2012 Polo for USA ???

I visited a VW dealer and asked if they knew when the Polo was going to be sold. They said things aren't looking so good and it would probably be another 2 years.

Anyone have better information than this???

I was hoping for same thing for us here in Canada but then I tripped over an article in the Globe and Mail which squashed all hope we will see a Polo here in North America. The quote is from the head of VW Canada.

" ...But frankly, if Canada were a bigger, more important market, White would also be looking at offering a version of the subcompact VW Polo. He’s not. And he quickly dashes any speculation that the Polo might come to Canada in the next two years. It’s impossible for VW to price the European-built Polo low enough in Canada to compete with $10,000 Hyundai Accents, $12,000 Toyota Yarises, and sub-$13,000 Ford Fiestas."

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe...rticle1653527/

Others have suggested and I agree that maybe we will get one if they build it at the Tennessee plant but that is at least 2-4 years down the road. Although this is about the Canadian market which is much smaller than the US one I'm sure White would offer a Polo in Canada if the US had one for sale.

The new VW commercials offer the new Jettas at $15,000...here in Canada. That's super cheap considering my 01 Golf was like $30,000.

Surely they can offer the Polo for something in the $10K to $13K range. But then I think they may be building the Jettas in NA.

Those SmartCars cost as much as a full size car....I suppose the Polo could be put up against them. But maybe that Audi A1 would be a better match.

http://www.egmcartech.com/2010/08/28/senner-tunes-the-audi-a1-1-6-tdi-to-make-138-hp/

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=285727

But sounds like neither the Polo nor the A1 will be coming to NA.....as usual. :-(

So forget about the Polo. It's too expensive to build and the dollar / euro exchange won't help any.
Just bring in the Derby from Mexico!
NAFTA built in North America (much as the Mexicans deny being part of the continent), lower shipping costs because the logistics are already there for the Hecho en Mexico VWs we already get, Peso / dollar rates are relatively stable, lower cost workforce in Puebla than in Wolfsburgh (or Bratislava), and best of all....VW can import, mark-up and sell Polo badges to the Derby buyers that used to buy Vento and Bora badges for their Jettas.

What the hell. The Mini starts at around 22k no?

You might be able to get away with that in something with a little cache', but sadly the Polo is too homely for that stratospheric an asking price for an econobox.

And for heaven's sake, That Guy, how'd you get an '01 Golf TDI up that high?

I live in Canada.

That was back just before our dollar reached par with the States. People noticed how the cars in the states were as much as $15K less for the exact same thing.
Some started going down there to purchase their new cars...and quickly after that automotive companies stopped honoring the warranties on cross border purchases. So much for NAFTA.

I think after tax and stock upgrades the cost was around $31K. Plus the TDI engines were in high demand at the time so I think they bumped the price on those.

It's actually the first vehicle that I ever purchased...so my first car. And I did a lot of research before I settled on it.

I keep that bugger in top condition...including the body and interior. In some ways it's better now than it was when it was new.

I plan on keeping it for a long time, so I'll make my money back....err...if I can stop upgrading things.


I did learn some tricks about purchasing since then....got a few grand taken off the GTI when we bought it in 09.

Oh...the Rabbit in my sig...that was the parents car. There were a few others too...but that was the only Vdub.

No. I don't think it was ever planned for production in the US. But I did hear it was to be produced in Mexico for the US market. The rumors were pretty strong about 6 mos ago.

Even if VW does sell the Polo, it's not going to be a TDI anyway.

The added cost of a modern diesel engine has to be hidden in the much higher price of a well optioned car. This is why you can't just buy a base model Jetta and add a diesel engine for $1500. You have to add $7000 worth of options and THEN you can add the TDI for $1500.

Most people who are in the market for a Honda Fit are not going to suddenly spend thousands more to get a Polo TDI.

Unless they offer an Americanized Polo. Heck they knocked of quite a bit off the Jetta and Passat to keep the base line cheap. If VoA offered a Polo TDI at $19K with a base starting at $13K they'd sell. To bad the euro polo is priced around $25k base (correct me if I'm wrong with that exact price).

