In 2025, the Volkswagen Polo will celebrate its 50th year of production. Since its initial release in 1975, the Polo has seen six generations in global markets, selling over two crore units throughout that time. Let’s go down the lane of 50 years of journey of the Volkswagen Polo from 1975 to till date.
Volkswagen Polo 1st gen (1975-1981):
When it came time to replace the beloved Beetle in the 1970s, the compact hatchback was rumoured to be one of three vehicles VW had in the works. The other two were the Passat (1973) and the Golf (1974). Based on the Audi 50, the front-wheel-drive hatchback was designed to provide consumers with a lightweight, practical, and reasonably priced vehicle that still had good handling qualities.
2nd gen (1981-1994):
According to reports, the second-generation Polo has several upgrades, such as improved engines and increased comfort and spaciousness. More power was produced in 1987 with the introduction of the scroll-type supercharger on the limited-edition Polo Coupe GT G40.
3rd Gen (1994-2001):
The third generation saw even further advancement, particularly in the field of technology. The Polo was among the first cars in its class to be equipped with airbags at the time. The Polo originally became available as a GTI in 1998.
Volkswagen Polo 4th Gen (2001-2009):
The fourth-generation model is larger and reportedly has a lot more inside space. With power steering, ABS, and front and side airbags becoming common in foreign markets, the safety package also witnessed significant growth.
Volkswagen Polo 5th Gen (2009-2017):
The fifth-generation Polo created a name for itself in motorsports in addition to introducing several technology enhancements, such as infotainment and driver-aid systems. Beginning in 2013, the Volkswagen Polo R won the World Rally Championship (WRC) four times in a row. More on that later. This is the version that was introduced to India.
Volkswagen Polo 6th Gen (2017- till present):
According to reports, the sixth generation of hatchbacks, which is built on the modular transverse matrix (MQB) architecture, has raised the bar for safety, connectivity, and driving dynamics. Even more technology was added in 2021, with comfort and assistance features reportedly taken from the more costly VW models.
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