2013 VW POLO Coming to USA Spring 2012

Rauss

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size... I'm really pissed against vw sometimes... I just bought a golf and I always wanted a polo.
 

Mike_04GolfTDI

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Mine: 2019 Golf R DSG, Wife's: 2015 Golf Comfortline TDI
"A 1.6-liter turbodiesel that's used in other markets may also become available"

Why did they even bother to include this phrase? We know this is pure BS. Let's not even pretend this might happen.
 

pleopard

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If they were in fact to bring the Polo here, why _wouldn't_ they offer the diesel? Assuming they have the foresight to bring the Polo, I think they would have the incentive to go the full mile and put in the engine that makes the car a fuel economy powerhouse. ;)
 

GoFaster

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I'll believe it when I see one in the showroom with a price tag on it.

VW has enough trouble selling Golfs in the USA; why would they think an even smaller hatchback would sell?

In Canada, I could see it.
 

tollerTDI

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The Polo is about 1 foot shorter than the Golf and offers smaller engines for better fuel economy. I would imagine the 1.6 turbo diesel could probably hit 50 mpg EPA.
Just what I want, small for easy maneurving and parking in big city traffic, better fuel economy than Golf, and great looks. Way better looking than Fiesta, Fit, Mini, etc. I have a Golf and I like it a lot, but I'd really like something smaller.
 

TDIMeister

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I have no recollection of new model year products being released in the spring of the previous year... usually they follow the summer shutdown.
 

oxford_guy

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The Polo is about 1 foot shorter than the Golf and offers smaller engines for better fuel economy. I would imagine the 1.6 turbo diesel could probably hit 50 mpg EPA.
Just what I want, small for easy maneurving and parking in big city traffic, better fuel economy than Golf, and great looks. Way better looking than Fiesta, Fit, Mini, etc. I have a Golf and I like it a lot, but I'd really like something smaller.
To clarify, it is true that the Polo is offered with smaller engines than the Golf, but the Golf is also offered with the smaller more efficient 1.6 TDI, and the 7-speed DSG, and Bluemotion stuff --- elsewhere.

Even the Passat is offered with Bluemotion stuff and the 1.6 TDI elsewhere.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

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Like Rauss, I gave up on waiting on the Polo and ordered a Golf. I have little confidence that they'll come bring it over in 2013, and even less that they'll have a diesel here. Too bad, I would have wanted one. But the 2 door Golf coming my way in a few weeks will be fine.

And TDIMeister, lots of companies have introduced a new model in the spring of the preceding year. And some will do it with the next generation of existing models, skipping a model year in the process. If I'm not mistaken, Porsche has done this once or twice. And the 2012 CC was introduced very early in 2011. I was told the 2011 CC was in the market by itself for only three months or so.
 

tollerTDI

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There may be something to this. Edmunds can't be that far off from the truth. Originally Edmunds said Fall of 2011, and maybe VW is just behind schedule, which is the reason for the Spring 2012 release. It's amazing that no one knows about this. I've talked to my Dealer and they have no clue. This is like top secret information that somehow Edmunds gets a hold of.

Someone out there must know some more details on this...
 

IndigoBlueWagon

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There's this, and this, and this, and this. All these stories are 30+ months old. Why is the current Edmunds report any different? I see the word "confirmed" in most of these older articles. I guess Edmunds can be that far off.
 

Rauss

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That's the spirit!

Like Rauss, I gave up on waiting on the Polo and ordered a Golf. I have little confidence that they'll come bring it over in 2013, and even less that they'll have a diesel here. Too bad, I would have wanted one. But the 2 door Golf coming my way in a few weeks will be fine.

And TDIMeister, lots of companies have introduced a new model in the spring of the preceding year. And some will do it with the next generation of existing models, skipping a model year in the process. If I'm not mistaken, Porsche has done this once or twice. And the 2012 CC was introduced very early in 2011. I was told the 2011 CC was in the market by itself for only three months or so.
 

PlaneCrazy

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I'll believe it when I can get my hands on the steering wheel of one at the dealership. And if it comes in TDI flavour, you'll also have to pry my cold dead hands off said steering wheel! It would be a great second car to our Golf TDI when the time comes to replace the Passat TDI. When that happens, my wife and I will be empty-nesters and won't need large cars.

