SPYSHOTS: Volkswagen Polo facelift goes upmarket?

VW-Polo-Facelift-001

Volkswagen is working on a mid-life facelift for its fifth-generation B-segment contender, the Volkswagen Polo. Today, we can show you undisguised photos of a facelifted Polo in Europe, thanks to our European spy photographers Automedia.

Although at first glance the Polo looks the same, there are actually quite a few subtle changes up front. The whole bumper design has been revised to look similar to the Passat’s design – the grille now has a double bar, much like that on the Polo 1.6 that was launched yesterday, but the chrome is only at the bottom edge of the grille.

VW-Polo-Facelift-006

This chrome line continues into the headlamp, where it goes upwards instead of the current Polo, where the same line in the headlamp dips down. We also note the position of the tow hook cover is different.

On the rear, we notice that although the tail lamp design is familiar, the internal graphics are a lot more angular now compared to the more rounded design of the pre-facelift. There’s also what appears to be a faux diffuser-like design on the rear bumper. There’s only one tail pipe to be seen, so this probably isn’t a mule for a Polo GTI.

VW-Polo-Facelift-008

The changes in the interior are more obvious. The entire central dash area gets a brushed metal background like the Passat. The head-unit has been redesigned, and so has the automatic air-con control panel. The car also gets a revised steering wheel as well as updated stalks.

If you click the interior image above and really zoom in on the full-res version of the image, you’ll notice the strip of buttons above the head-unit is full featured. We notice seat heating buttons as well as a button for adjustable suspension, which is surprising as this feature isn’t available on the current Polo. With the trend of consumers downsizing their car segments, it looks like VW is packing C-segment options into their facelifted B-segment car.

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • Archangel on Jan 25, 2014 at 1:39 am

    Less changes on the exterior but many changes on the interior. Looks good though.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 12
    • BMW Fanboi on Jan 25, 2014 at 9:01 am

      ….. in the meanwhile, their DSG going down the drain

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 9
      • Msia got so many spoilt DSG boxes!. It would fill a few fields. Maybe 2 or 3 fields if we stack the spoilt dsg boxes on each other

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1
  • “With the trend of consumers downsizing their car segments,”

    The consumers are not ‘downsizing’, the manufacturers are ‘upsizing’ their cars from generation to generation.

    The current Polo is bigger than a Golf MK1. No wonder that consumers which prefer a smaller car for whatever reason (parking in overcrowded cities?) choose a ‘downsized’ car like the Polo now instead of a Golf.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 1
  • Anonymous on Jan 25, 2014 at 6:51 am

    They just changed the both front and back bumper to the Polo GTI bumper, nothing much.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 5
    • Gently Speaking on Jan 26, 2014 at 1:39 pm

      VW Polo Launched in 2009.

      Expected a New Polo instead of facelift.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • seancorr on Jan 25, 2014 at 7:13 am

    …and this is what I’m talking about…face lift is imminent for the rest of the world and we in Malaysia finally gotten our hands on the CKD model…much like the CKD Jazz.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 3
  • hahaha facelift? what did they do, change the wheels? LOL

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  • sudonano on Jan 25, 2014 at 1:07 pm

    Not a very big fan of the brushed metal. It could be the flash that made it looked like a very light colour, I would prefer it to be a bit darker shade…

    The current Polo interior feels a bit cheap, compared to the Rio and the 208. Especially the steering. It is so hard, the rim of it. Hope they will improve the overall material quality.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 4
  • along on Jan 25, 2014 at 3:02 pm

    malaysian got many option now. wait n see who is the winner in 2014

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • i rather wait for proton gsc..conti feeling, enjoyable handling and very safe. Price also waaaayyyyy cheaper. Pray for turbo version.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 8
  • rifle on Jan 25, 2014 at 9:22 pm

    they just launched ckd polo here in malaysia, n they facelift it in the europe..alamak..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • Ckd for the purpose of finishing the old model. Honda doing the same, ckd jazz 1.5 petrol because new model is coming this year.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Gently Speaking on Jan 26, 2014 at 1:38 pm

      2009 launched internationally model.
      Shouldnt it coming out a New model instead of facelift?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Albert Lee on Jan 26, 2014 at 7:01 pm

    The front lamps look familiar.Did VW copy Proton or Proton(the rebadging specialist)copy VW?Since Proton is only good at rebadging and copying and doing facelifts and buying outdated engines ,I forecast their sales here:
    2013 138,000 units
    2014 120,000 units
    2015 100,000 units
    2016 Tutup kedai.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
 

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