Volkswagen Ameo: First Look

Watch Unveil Video of Volkswagen Ameo

VW’s sub-four meter sedan has been a long time coming and now its finally here. We check out the car in the flesh to tell you what this car is all about.

There are cars made, which manufacturers think will offer everything that a consumer wants and then there are cars which are born out of a necessity. The new Ameo, just like the Swift D’Zire, Hyundai Xcent, Honda Amaze and the likes has been made just to take advantage of the sub-four meter rule. And why not? With these sub-four meter cars flying off the shelves, it only make sense to have one in the arsenal.

On the design front, the Ameo looks just like the Polo which is not a bad thing considering the Polo is one of the better looking cars around. The face still looks fresh with just the right amount of chrome and that lovely snout. Move to the side and that’s when you notice the newly spawned rear. This car looked a lot more beefier thanks to those brilliant 16-inch wheels. However, expect the car on showroom floors to get 15-inch wheels, identical to the ones on the Polo. Coming to the boot, manufacturers have tried hard to make cars with stubby  boots as appealing as possible. But then, I don’t think many have succeeded. The Ameo’s boot looks good when you consider the details. The all-new tail-lights look good and so does the integrated spoiler on the boot. VW has gone ahead with the shorter wheelbase of the Polo and not the longer Vento and as a result overall proportions are still far from beautiful. The car still looks like its rear has been chopped. We still think that the Ford Figo Aspire and the Hyundai Xcent set the benchmark in the segment.

On the inside, the Ameo again gets the Polo’s newly refreshed interiors.  The flat bottom steering wheel looks great and the dual done dash with the soft touch materials and piano black inserts look and feel great. Space at the rear is decent and considering VW have used the Polo’s wheelbase its not the most spacious. But they have managed to make minor changes to the seat to make the rear more accommodating.  Feature-wise the Ameo is loaded and will come with dual airbags and ABS as standard. Apart from that it also gets cruise control, rain-sensing wipers, climate control and the works. VW wants to make sure that the Ameo isn’t lacking on any front and as a result the Ameo will come with all the bells and whistles.

Powering the Ameo will be the naturally aspirated 1.2 litre three-cylinder petrol engine putting out 75 PS and the strong 1.5 TDI diesel that pushes out a healthy 90 PS of power. If rumors have to be believed, the 1.5 TDi motor is set to get a slightly large turbo-charger that should let it pack a bit more punch. Also on the cards is the DSG gearbox. The dual clutch gearbox is a departure from the AMTs the segment has seen so far. The TDi + DSG combo should make it one of the quickest diesel automatics in its class.

Expect the Ameo to be priced slightly above the Polo with prices starting at about 5.2 lakhs and going on to about 10 lakh for the top of the line diesel automatic. VW will be launching the Ameo in a couple of months. Keep watching this space for a full blown review soon.