Honestly, I don't see it unless they build it in N. America and dumb it down like the new Jetta. When you can get a brand-new Jetta for $16k, albeit with an obsolete motor and no air conditioning or cruise control, you'll have to sell a Polo for $12k to get folks to buy one.

I think at the end of the day I may just give up wishing for all those cool cars in Europe and... move to Europe!!!
 

IndigoBlueWagon

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I think it's more likely we'll get some kind of Latin American constructed version of the UP and the Golf will either have production moved to Brazil or Mexico, or go away all together in its next generation. No Polo.
 

PlaneCrazy

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I think it's more likely we'll get some kind of Latin American constructed version of the UP and the Golf will either have production moved to Brazil or Mexico, or go away all together in its next generation. No Polo.
No Golf would be a disaster. IMHO it's the last really interesting VW available in N. America.

The GTI is iconic though, I can't believe they'd drop the GTI. But eventually it may be the only profitable (and available) Golf to sell here.

Quebec though is an interesting market for VW. They sell more Golfs here (proportional to population) than anywhere else in N. America. Somewhat eclectic and European car tastes here.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

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Americans' desire for sedans (or lack of desire for hatchbacks) is a mystery to me. After owning a lot of both I really can't see buying another sedan. It only seems to make sense to me is in a big luxury car. If I weren't keeping IBW I would have bought a Sportwagen. But since I am, the 2 door golf is a great option. I'm not sure there's another 2 door hatch on the market in the US. I thought maybe the Accent or Kia Rio, but it seems they are both 5 doors now.
 

jas67

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Americans' desire for sedans (or lack of desire for hatchbacks) is a mystery to me.
I think it is all in how hatches have been marketed in the states. I've been driving since the mid 80's, and at that time, the only hatches available were entry-level "econo-boxes", esp, from the domestic makes (Chevy Chevette & Citation, Ford Fiesta & Escort, Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon). Those cars were typically not available with sport options, or upgraded options, interiors, etc. So, like the diesel got a bad stigma from the 80's, so did hatches. That said, I too prefer hatches and wagons -- MUCH more practical than their sedan/coupe counterparts, and can be just as good looking if well designed (IMHO, domestic makes never made a good looking hatch -- esp. the Chevy Cavalier and its sister-make clones -- at the time, I would have much rather had the coupe than the ugly hatch, despite the hatch being more practical). I would love a BMW 1-series hatch if they'd sell it here (120d or 123d please). Wagons seem to have suffered a similar fate. People think of the 70's fake-wood-paneled Ford Country Squire and Pontiac Safari wagons. I have a 2000 323i wagon, and a 2012 Jetta Sportwagon TDI on order -- but I'm not the typical US buyer.


After owning a lot of both I really can't see buying another sedan. It only seems to make sense to me is in a big luxury car. If I weren't keeping IBW I would have bought a Sportwagen. But since I am, the 2 door golf is a great option. I'm not sure there's another 2 door hatch on the market in the US. I thought maybe the Accent or Kia Rio, but it seems they are both 5 doors now.
The MINI Cooper ( and Cooper S) is a two for hatch.
 
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IndigoBlueWagon

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Of course. I knew I was forgetting something. Fiat 500, too. There were a few hatches in the 80s, and 90s that weren't totally econoboxes: Mazda 626, VW Dasher, BMW 318i, even that small M-B based on the C-Class. And now we do have the Audi A7 and that enormous BMW, whatever it's called. I don't know what did wagons in, maybe it was the Country Squire.
 

jas67

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Of course. I knew I was forgetting something. Fiat 500, too. There were a few hatches in the 80s, and 90s that weren't totally econoboxes: Mazda 626, VW Dasher, BMW 318i, even that small M-B based on the C-Class. And now we do have the Audi A7 and that enormous BMW, whatever it's called.
Actually it was the 318ti that was the hatch. But, for BMW it was the marketed as the bottom of the barrel, with only the 1.8l four cylinder available, and drum brakes in the back. Had they offered a 325ti as well, the hatch might have sold better. BMW is uses this failed experiment as reason not to import the 1-series hatchback. Yet, at the same time, they bring that 5 series GT abomination instead of the 5-series Touring. A wagon, or a near-vertical hatch is MUCH more useful the the "fastback" type hatch that the 5 series GT and 318ti are. Of course, my main problem with the 5-series GT (aside from the fact that we no longer get the touring) is not that it is s thick, heavy, tallish crossover thing that is neither a good car, or good SUV. It is just an over priced Honda Cross Tour with RWD or AWD instead of FWD. I absolutely hate that so many mfgs are replacing wagons in our market with SUV's and Crossovers.

