New Volkswagen Polo vs Old Model: What’s Changed?

German carmaker Volkswagen recently took the wraps off the all-new Polo. Entering its sixth generation (hence, Mk 6 Polo), the car is now built on the company’s MQB platform. However, it is not just the platform but the entire car that has changed. It also has a new design, both inside and out, engines and feature list. In terms of dimensions too, the 2018 Volkswagen Polo has grown in comparison to the outgoing Mk 5 Polo. We’ve already covered the new Polo in greater detail. Now, let’s pit the new Polo against the old model, in our new 2018 Volkswagen Polo vs Old Model Polo comparison post here.

2018 Volkswagen Polo vs Old Model Polo – Exterior Design Comparison

The new Polo makes use of Volkswagen’s MQB platform. As a result, it has grown in size. However, in terms of design, the car looks sharper than ever. The clear, sharp character lines on the bonnet, sides and rear make the Mk 6 Polo appear lean and angular. Both the A and C pillars have become more angular than before, making the new car look sleeker.

Also, the new Polo’s roof now ends cleanly in the car’s tailgate, giving a sense of completion to the design. This is in comparison to the old car’s roofline, which seems to abruptly end in its almost upright tailgate.

Due to the Mk 6 Polo’s new design, the car looks better balanced front and rear, in terms of visual weight. In terms of styling changes, the new car gets new, slightly-curved headlamps with DRLs that merge into the grille’s single slat. The front and rear bumpers on the new car have changed too. New design alloy wheels, new LED taillamps and twin exhausts round up the styling changes on the new 2018 Volkswagen Polo.

2018 Volkswagen Polo vs Old Model Polo – Interior Design Comparison

Inside, the new Polo gets an all-new dashboard which makes it look not just fresh but lively too. There are exterior colour-matching inserts on the dashboard and hence, it gets tri-tone colour treatment. The A/C vents see a redesign. There is a new instrument cluster which is called Digital Cockpit. The centre console sees a redesign too with changes made to the A/c vents’ placement.

The new infotainment unit is mounted above the A/c vents. There is an engine start/stop button which has been placed near the gear shifter. The leather seats get fabric inserts with a stripe running through the middle and exterior colour-matching contrast stitching. All this is in stark contrast to Mk 5 Polo’s dual-tone interior, which looks all business.

2018 Volkswagen Polo vs Old Model Polo – Specifications

Internationally, the new Polo will come with a range of new engines which are all-three-cylinder units. Three of them are turbocharged. Two of these engines are 1.0-litre units while two are 1.5-litre motors. The power of these engines range from 65HP to 160HP (from the least to the most powerful application). Since these are all three-cylinder units, the car should also be pretty fuel efficient. Yes, they are smaller in comparison to the old Polo’s engines. However, the gains are in the area of weight reduction and higher fuel efficiency. In the end, it will all come down to how the three-cylinder engines behave in real world in the new car. Details on the India-spec car aren’t available at the moment, but we expect a 1.0-litre NA petrol motor to come here along with a 1.5-litre Turbo Diesel unit.

2018 Volkswagen Polo vs Old Model Polo – Mileage

Just like we said earlier, if there is one area where the new Polo’s engines will shine in, it is the mileage. Expected to offer between 19-21 kmpl in petrol guise, its mileage is better than old Polo’s 16.47 kmpl. The new Volkswagen Polo’s diesel engine looks pretty good too, offering 22-23 kmpl mileage as opposed to old car’s 20.14 kmpl. In a mileage-conscious country like India, this will be highly appreciated by the users.

2018 Volkswagen Polo vs Old Model Polo – Dimensions

The use of the MQB platform has resulted in the new Volkswagen Polo becoming bigger in size. At 4,053mm long, the new Polo is 82mm longer than the model it replaces. These gains are not limited to exterior only. The new 2018 Volkswagen Polo has 2,564mm wheelbase, which is 95mm more than the Mk 5 Polo. In terms of width, with a measurement of 1,751mm, the 2018 Volkswagen Polo is 69mm wider than the old car. At 1,446mm, the Mk 6 Polo has 23mm less headroom than the car currently on sale.

2018 Volkswagen Polo vs Old Model Polo – Verdict

Design – The Mk 6 Polo looks not just fresh but also taut. The use of MQB architecture has helped in that area. Inside, the new Polo feels lively due to its new dashboard that has new instruments and new colours. The exterior paint-matching inserts on the 2018 Volkswagen Polo’s dashboard make it look refreshing.

Specs – The new 2018 Volkswagen Polo features a range of new engines that help it reduce weight and offer quite a bit of power too. This is when you consider that they have one less cylinder than the Mk 5 Polo’s engines. The new petrol engines are smaller too but only lose a handful of horses when compared to the old car’s engines’ power output.

Mileage – The new three-cylinder units help the new Volkswagen Polo deliver greater fuel economy than the outgoing model. This is because they also help reduce the weight of the car.

Dimensions – The use of MQB platform makes the new Polo grow bigger in length, width and wheelbase. This makes the new car better suited for taller individuals than the old one.

So what do you think about our new 2018 Volkswagen Polo vs Old Model Polo comparison? Please weigh in with your comments below.