New Volkswagen Polo Could Arrive By 2023 At A Higher Price

Bringing a replacement for the decade-old hatchback is proving to be a difficult decision for Volkswagen India

• The fifth-gen Polo, which was launched in India in 2010, is still on sale but Hyundai has launched three i20s in the same period.

• The sixth-gen Polo premiered in 2017 but it’s still to debut in India. 

• The sixth-gen Polo’s MQB-A0 platform has already been localised but it would still be notably pricier than the current model.

• The MD of Skoda Auto Volkswagen India is in favour of a higher price point for the new Polo.

• No decision yet on the future of Polo in India but a new-gen model could be launched by late-2022 or early-2023.

The Volkswagen Polo has been available in India in its fifth-generation avatar for over a decade now. Globally, the Polo underwent a generational update in 2017 and is underpinned by the VW Group’s smallest modular platform, MQB-A0. Volkswagen has shifted its focus to SUVs for the Indian market but a new Polo could still be on the cards.

• Upcoming Volkswagen Cars in India

The Polo currently retails between Rs 6.01 lakh and Rs 9.92 lakh as a premium hatchback offering. Even though its price is similar to the segment leading Maruti Suzuki Baleno, it enjoys less than 5 percent of the segment’s market share. According to Gurpratap Boparai, MD Skoda Auto Volkswagen India, the “price point needs to be higher for the Polo (sixth-gen model) to enter”.  

VW Group has already localised the MQB-A0 platform in India for upcoming SUVs such as the Skoda Kushaq and Volkswagen Taigun. The MQB-A0-IN (IN for India) can accommodate the Polo as well. Both SUVs will be longer than 4 metres, just like the sixth-gen Polo. Volkswagen will modify the design to keep the new Polo under 4 metres for India but it would still be a lot pricier than the model it will replace.

Prices of premium hatchbacks are already on the rise. The Honda Jazz has the highest entry price of Rs 7.55 lakh while the new Hyundai i20 is the most expensive in its top variant, at a whopping Rs 11.18 lakh. The i20 is the first model in the segment to cross the Rs 10 lakh mark and an even pricier N Line variant is in the pipeline. The prices of these hatchbacks are likely to swell in the coming years with increasing input costs and taxes. A new-gen Polo priced from Rs 8 lakh to Rs 12 lakh with premium features, improved safety, and increased proportions may attract customers in the future, but is unlikely to do so now.

Volkswagen has not yet made a decision on the future of the Polo hatchback in India. It got a new 110PS 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine as part of the BS6 update in 2020 and continues to be a popular choice among driving enthusiasts. Despite the outdated cabin, the fifth-gen hatchback’s driving dynamics and premium build quality could help it stay relevant in India for a couple more years with the possibility of a new-gen Polo being launched by late-2022 or early-2023.

All prices are ex-showroom Delhi

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