First look: Volkswagen sends Polo off-road

A CROSSOVER derivative of Volkswagen’s Polo has been revealed three months before the all-new hatchback upon which it is based goes on sale here in May.

Bristling with a rugged new all-terrain look, the five-door Polo-based CrossPolo will make its world debut at the Geneva motor show on March 2, alongside Volkswagen’s next-generation Touareg luxury SUV and the new Polo GTI, which arrives here in late 2010.

However, while three and five-door hatch versions of the redesigned Polo will be released in Australia in May, Volkswagen Group Australia spokesman Karl Gehling said that although no decision has been made, the new CrossPolo was unlikely to be sold here.

“We’ll look at it, but the CrossPolo is unlikely to come here at this stage,” he said.



Europe’s second-generation CrossPolo follows the limited-edition Polo Fun version of the previous Polo. The Cross derivative became a full-time member of VW’s European light-car line-up after 5000 Fun-badged Polos became a sell-out success.

Like the model it replaces in Europe, the new CrossPolo stands only slightly taller than the Polo hatch thanks to 15mm of extra ride height and comes with a range of small-capacity four-cylinder engines that output between 51 and 77kW.

Of the six Euro 5 emissions-standard engines available in the CrossPolo in Europe (three petrols and four diesels), three will be available with a seven-speed dual-clutch DSG automatic transmission.

Clearly aimed at young urban customers with a wide range of bright exterior paint colours, the CrossPolo’s colour palette includes exclusive ‘Magma Orange’ and ‘Terra Beige Metallic’ hues.

Also differentiating it are high-gloss black coloured B and C-pillars and window frames, and a chunkier anthracite-coloured front bumper with new foglights either side of a larger ‘black honeycomb’ central air intake.

Black wheel-arch extensions and side sills continue the off-road theme, as do ‘Budapest’ five-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels with 215/40-section tyres, silver anodised roof-rails, silver wing mirrors.

Inside, the CrossPolo differs with four two-tone interior fabric options for the ‘CrossPolo’ embroidered sports seats and door trims, including ‘Hot Orange’, ‘Orange’, ‘Latte Macchiato’ and ‘Grey’.

Other neat touches include a perforated leather and brushed aluminium steering wheel, an instrument panel with ‘slush’ finish and stitching on the gearshift and handbrake covers that match the interior trim colour.

Standard equipment includes height-adjustable sport seats, an asymmetrically split rear bench seat and backrest, front seatback pockets and drawers, a centre armrest storage box, aluminium-faced pedals, chromed switchgear, tyre pressure monitoring, window switch and air-vent surrounds and a multi-function display.

As with the five-door Polo hatch, the CrossPolo’s cargo area extends from 280 to 952 litres with the rear seat stowed and features a dual cargo floor that is adjustable to two height levels.

First customer deliveries of the VW CrossPolo take place in Europe in late May, with releases scheduled for Japan and elsewhere soon afterwards.