermini model is now the largest Polo ever, measuring 4,053mm long and coming with a 94mm longer wheelbase, with obvious benefits to the cabin space. Even the boot volume is now 25 percent bigger, at 351lt of capacity. VW has also added a range of assistance systems, usually found on bigger segments, as standard to the new Polo. These include the Front Assist with City Emergency Braking and Pedestrian Monitoring, a speed limiter and a tire pressure monitoring system. The new Polo can also be optioned with features like an Active Cruise Control (which on DSG-equipped models includes the Stop&Go function), Blind Spot Detection with Rear Traffic Alert and Park Assist. The biggest surprise comes once you open the door, as VW has given the new Polo a fresh-looking interior, w...

It's been eight years since Volkswagen introduced the current Polo. That makes it prime for a replacement, and replacement is just what VW has in store. The official debut of the sixth-generation Polo is scheduled for three days from now, although before we get to see the whole thing, VW has released this solitary teaser image. As our first official undisguised glimpse at the forthcoming B-segment hatchback, the image shows a five-door bodystyle with lines that look similar to the current model's, but updated for the new generation. The German automaker promises its new supermini will be “larger, more spacious, [and] more comfortable” than the outgoing model. It's also poised to integrate the latest technological advancements from one of the world's largest automakers, while carrying on the tradition that has seen over 14 million units deployed since the original's introduction, way back in 1975. “This Volkswagen can immediately be made out as the origina...

What appears to be the all-new 2018 VW Polo was recently spotted in South Africa without a shred of camouflage, possibly giving us an early-bird look at the sub-compact model. The images where sourced from a reader of Cars.co.za which says support previous claims that the new Polo will grow in size leading to improved cabin space compared to the outgoing model, helping it go against the all-new Ford Fiesta, Kia Rio and Citroen C3. Based on the new MQB-A0 platform, the new VW Polo will utilize a range of updated engines, with a new 1.5-liter TSI petrol unit (128 HP & 148 HP) tagged to replace the old 1.4-liter TSI. Entry-level versions are said to get a 1.0-liter three-cylinder petrol, available with multiple power ratings - 64, 74, 94 and 113 HP to be precise; whereas diesel models are expected to benefit from an updated 1.6-liter TDI. The range-topping Polo GTI is rumored to get over 200 HP from a 2.0-liter TSI unit, but an upgrade of its current 1.8-liter engine remains ...