Vote now! Send a MSG to VWOA to bring the Polo Bluemotion TDI here!

[993cc]

Since we now have a Jetta tdi wagon, which replaced our Focus wagon, as our "big" car, we will need a second smaller car to replace our Geo Metro when we come back to Canada full time. My dilemma has been that there aren't any smaller cars on the market that are more efficient than our "big" one.
I have been interested in Toyota's upcoming smaller Prius. The Polo Bluemotion would be a better possibility. What I REALLY want is a Fiat Panda Multijet.
Dream on.

 

[wxman]

The European certified emissions of the Euro-spec "New Polo" 1.2 TDI are listed as 23 mg/km (0.023 g/km) CO; 148 mg/km (0.148 g/km) NOx; 163 mg/km (0.163 g/km) THC+NOx (implying that the HC emissions are 15 mg/km (0.015 g/km)); 0.25 mg/km (0.00025 g/km) PM.

Converting those certified emission values to grams/mile, it appears that all of the criteria emissions would meet or exceed T2B5 except NOx (as usual). Of course, the NEDC test cycle used in Europe is not identical to the FTP75 test cycle used in the U.S. and Canada, but the emission results should be relatively close.

The certified NOx emissions in the NEDC for the Euro-spec Polo 1.2 TDI are actually lower than the Euro-spec Jetta 2.0 CR TDI (167 mg/km for the Jetta; 148 mg/km for the Polo), so a NOx adsorption catalyst (NAC) should be sufficient to meet T2B5.

Based on the relative fuel consumption differences between the Euro-spec Jetta 2.0 TDI and the Euro-spec Polo 1.2 TDI and applying those relative differences to the official EPA fuel mileage values of the U.S.-spec Jetta TDI, a U.S.-spec Polo 1.2 TDI should get roughly 48 mpg city/60 mpg highway/53 mpg combined in the EPA five-cycle fuel economy test.

 

[wolfskin]

4384mm is more than the new Fabia Combi, right?

Right. Mine is 4230 so this would be 15cm longer, which is a lot. Maybe too much...
The new Fabia I think is a tiny bit longer but it's not built on the Polo V platform (PQ25), but on the same PQ24 as the original Fabia. (I'm sure you knew that )

 

[cjamescook]

I've looked at the Honda Fit and for running around town or putting my teenager on the road, the size is fine. I'd worry about it being a daily highway car, but think that the Polo would be better for that. If you go buy the VW's available here, the Polo will feel like a much more substantial car. I agree with Lightflyer1, let us have some choice on equipment. Bring a actual base model with the TDI, price it in the mid teens, and it will sell. Bring a loaded model and keep the price below 20, and both will sell.

I agree. I need to replace my car in the next year or sooner. If this was here, I would definately take it for a test drive. It merits serious consideration.

 

[DickSilver]

Last month, I rented a "new' Polo 1.4 gasser from Avis in South Africa. It was solid, well-built, was not cramped for +/- 200 lb adults, handled well at 120-130 km/h on freeways, and had excellent human engineering. And as a gasser, it got 39mpg in mixed driving. I would buy one in the States in a heartbeat, even faster if it were a TDI.

 

[Kubla84]

I will consider it when they make a 2 door version

 

[Mike in Anchorage]

I'd most like to see the auto shut off feature in any TDI that we get here. Highway mpg's are fine. Improving in-town MPG's will get better with the auto off feature. I would pay good money to get it to work on my current TDI. I wonder if any aftermarket vendors are listening. I know VWoA certainly isn't.

 

[BeetleGo]

Thanks, German, for the correction. I thought it was the same size as the first generation Golf. If it's the same as the second, then more power to it. THAT AIN'T SMALL! This car would be a great commuter car.

 

[German_1er_diesel]

Thanks, German, for the correction. I thought it was the same size as the first generation Golf.

The MK3 (1994-2001) Polo was as large as a Mk1 Golf

 

[Dooglas]

I have driven a gas Polo numerous times in Mexico. It is a comfortable, driveable compact vehicle with a fair amount of usable space. A 70 mpg TDI version in the US would immediately leapfrog VW to the top of the list of efficient economy vehicles IMO.

 

[MKIInut]

We have been a VW family for 20+ years. Having a small economical fuel saver in the fleet would be great. It would easily replace the current daily driver which gets less gas mileage.

 

[Thunderstruck]

A car like this would be a halo car, where it would put VW as number one in the eyes of the greenies. It would also be a good way to intro people to the topic of the incredibly frugal diesels Europe enjoys, but that we are denied. I think if the public were to become aware of the offering overseas, rather sharp questions might start to be asked about vehicles that could significantly lessen our dependence on foreign oil.

