The PoloDriver.com review of 2017
2017 was yet another busy year for the Volkswagen Polo. The launch and introduction of the all-new sixth-generation model has been the major news, and although there has been no Polo rally action in 2017, the PSRX Volkswagen Sweden Polo GTI has dominated the World Rallycross Championship in the hands of Johan Kristoffersson.
But, with a debut for the new Polo GTI R5 later in 2018, the stages look set for a Polo return to asphalt and gravel action. The Engen Volkswagen Cup in South Africa is due to run new-generation Polo GTIs, too, in 2018, so next year’s Polo motorsport activity is shaping up very nicely.
Right now, though, we round up the Polo’s biggest achievements in 2017. (Bold entries are illustrated by the picture above that particular month’s list of events.)
January
- Al-Attiyah confirms no Polo R WRC in 2017 FIA World Rally Championship
- PSRX and Volkswagen Sweden rallycross team confirmed
- Polo Sound special edition launched in Germany
- Indian-market Polo GTI wins Autocar India’s Performance Hatchback of the Year award
- Polo is the tenth best-selling car in Europe (JATO).
February
- FIA prohibits complete homologation of 2017 Volkswagen Polo R WRC
- Polo GTI 230 special edition for Switzerland
- Guy Wilks confirmed for Polo RX in 2017 World Rallycross Championship
- Polo-based VW Ameo wins Car India and Bike India’s ’Compact Sedan Of The Year’ award
- Polo is the seventh best-selling car in the UK.
March
- Citi Vivo special edition launched in South Africa
- 1,250,000th Polo production jubilee celebrated by Volkswagen South Africa
- Volkswagen Polo 1.0 TSI R-Line launched in South Africa
- PSRX Volkswagen Sweden reveals 2017 World Rallycross Polo GTI Supercar
- Volkswagen Motorsport announces new Polo R5 rally car testing plans
- Indian-market Polo GTI wins the Thrill of Driving Award at the Times Auto Awards
- Polo-based VW Ameo wins the Compact Sedan of the Year at the Times Auto Awards
- Polo is the seventh best-selling car in the UK.
April
- PSRX Volkswagen Sweden Polo GTIs show pace at World RX of Barcelona
- Kristoffersson drives Polo GTI Supercar to World RX of Portugal podium
- Volkswagen India launches limited edition Polo GT Sport
- Indian-market Polo GTI wins Flywheel Auto Awards’ 2017 Performance Hatchback of the Year award
- Indian-market Polo GTI wins BBC Top Gear Awards’ 2017 Hot Hatch of the Year award
- Polo is the ninth best-selling car in the UK.
May
- Fifth-generation Polo-based Volkswagen Vento Allstar and GT launched in Malaysia
- World RX of Hockenheim podium place for Kristoffersson and Polo GTI
- PSRX Volkswagen Sweden Polo GTIs dominate World RX of Belgium with double podium
- Sixth-generation Polo prototype drives and ‘sneak peek’ video published
- Solberg and Kristoffersson do the double at World RX of Great Britain
- Polo is the fifth best-selling car in the UK.
June
- Volkswagen launches sixth-generation Polo ‘teaser’ video campaign
- Johan Kristoffersson takes second 2017 World RX victory in Norway
- First images of new Polo revealed ahead of 16 June world premiere
- New sixth-generation Polo unveiled at Berlin world premiere event on 16 June
- Polo is the eighth best-selling car in the UK.
July
- Home win at Höljes for Kristoffersson at 2017 World RX of Sweden
- Polo is the fifth best-selling car in the UK.
August
- Volkswagen Group Australia launches added-value Polo Urban and Urban+
- Sixth-generation Polo to feature standard-fit Kuhmo Ecowing tyres
- PoloDriver.com road test: Volkswagen Polo Beats 1.2 TSI 90
- Dieter Depping to run third PSRX Polo GTI Supercar at World RX of Germany
- Polo is the fifth best-selling car in the UK.
September
- “More sporty driving style” – new Polo GTI debuts at IAA 2017
- European advertising campaign for the sixth-generation Polo begins
- Fifth-generation Polo-based Volkswagen Vento Allstar launched in India
- Polo is the sixth best-selling car in the UK.
October
- UK order books open and prices released for sixth-generation Polo
- PoloDriver.com first drive: all-new 2017 Volkswagen Polo
- Polo is the eighth best-selling car in the UK.
November
- ‘Novo Polo’: sixth-generation Polo launched in Brazil
- Volkswagen releases first details of Polo GTI R5 world rally challenger
- Euro NCAP awards sixth-generation Polo a five-star safety rating
- Sixth-generation Polo-based Volkswagen Virtus revealed
- 2018 Polo GTI R5 breaks cover in first test
- 2015 Polo Vivo GP 1.4 Conceptline wins the ‘Light Hatch under R140 000’ category as well as the People’s Choice Award in the same category at Gumtree Pre-owned Awards 2017
- 2015 Polo GP 1.2 TSI Highline takes second place in ‘Medium Hatch under R260 000’ category at Gumtree Pre-owned Awards 2017
- Polo is the eighth best-selling car in the UK.
December
- ‘The rally sports car’: 2018 Polo GTI R5 rally car officially revealed
- First media drives of the 197bhp 2018 Polo GTI published
- More powerful 1.0 engines and SEL trim expand new UK sixth-generation Polo range
- Falken Tyres announced as tyre supplier for sixth-generation Polo
- Sixth-generation Polo announced in What Car? Small Car of the Year 2018 award shortlist
- Sixth-generation Polo launched in Tawian at 2017 Taipei motor show
- With 47,855 units registered, the Polo is the UK’s seventh best-selling car in 2018
- With 255,370 units registered, the Polo is Europe’s third best-selling car in 2018.
We would like to thank our loyal readers and followers who have helped make 2017 another enjoyable year for PoloDriver.com. We hope you’ll enjoy the developments and stories which are coming to the website in 2018.
[Click on the ‘Polo 2017-’ and ‘Motorsport’ tags in the category drop-down list in the right-hand sidebar of the website to see all entries pertaining to the new sixth-generation Polo and Polo motorsport activity respectively. Choose other category or month sections for relevant entries.]
