New Volkswagen Polo – including 197bhp Polo GTI – OFFICIALLY revealed

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The new Volkswagen Polo has been officially revealed in Berlin, bringing a bigger, more upmarket Polo, including a new 197bhp Polo GTI.

Volkswagen revealed the new Polo would get its official reveal today, and with Teutonic efficiency it’s arrived bang on time – say hello to the new VW Polo.

Looking, particularly from the front, just like the current VW Golf, and growing in size – it’s actually bigger than  the Mk4 Golf – with a thumping great extra 94mm in the wheelbase for more passenger room and more room in the boot.

Inside is a bit of a revelation with the sometimes dour, if well-made, Polo interior suddenly finding a colour palette, and coming with integrated touch screens with the latest (optional) Active Info Display, and it all looks at least a notch up the ladder from the competition.

Buyers will be spoilt for choice with a selection of nine different engines – including an 89bhp 1.0 litre natural gas option (not very likely to make the UK), and a big reliance on petrol rather than diesel options (wonder why?).

Four of the six petrol options revolve around VW’s 1.0 litre TSI – with and without forced assistance – from 64bhp to 113bhp, the Golf’s latest 1.5 litre EVO with 148bhp and the 197bhp 2.0 litre for the Polo GTI, and either a 79bhp or 94bhp 1.6 litre TDI.

The new Polo GTI adds a body kit to the baby Golf looks, gets the required tartan seats, twin exhausts and red brake calipers as well as 17″ alloys.

There’s plenty of choices of trim options too – Trendline, Comfortline, Highline, R-Line, GTI, Beats and lifestyle packages – which, coupled with the engine options, means it’s highly unlikely you’ll come out of a VW showroom with the same Polo as anyone else.

Unsurprisingly, the new Polo majors on technology, with Front Assist with City Emergency Braking and Pedestrian Detection standard across the whole range, a new mobile connectivity platform which offers keyless and wireless charging, Touchscreen Infotainment on all but the entry-level models, and plenty of technology options like Adaptive Cruise, Blind Spot Detection, Rear Traffic Alert and Park Assist.

Due to go on sale in the UK in October, the new Polo is likely to go up in price from the current model, but considering you get a mini Golf in all but name that’s to be expected.

The only question is will the new Polo steal sales from the Golf? It certainly looks good enough.