 

[Just_Me]

Hey if Honda can have Fits, Toyota with Yaris, Ford with Fiesta, Mazda with Mazda 2, and GM with Cruz, why not a Polo? Heck, it doesn't even have to be a Bluemotion. Just a 1.4 L 3 cylinder TDI with 90 hp is good enough. If it's good enough for a '96 Passat TDI (90 hp 1.9 L TDI), why not with Polo?

 

[donDavide]

Pole is to limited, I would not opt for the Blue Motion, I want a poweful diesel, but I do think the should offer it for those that do. Choice is good 1.6 ltr CR would be nice.

 

[fordt]

I'd rather have a Tiguan or something of that size, the wife is looking at trading in the 03 Golf, and she's tired of climbing up out of it! I wonder if anyone has tried to shoehorn a TDI of any year into a wrecked Tiguan?

 

[Fixmy59bug]

I have thought about it many times. If VW won't import it, dammit, I would build it.

But alas, I can not afford a tig just to do a motor swap.

 

[Dean]

Found this link: http://www.edmunds.com/volkswagen/polo/2012/

Dream come true?

 

[brucetmoose]

If you ship it ....

They will buy!

I bought my 2002 ( may it rest in peace ) precisely because at the time it got the best mileage bar none. The safety, longevity, and performance were also up there as well ( 5 lives saved due to VW Diesels !!! )

If I could have in 2009 gone out and bought a car with the exact same mileage as I was getting with my 2002, I would have bought it.

Anything north of 40 MPG mixed is great. Anything north of 50 MPG I would sell this Hyundai and buy in a minute.

 

[Sappington]

Found this link: http://www.edmunds.com/volkswagen/polo/2012/

Dream come true?

As someone else said, I'll believe it when I see it. Still, that teaser is making me drool. I wonder if it can fit two car seats in the back....

What do you all think, could this be converted into a family car? Maybe put a roof-rack on it to attach one of those cargo bins? Think it has towing power for a small trailer? What would those things do to the MPG?

 

[German_1er_diesel]

What do you all think, could this be converted into a family car? Maybe put a roof-rack on it to attach one of those cargo bins? Think it has towing power for a small trailer? What would those things do to the MPG?

It's about as large as a Mk3 Golf. If a MK3 Golf is "family car" enough for you, so is a Polo.

A Polo Bluemotion has only a 800kg tow rating, a Polo 1.6 TDI can tow 1200 kg.

 

[Sappington]

I'm familiar with the MK4, but not the MK3 Golf. Is there much of a difference in interior space?

I also wonder if it is B100 capable, or if it will have the same technology that the current VWs have that preclude heavy biodiesel usage.

 

[German_1er_diesel]

It's most definitely NOT biodiesel capable.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

I'd buy one in a heartbeat. I'm planning on a new Golf next year, but I'd really like something smaller.

 

[Sappington]

Found this link: http://www.edmunds.com/volkswagen/polo/2012/

Dream come true?

That link says the diesel model "may" become available. That's not too reassuring.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

I wonder which 1.4 they'll bring in. Sounds like the NA, with the TSI maybe for the GTI, if that appears. I'd give the 1.4 gasser serious thought.

 

[wolfskin]

There are several versions of N/A 1.4 in VW's stable. 8v / 16v, mpi / FSI, 75hp to 105hp.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

A 16 valve NA 1.4 would be fine. A turbo would be better, perhaps. If it posts similar MPG figures to the Golf TDI is less complex, and runs on less expensive fuel, it might be a nice option.

 

[Sappington]

It's most definitely NOT biodiesel capable.

Do you say that based on the requirements of the current TDIs (B5 max), or is there something else at play?

 

[brnsgrbr]

Good observation!

I drove with two other people from France to Slovenia in an older (2001?) Polo a couple of weeks ago. I'm 6 feet tall, and there was enough room for me to ride comfortably in the back behind the passenger seat (I wouldn't want to ride behind where I put the seat in order to drive - but that's true in my Jetta Wagon, too!). No, it's not a spacious road-trip car for a family of five with three teenagers, but it felt like just the right size for a primarily city car. Unfortunately we had the little 1.4L gasser engine, not the TDI, so it wasn't exactly a highway champion - especially on Slovenian mountain passes amidst howling Bora winds - but it did well enough!
I think a major disincentive to adoption of smaller cars in the US is our urban parking system. We usually have demarcated spots, whereas in Europe it's common to squeeze in wherever there is space and then put a ticket on the dash. In the latter system, owning a small car offers *major* convenience when it comes to finding parking - I think if US cities switched to that system, we'd see a lot more people start buying small cars!

 

[shegel]

i was really impressed by top gear's fuel econ race

if you havent seen it before i wont spoil who wins i will say that the polo makes it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqJBccBPNNQ&feature=related