Volkswagen Polo Matte Edition spied at dealership ahead of launch

Volkswagen showcased the Polo’s Matte Edition back in March this year. Now, this new variant of the hatchback has been spotted at a dealership. Skoda will be making only cosmetic changes to the Matte Edition, mechanically it will stay the same. It is expected to be launched during the festive season this year.

From the pictures, we can see that the Polo Matte Edition gets a matte grey paint job. The outside rearview mirrors, window belts and door handles are finished in black. It uses the same design for the alloy wheels as the regular Polo, but now they are finished in silver.

As of now, there are no pictures of the interior, but we expect it to come with an all-black cabin theme and slightly different upholstery. The feature list will stay the same as the current Polo. So, there will be a touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a multi-function flat-bottom steering wheel, automatic climate control and reach and rake adjustability for the steering wheel. It also comes with an auto-dimming rearview mirror, cruise control, rain-sensing wipers, cooled glove box, cornering lights and much more.

Also read: Skoda Rapid CNG under testing for the Indian market

Engine and gearbox

Volkswagen offers the Polo with two engine options. There is a 1.0-litre naturally-aspirated engine and a 1.0-litre turbocharged engine. The naturally aspirated engine produces 76 PS of max power and 95 Nm of peak torque. It comes mated to only a 5-speed manual gearbox.

The turbocharged engine produces 110 PS of max power and 175 Nm of peak torque. It is offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox. The Matte Edition will be offered only with a turbocharged engine. It is not known if Volkswagen will offer both the gearbox options with the Matte Edition.

Rapid Matte Edition

Skoda has also launched Rapid a limited edition “Matte Edition” variant of the Rapid mid-size sedan. It starts at Rs. 11.99 lakhs ex-showroom. It also gets a matte paint scheme just like the Polo. The front spoiler, wing mirrors, front grille, alloy wheels and boot spoiler will be finished in glossy black colour.

There is also a sporty rear diffuser integrated into the bumper. The interiors will get Alcantara inserts in the seats and Skoda has added a sporty flat-bottom steering wheel and rear parking sensors. The rest of the features will stay the same. The Rapid is offered only with a 1.0-litre TSI engine. It is the same engine as the Polo. So, it produces 110 PS and 175 Nm. You can get it with a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission.

Rapid and Polo still in demand

Rapid and Polo have not received any major facelift since they were first launched. Despite being the oldest in the segment, both vehicles are still in decent demand. The reason behind this is the punchy engine and driving dynamics of both vehicles. Enthusiasts still prefer the way Polo and Rapid ride and drives over their competitors. Also, the prices of both the vehicles have decreased quite a bit over the years when you compare them to their rivals. You can get a turbocharged Polo for just Rs. 7.6 lakhs ex-showroom while the Rapid starts at Rs. 7.8 lakhs ex-showroom.

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