Gone from our market (just a few examples):
Mazda 6 wagon -- yet you can get the CX7 and CX9
Ford Taurus (not my choice of a wagon, but could have been replaced with the very nice Mondeo Wagon)
Focus wagon (at least we get a Focus Hatch again)
Subaru Legacy (the outback has grown in height to where it is now a crossover)
Toyota Camry Wagon
Honda Accord Wagon (OK, it is just named the Acura TSX Wagon for our market -- but that is only available with an automatic, so I won't count it).

I don't know what did wagons in, maybe it was the Country Squire.
I think that part of what did wagons in is the same thing that is doing in manual transmissions -- dealers don't stock 'em. A large percentage of people want instant gratification, and will only choose from what is in dealers' lots. I don't think many dealers stocked the wagons when they were available (with the exception of VW). For example, I was at the local BMW dealer to get some small parts for my BMW, and was checking out the new ones. They didn't have one manual transmission ANYTHING on the lot (except for a single pre-owned Z4).
 
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IndigoBlueWagon

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I agree with you on manual transmissions. My mother just bought a new Forester (reluctantly, she misses the earlier, smaller ones) but won't drive an automatic. She had to wait for her dealer to bring one with a stick from Vermont. They must have had 30 Foresters on the lot, all but one was an auto, and that one was loaded with options she didn't want.

Same might be true for hatchbacks. Golfs are harder to get than JSWs or sedans. And one local VW dealer I visited had about 6 JSWs on the lot, all automatics. The only manual transmission TDI they had was a used '10 Golf. My understanding is that in Europe it's much more acceptable to order a car and wait for it. Here folks will settle for something they didn't really want so they can drive it home TODAY.

To get back OT, I waited nearly a year for the Polo before getting a Golf. I'd be reluctant to wait another six months only to be disappointed.
 

BleachedBora

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To get back OT, I waited nearly a year for the Polo before getting a Golf. I'd be reluctant to wait another six months only to be disappointed.
Yes, but you'd be that much cooler in one of the first Polo's in NA ;).

I've said it before, but when I lived in Europe I drove the MK3 and MK4 Polo. Both were excellent cars, had plenty of room up front (at least as much as my Golf does), were a hoot to drive, and had great fuel economy. If I didn't have a growing family I'd be all over one if it were available. :)

I'll probably end up with one of these in Diesel with a 6-speed as my next car (conversion).

-BB
 

jas67

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Good luck with that, as Audi is not bringing the next-generation A6 wagon to the US. Also, A6's are already not available with a manual transmission, as is also the case for the A4 Avant here. Also, the A3 TDI can't even be had with a manual here, nor can quattro. Currently, the only manual transmission Audi that can be had in the use is a 2.0T (gas powered) A3.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

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Don't get me wrong, I'd love a Polo, enough that I'd go with a GTI with DSG if that was an option and there was no diesel. But I just don't see it happening.
 

BRUSSELS BELGIAN

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Idioticus Americus

Time for me to vent. It has been almost 35 years since Olds offered its diesels, and thirty years since the really bad hatchbacks were around. Americans are "selectively moronic." They will dredge up issues from 30 years ago so as not to even consider anything beyond their TOYONDA CANARY BLASE GL BROUGHAM with "command seating" for their big fat a$$es! They don't say "I could never drive a front wheel drive car because I remember the CORDS and FRANKLINS had problems with front wheel drive." The sooner we admit that most of our fellow Americans are, as the French say in the movie European Vacation, "typical American A$$holes" the better off we will all be. P.S. they are also too helpless, or too stupid to SHIFT, but they will apply for a MORTGAGE using the text feature on their phone while driving! How did these people trick someone into breeding with them? Oh, wait, they found each other and bred!:eek:
 
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