Volkswagen India has introduced the 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder petrol engine with the Cross Polo, which brings its price down to Rs. 6.94 lakhs (ex-showroom, Mumbai).

2013 Volkswagen Cross Polo Test Drive
The Volkswagen Cross Polo isn’t a volume spinner yet petrol variant launched

Volkswagen launched the Cross Polo in 2013, which is based on the regular Polo having rugged styling elements to give the feeling of a crossover. The concept of embellishing a hatchback with plastic cladding and roof rails isn’t working well in India but still there are some interested buyers of such cars. Nevertheless, Volkswagen India has now introduced the 1.2-litre MPI petrol engine for the Cross Polo, which makes the starting price of the pseudo crossover come down to Rs. 6.94 lakhs (ex-showroom, Mumbai).

The Volkswagen Cross Polo initially came with a 1.2-litre TDI diesel engine that produces 75 PS of power and 180 Nm of torque. This 3-cylinder diesel engine lacks some punch when it comes to performance. Following the launch of the facelifted Polo, the Cross Polo too got mild cosmetic tweaks such as a reworked bumper and roof rails along with the new 1.5-litre TDI diesel engine. The 1.5-litre oil burner outputs 90 PS of power and 230 Nm of torque.

The diesel version of the Cross Polo is priced at a whopping Rs. 8.14 lakhs (ex-showroom, Mumbai) and hence the introduction of a more affordable petrol variant. The 1.2-litre MPI petrol engine is a naturally aspirated 3-cylinder motor that churns out 75 PS of power and 110 Nm of torque, which is not so exciting. Volkswagen should have introduced the Cross Polo with the 1.2-litre TSI turbo petrol that gets the adrenaline pumping with 105 PS of power and 175 Nm torque.

The new Volkswagen Cross Polo 1.2 MPI returns a claimed fuel efficiency of 16.47 km/l. Safety features such as ABS and dual front airbags come as standard. It also comes with leather-wrapped flat bottom steering, all black interiors with Cloud Titan Black upholstery and automatic air-conditioning. The Cross Polo is available with three colours – Flash Red, Deep Black and Reflex Silver. Bookings for the Cross Polo 1.2 MPI will commence from 15th January. The segment continues to grow as Hyundai i20 Cross is on its way to compete with the Cross Polo, Fiat Avventura and Toyota Etios Cross.

2013 Volkswagen Cross Polo Review Rear
The 1.2 TSI turbo petrol would have been the perfect choice for the Cross Polo