SPY PICS: Volkswagen Polo spotted undisguised

The sixth-generation Volkswagen Polo will arrive in the coming months with new engines, a new platform and a decidedly more Golf-like appearance.

Spy photos of Volkswagen’s popular city car have emerged out of Europe. The photos show the Polo with virtually no camouflage, revealing a new front bumper with re-worked headlights, a revised grille and a flatter read window and hatchback boot.

More telling are the changes under the skin. For the sixth generation model, Volkswagen has focussed on liberating more rear cabin space, while also raising the quality of the interior materials.

The changes are owed in part to a smaller version of the group’s MQB platform, dubbed AO, which sees the current Polo’s wheelbase stretched, complemented by shorter front and rear overhangs. All in all the Polo will still measure a pinch under 4 metres in length.

The Polo will be bolstered by a new engine line-up comprising a 56kW 1.0-litre three-cylinder naturally aspirated unit plus 1.5-litre TSI petrol and TDI diesel engines varying in outputs.

Gearboxes should include a manual five-speed in the entry model, switching up to a six-speed manual and optional seven-speed DSG automatic.

The big hype is surrounding the Polo GTI replacement, with Volkswagen set to eschew the existing 1.8-litre turbo-petrol for a new 2.0-litre turbo-petrol that’s lifted from the larger Golf GTI. According to reports, the new powertrain is expected to produce about 150kW.

On sale in Europe from later this year, the revised Polo range is expected to reach Australian dealerships from early 2018.