But it's sad VoA is putting all their eggs in the basket americans want bigger cars with more room enough so they won't even offer a polo sized/priced car.

The euro Polo is priced right in line with the B-segment competition, and you can get a TDI in ANY trim level. Base Polo TDI = 15,250€. Base Golf gasser: 16,975€. Base Honda Fit Hybrid: 18,900€. (All prices include 19% VAT and GENEROUS room for dealer rebates)

-> Polo TDI minus tax and assuming 15% discount (which is conservative...): €10,892, about $15k.

German_1er_diesel said:

The euro Polo is priced right in line with the B-segment competition, and you can get a TDI in ANY trim level. Base Polo TDI = 15,250€. Base Golf gasser: 16,975€. Base Honda Fit Hybrid: 18,900€. (All prices include 19% VAT and GENEROUS room for dealer rebates)

-> Polo TDI minus tax and assuming 15% discount (which is conservative...): €10,892, about $15k.

Click to expand...

Are you suggesting that a Polo TDI in North America might be priced at or anywhere near $15,000?

No, I just wanted to go against the misconception that a Polo TDI would be ridiculously expensive, or that it is ridiculously expensive in Europe. A base Polo TDI costs thousands less than the cheapest gasser Golf.
Maybe they would only do a relatively well-equipped car in the US, like they do with the Golf. The base Polo has a hard plastic interior not unlike the US Jetta, only the Comfortline and Highline trims get soft-touch.
Who knows, they might not sell a Polo in North America at all and instead develop something simpler and cheaper.

So it that polo designed to meat NA stupid safety standards/emissions? I don't think VW ever imagined it to hit our shores, so there would be a fair amount of redesign, i could be wrong.

Also pricing the polo at the same point of the jetta would be pointless for VW, it'd need to be sub 13K for it to sell. Hopefully the 2014 emissions regulations for Euro rides will lessen the pain of bringing diesels to our shores if there's still demand.

American hate small cars. Americans hate Diesel. Why one earth would VWoA think it would sell here at all? They have a hard enough time selling the Golf.

Car and Driver article is from 2009.... take the info with the grain of salt

So, there are two ways to get a cheaper Polo than the German-built ones.

First off, there's a Polo sedan that's about the same size as the Mk4 Jetta (via a longer wheelbase), made in Russia and India. In Russia, it has a 1.6L 16v, in India, it also has a 1.6L 16v TDI option.

Second, there's always the Brazilian Gol-based stuff, which is a cost-reduced and slightly stretched previous-gen Polo. There's no 3-door model, though - just a 5-door hatch and a 4-door sedan. And, it might be too decontented for the US.

Seems to me that if they're going to bring in a smaller car it's going to be the Up!, not the Polo. Sad. I'd have happily paid a premium over the Golf for a Polo TDI. Americans still can't get over the small=cheap equation.

So, are you claiming to be non-american Peter?

I was generalizing, especially about marketing departments for US auto operations. The Mini and now the Fiat 500 are the only premium-priced small cars in the market. I think VW is missing an opportunity with the Polo, but it's obvious the folks in Virginia don't agree. Previous posts here say that since the Polo is smaller than the Golf it should be less expensive. I just wish someone would challenge that notion.

Maybe the answer to that problem is to bring in the A1 instead, going after Mini's segment? Then, you get people into the (more profitable) Audi brand, too.

Perhaps. I wish I liked Audi's styling themes better.

what would the A1 sell for if it was brought over here to fit in to Audis pricing? 25K?

The new A3's (sedan, not hatchback) will be audis answer to the fiat and coopers.

The A3 is a hell of a lot bigger than the Fiat 500, though, and still bigger than the Mini Cooper.

In VAG terms, the Up is the Fiat 500's size, the Polo or A1 is the Mini's size.

The A1 is a bit smaller than the Polo inside (mostly in rear headroom) but has a lot more room in the back and the trunk than a Mini. It is also cheaper than a Mini, and all gas engines are turbocharged.
What you don't get in the A1 is the Mini's razor sharp handling... But it rides a lot smoother than the Mini.