New 2011 VW "Polo" unvieled at Geneva - Coming to US
03-07-09, 02:02 PM
#16
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: CA
Posts: 1,279
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think it's a misconception that the Mexican built cars are less reliable than the German built variants. Obviously the materials are the same, the physical quality is no different. Everything built in the Pueblo plant is shipped straight from Germany in individual packaging modules. The cars just need to be assembled.
03-08-09, 03:02 PM
#17
I think it's a misconception that the Mexican built cars are less reliable than the German built variants. Obviously the materials are the same, the physical quality is no different. Everything built in the Pueblo plant is shipped straight from Germany in individual packaging modules. The cars just need to be assembled.
The M-Class built in Alabama had the worst reliability of any MB in the U.S. The 2nd Gen M-Class is a lot better in that front so obviously MB took note. It'll be nice if VW did the same. Pueblo manufacturers the Jetta and the old Beetle (used to anyway til they killed it off... when.. 2003? )
03-08-09, 08:48 PM
#18
Lexus Champion
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Park Ridge IL
Posts: 2,485
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think it's a misconception that the Mexican built cars are less reliable than the German built variants. Obviously the materials are the same, the physical quality is no different. Everything built in the Pueblo plant is shipped straight from Germany in individual packaging modules. The cars just need to be assembled.
03-08-09, 08:50 PM
#19
Lexus Champion
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Park Ridge IL
Posts: 2,485
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
materials are one thing and workmanship is another. You can have the best materials in the world but if they're put together shoddily, then what's the point?
The M-Class built in Alabama had the worst reliability of any MB in the U.S. The 2nd Gen M-Class is a lot better in that front so obviously MB took note. It'll be nice if VW did the same. Pueblo manufacturers the Jetta and the old Beetle (used to anyway til they killed it off... when.. 2003? )
The M-Class built in Alabama had the worst reliability of any MB in the U.S. The 2nd Gen M-Class is a lot better in that front so obviously MB took note. It'll be nice if VW did the same. Pueblo manufacturers the Jetta and the old Beetle (used to anyway til they killed it off... when.. 2003? )
03-08-09, 09:06 PM
#20
Lexus Fanatic
The 2nd gen M-class has the same mediocre reliability of the German-built E-class, CLS, SLK, previous gen C-class (2001-2007 model years), and S-class.
03-09-09, 07:28 PM
#21
Of course the Check Engine light was on all the time lol.
Ohh... I thought it improved.
03-09-09, 07:47 PM
#22
Lexus Champion
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Park Ridge IL
Posts: 2,485
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well it goes off road quite well with stock tyres and without using low range. Granted, it was just moist and it wasn't mud but just trenches that water carved out over time but the approach and departure angles were great.
Of course the Check Engine light was on all the time lol.
Ohh... I thought it improved.
Of course the Check Engine light was on all the time lol.
Ohh... I thought it improved.
03-09-09, 08:55 PM
#23
Lexus Fanatic
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 7,864
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Very nice! Looks good. 
I don't know why VW can't build a cheap car [anymore]. What ever happened to the original affordability concept that made the original Beetle so successful. $18K for a car that's supposed to sit below the Golf and New Beetle? Come on. It will find buyers, but they are not the buyers of actual economy cars like Yaris/Versa/Accent ect. VW desperately needs a $13K model and they'd sell like hotcakes.
< Actually, you live in Maryland. 
We get a lot of German cars traded in at the dealer I work at and yeah, everything is broken on them. Especially in their "quality" interiors. The hardware is never intact. And most of them are only a few years old. These types of things are a huge headache and is easily a deal breaker.
iQ?? This is twice the size of the iQ. 
They're not even remotely competitors. The Polo is bigger than the Yaris LB even.
It better embarrass them considering the starting price is 3-4k more than the Yaris and Versa. Pricewise it'll probably compete more with the Fit with the Fit still being a cheaper option. Not entirely convinced it will sell where here considering the lower end of market tend to be more price sensitive. Now if they release that TDI here, and price it well, I'd be surprised if it didn't sell well since the price of diesel is starting to become more reasonable. At the pumps near my house, the price for diesel was actually lower than the price of 87
You have to understand my position. I live and work in Germany. I have many automotive enthusiastic colleagues who drive VWs and don't complain about them. They cannot really understand why Volkswagen has such a poor reputation for reliability in the US when the most common problems they have on their VWs are generally rather small nuisances that get fixed and literally never reappear. 
Ok, time to hit the sack. Dead tired.
Ok, time to hit the sack. Dead tired.
We get a lot of German cars traded in at the dealer I work at and yeah, everything is broken on them. Especially in their "quality" interiors. The hardware is never intact. And most of them are only a few years old. These types of things are a huge headache and is easily a deal breaker.
They're not even remotely competitors. The Polo is bigger than the Yaris LB even.
03-09-09, 09:56 PM
#24
Lexus Fanatic
[QUOTE=Nextourer;4325743
Ohh... I thought it improved.[/QUOTE]
Yes 2nd gen ML quality improved over the crappy 1st gen ML. But it is no better or worse than the German-built cars in the 2006-2007 range.
Ohh... I thought it improved.[/QUOTE]
Yes 2nd gen ML quality improved over the crappy 1st gen ML. But it is no better or worse than the German-built cars in the 2006-2007 range.
03-09-09, 11:43 PM
#25
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: CA
Posts: 1,279
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Very nice! Looks good.
