PoloDriver

Sneaking in under the radar yesterday, is this, the latest special edition Polo, the CrossPolo ‘Urban White’. Announced late in the day on Friday, the ‘Urban White’ takes the familiar CrossPolo body and embellishes it with coloured trim and interior finishes. Pearlescent white paintwork – a CrossPolo first – contrasts well with black roof rails and mirrors, and the regular 17-inch ‘Budapest’ five-spoke alloys can be specified with either black or white spoke centres. A silver-strip ‘Urban White’ badge similar to that on BlueMotion models sits on the CrossPolo ‘Urban White’s tailgate.

Inside, there’s a GTI-style black headlining, black and pale grey cloth/Alcantara sports seats, climate control, cruise control, and silver dashboard inserts around the centre console and gear lever, another Polo debut. Although the CrossPolo ‘Urban White’ looks rough and tumble, it is still resolutely two-wheel-drive, and can be had with four petrol and three diesel engines, from 69bhp to 104bhp, with five or six-speed transmissions. A seven-speed DSG gearbox can be optioned, too. What price style? The CrossPolo ‘Urban White’ starts at €18,975 for the 69bhp entry-level model.

[Source: German Car Scene]

Dutch car magazine website AutoWereld.com has recently tested the 1.4-litre 84bhp version of the new CrossPolo. The testers seem impressed, too, although as with previous incarnations of the faux-by-four front-wheel drive, higher-riding Polo, they also criticise the more expensive price. Around €2000 more expensive than the continental Polo Highline at €18.690, the CrossPolo is a firm favourite with us at PoloDriver. Distinguishing it from lesser Polos are gunmetal-coloured 17-inch ‘Budapest’ alloys, anodised silver roof rails and door mirrors, grey plastic body cladding with unique front and rear bumpers, a 15mm higher ride height and unique interior trim. The Auto Wereld test (translated English version here) features a Flash Red car with a Hot Orange interior, a colour combination we’ve not yet seen.

[Image: AutoWereld.com]

Following its recent launch in South Africa, Volkswagen has unleashed the new CrossPolo in Europe (UK availability is still to be announced). The fourth new Polo hatchback variant coming after the base model, BlueMotion and GTI, Volkswagen first pulled the covers off its new SUV-look baby back in February. You should know the basics by now, but if you don’t, then this latest version of VW’s faux-by-four supermini follows on from its Polo Fun and CrossPolo (Dune in the UK, Soho in Spain) predecessors and offers much the same; a 15mm higher ride height, unique body styling and alloy wheels, and a special colour palette. We’re big fans of the fashion-concious CrossPolo here at PoloDriver.

European cars are available with a wider range of engines than South African versions, with three petrol and three diesel engines on offer. Petrol-powered choices start with the 1.2-litre 74bhp three-cylinder motor, rising through an 84bhp 1.4, to the latest 1.2-litre turbocharged TSI unit with 104bhp. Diesel lovers can choose between 74, 89 and 104bhp TDIs, all of which are 1.6-litre units. Like the standard hatchback model, the new CrossPolo can be specified with Volkswagen’s latest twin-clutch, seven-speed DSG gearbox on 1.4-litre 84bhp petrol cars. Prices start at €16.550 for the 74bhp 1.2, rising to €20.100 for the 1.6-litre TDI with 104bhp. The full and official Volkswagen press release follows, along with a gallery of pictures.

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