Despite the wrap, the Polo spied had a rear bumper similar to that of the 2017 Polo GTI, which was a three-door version that was limited to just 100 units, while the tail lamps look near identical. The GTI element is expected to be carried in the revised front bumper along with the LED headlamps with DRLs that are already offered on the Vento. Volkswagen is expected to make some minor updates to the interior as well, but there are no spy shots of that yet.
Powering the 2019 Polo is likely to be the same 1.0-litre petrol engine which may be updated to meet the upcoming BS6 emission norms. It currently has an output of 76PS and 95Nm while mated to a 5-speed manual. However, the 1.5-litre diesel unit is not expected to be updated and offered in the BS6 era. The 1.2-litre turbo-petrol with the 7-speed DSG offered in the GT TSI variant could likely be discontinued as Volkswagen will be localising a new 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine.
The next GT TSI variant is likely to get that 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine which was already offered on the fifth-gen Polo in Europe. In those markets, it’s available in two states of tune - 95PS/175Nm and 114PS/175Nm, with a choice of both manual and DSG automatic transmissions. The very same engine is also being considered for a CNG variant in India by Volkswagen.
The Vento is also expected to get similar cosmetic updates as the 2019 Polo and is likely to be launched at the same time too. When launched, the Polo facelift is expected to be priced at a slight premium over the current Polo, which is priced between Rs 5.71 lakh to Rs 9.72 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).
Volkswagen introduced the sixth-gen Polo in various global markets 2017. It is based on the MQB A0 platform, which is in the process of being localised in India as part of the company’s India 2.0 growth plan. While VW and Skoda’s first products on this new platform will be compact SUVs in 2021 followed by replacements of the Vento and Rapid in 2022, the new Polo is also expected to arrive in India around the same time in 2022.