I don't know why VW can't build a cheap car [anymore]. What ever happened to the original affordability concept that made the original Beetle so successful. $18K for a car that's supposed to sit below the Golf and New Beetle? Come on. It will find buyers, but they are not the buyers of actual economy cars like Yaris/Versa/Accent ect. VW desperately needs a $13K model and they'd sell like hotcakes.
I don't know why VW can't build a cheap car [anymore]. What ever happened to the original affordability concept that made the original Beetle so successful. $18K for a car that's supposed to sit below the Golf and New Beetle? Come on. It will find buyers, but they are not the buyers of actual economy cars like Yaris/Versa/Accent ect. VW desperately needs a $13K model and they'd sell like hotcakes.
But wait, they are trying to do just what I am advocating them not do - build a car on par with the Japanese and price it accordingly. If they don't realize cost of ownership better fall like a rock and reliability must increase, they will be DOA with all new cars sold from their new plant in Chattanooga. Knowing the way the Germans build/design things, it's going to be an uphill battle.
03-10-09, 10:15 PM
#26
03-11-09, 06:21 AM
#27
Well what I was saying is that the Polo is priced higher than the Yaris and even higher than the Fit (taking this info from this thread, I have no idea what the real price will be) but it has nicer materials inside and is less econo-crap-box like the Yaris. The iQ is priced higher than the Yaris but is smaller because it has nicer materials and is a nicer vehicle overall. That's the comparison I was making. I wasn't saying that people might cross shop the two, just maybe that's how VW is planning to market the vehicle.
05-05-14, 05:56 AM
#28
VW Confirms 6-Speed Manual Transmission for Facelifted Polo GTI
It appears that the report from earlier this year about the refreshed VW Polo GTI getting a manual transmission option was based on valuable information, as a senior company executive has confirmed the news.
The updated VW Polo GTI will again be offered with a six-speed manual transmission when it launches later this year, confirmed Volkswagen product communications executive Moritz Silzer. “What we can say about GTI … it will have 192PS (189hp), so increased power, and it will be available not only with DSG but also with a manual transmission,” Silzer was quoted as saying by Australia’s Car Advice.
As for the Polo GTI’s engine, it is still not clear whether the 1.4-liter unit from the current model was uprated to develop 189hp or was replaced by a larger 1.8-liter engine. Silzer also hinted that torque will increase from the current 250 Nm (184 lb-ft). “We have improved a lot on every level, so torque… maybe yes,” Silzer said.
He added that VW’s decision to reintroduce the manual transmission option was due to the desires of car enthusiasts. “It’s a totally different class but the Porsche 911 GT3, the PDK, alright, it’s fine… Maybe I’m a little bit old fashioned, but with a sports car … I want to work, I want to work with the car,” the executive said.
With the introduction of the six-speed manual transmission, the VW Polo GTI should be approximately AUD$2,500 cheaper (US$2,316) in Australia, the report says, bringing the starting price down to AUD$27,000 (US$25,020) for the manual variant. That would make the VW Polo GTI just AUD$1,000 more expensive than the acclaimed Ford Fiesta ST.
The updated VW Polo GTI will again be offered with a six-speed manual transmission when it launches later this year, confirmed Volkswagen product communications executive Moritz Silzer. “What we can say about GTI … it will have 192PS (189hp), so increased power, and it will be available not only with DSG but also with a manual transmission,” Silzer was quoted as saying by Australia’s Car Advice.
As for the Polo GTI’s engine, it is still not clear whether the 1.4-liter unit from the current model was uprated to develop 189hp or was replaced by a larger 1.8-liter engine. Silzer also hinted that torque will increase from the current 250 Nm (184 lb-ft). “We have improved a lot on every level, so torque… maybe yes,” Silzer said.
He added that VW’s decision to reintroduce the manual transmission option was due to the desires of car enthusiasts. “It’s a totally different class but the Porsche 911 GT3, the PDK, alright, it’s fine… Maybe I’m a little bit old fashioned, but with a sports car … I want to work, I want to work with the car,” the executive said.
With the introduction of the six-speed manual transmission, the VW Polo GTI should be approximately AUD$2,500 cheaper (US$2,316) in Australia, the report says, bringing the starting price down to AUD$27,000 (US$25,020) for the manual variant. That would make the VW Polo GTI just AUD$1,000 more expensive than the acclaimed Ford Fiesta ST.
08-06-14, 11:21 AM
#30
Carbuyer Says Facelifted VW Polo is the Same as Before
In true Volkswagen style, the facelifted Polo looks almost identical with the model it replaces, but the truth is, it bring some important changes, most of them under the bodywork.
There are new and updated engines up to 21 percent more economical, new trim levels, and extra equipment.
Carbuyer takes a look at the refreshed VW Polo in one of its latest videos and Mat Watson’s conclusion is that the car hasn’t changed that much. Sure, it has updated and new Euro6 engines and new assistance systems but it drives the same as before and has an almost identical interior – with the most noticeable change inside being the addition of a modular infotainment system sourced from the VW Golf.
In the end, it all comes to personal taste when choosing a supermini, but as Watson warns, if you’re in the market for a fun small car, you’d be better off with a Ford Fiesta.
There are new and updated engines up to 21 percent more economical, new trim levels, and extra equipment.
Carbuyer takes a look at the refreshed VW Polo in one of its latest videos and Mat Watson’s conclusion is that the car hasn’t changed that much. Sure, it has updated and new Euro6 engines and new assistance systems but it drives the same as before and has an almost identical interior – with the most noticeable change inside being the addition of a modular infotainment system sourced from the VW Golf.
In the end, it all comes to personal taste when choosing a supermini, but as Watson warns, if you’re in the market for a fun small car, you’d be better off with a Ford Fiesta.