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http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/European_Union_Flag.jpg With Ford’s European EcoNetics taking award after award, the new Polo reaches for the fuel economy crown. (cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=191515)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2009_VW_Polo_TDI.jpgWayne Gerdes – CleanMPG (cleanmpg.com) – Mar. 2, 2009

The Polo – Nice looking, usually inexpensive and although not certified yet, the 1.6L should reach 61.9 mpgUS combined on the NEDC!

Wolfsburg, Germany -- No other car in its class has such as image like the new Polo. New found comfort, quality and safety have all taken a considerable leap with the latest iteration. The once laughable Polo is now a solid 5-passenger subcompact designed to attain a 5-star rating on the recently upgraded, stricter, and more comprehensive EuroNCAP.

Standard safety equipment

The European version of the Polo will be equipped with Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP ) with Hill Hold Control as standard. Although not quite up to the US levels of air bag safety with missing side curtain air bags, it includes combination head-thorax side airbags (integrated in the front seatbacks) similar to the Smart Fortwo’s system here in the US. In addition, seat belt tensioners and belt force limiters, seatbelt warning indicator, and semi-active head restraints that counteract the risk of whiplash injury in both front seats most certainly help.

Weight down, fuel economy up.

The Polo’s body weight has been decreased by 7.5 percent. Additionally, the introduction of new TDI engines and a 7-speed dual clutch transmission (DSG), has resulted in considerably reduced fuel consumption and emissions over a wide range of engine outputs.

New to the Polo is a common rail equipped TDI (turbo-diesel direct-injection). In particular, the 89 HP 1.6L TDI when combined with a "BlueMotion package" is expected to be rated at 61.9 mpgUS on the NEDC and is the most fuel efficient five-seater diesel in the world.

Available in showrooms at the end of June

Production of the five-door Polo is scheduled for the end of March and consumer availability within Germany is planned for June. By July, Volkswagen will be selling the car across mainland Europe.

No mention was made for a US variant but who would not want to get their hands on a Tier II/Bin 5 capable VW Polo ;)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2009_VW_Polo_Interior.jpg
VW Polo’s cold but functional interior

I was going to ask what Tier II/Bin 5 was, thinking it was a European standard. I looked it up and found it here. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_emission_standard)

I could never understand VW's reluctance to bring the Polo to the US. Perhaps it was the same wrong headed thinking that the Germans displayed with the direction they took Chrysler in? There are some individually imported older Polos floating around that are pretty cool little cars.

I could never understand VW's reluctance to bring the Polo to the US.

Simply put, they got too big for their britches. They thought the Pheaton was a good idea! Maybe they are just now realizing who they are again...

The Yaris looks so ridiculous compared to this car. The Polo is styled more conservatively, but to me it looks mature, purposeful, dignified. (And hallelujah for the placement of guages where god intended them, and the certain availability of a 5 speed with the 5 door)

Simply put, they got too big for their britches. They thought the Pheaton was a good idea! Maybe they are just now realizing who they are again...

Good point. Nothing wrong with expanding your horizons somewhat, but you really need to dance with the one that brung ya. And it was the beetle and subsequent rabbit/golf that brung VW.
The Phaeton was more of a flop than the Edsel! It still amazes me that Daimler had the smart since 1998 and did not market it through the DCX dealer network. Instead of packing thousands of dollars cash into every glove compartment of all those putrid Commanders, they could have been selling every smart they could import for sticker.
Sometimes they aren't as 'smart'(pun intended) as some give them credit for.

It's Phaeton, not Pheaton ;)

Hi All:

___I did speak with Jim Gill (VW PR) today about the Polo and there are no plans in the immediate future for a TDI variant coming here. No plans for a non-TDI variant coming here either unfortunately but he did know about the all-new 1.6L TDI scheduled for Europe.

___An interesting conversation about a few other items including the TDI sales split and the TDI Cup races scheduled at the Chicago Speedway in Joliet, IL this July. He said give him a call near the race and we can cover that one at no extra charge although I believe it is during HF weekend so I will miss out :(

___Either way, the Polo looks solid from the outside, much more palatable from the inside (vs. the old Polo’s) and with a Euro Super Diesel under the hood, you can bet this would kill any long distance FE World Records set to date other than furthest distance on a single tank of fuel. God knows what it would do with some of the US made Synthetic B5 the TDI cup drivers will be using this year too :D

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Hm. I wouldn't mind one of those in my garage! :D

Hm. I wouldn't mind one of those in my garage! :D
Ditto. A 15% smaller engine than my car with CR injection in a slightly smaller package. Give it a 6-speed manual and sign me up. That is, if they ever decide to sell one here.

Ooh! 6spd manual! I'd "settle" for Insight 5spd ratios, though. ;)

Hi All:

___I did speak with Jim Gill (VW PR) today about the Polo and there are no plans in the immediate future for a TDI variant coming here. No plans for a non-TDI variant coming here either unfortunately but he did know about the all-new 1.6L TDI scheduled for Europe.

___An interesting conversation about a few other items including the TDI sales split and the TDI Cup races scheduled at the Chicago Speedway in Joliet, IL this July. He said give him a call near the race and we can cover that one at no extra charge although I believe it is during HF weekend so I will miss out :(

___Either way, the Polo looks solid from the outside, much more palatable from the inside (vs. the old Polo’s) and with a Euro Super Diesel under the hood, you can bet this would kill any long distance FE World Records set to date other than furthest distance on a single tank of fuel. God knows what it would do with some of the US made Synthetic B5 the TDI cup drivers will be using this year too :D

___Good Luck

___Wayne


I never understood why they are not willing to sell the more fuel efficient TDI's in the US. I see posts on the tdiclub.com website about this too. Maybe they don't want to sell another low priced car in the US. They should at least offer the rabbit with same engine (1.6L).