VW Cross Polo (2010) Revealed

The VW Cross Polo will debut at the Geneva Motor Show

No, it’s not an angry version of the 2010 Volkswagen Polo but VW’s fake off-road version of the latest Polo designed to appeal to those who want a rufty-tufty car to cope with the demands of the Urban Jungle.

The Cross Polo (we’d expected it to be the ‘CrossPolo’ as the Germans like to run words together, like ‘BlueEfficiency’ or EfficientDynamics, but the graphics on the Polo make it clear it’s the ‘Cross Polo’) is the latest version of the 2010 Polo to be revealed. Just this week we’ve had the 2010 Polo GTI and the 2010 VW Polo BlueMotion (see – it’s those joined together names again) and the Cross Polo makes the hat trick for pre-Geneva.

Although the VW Cross Polo is most definitely a standard Polo under the skin, it gets SUV/Crossover additions like lumps of black plastic strapped to the lower bodywork, bigger, butch wheels and a raised ride height (all of 15mm).

Inside you get half-decent two-tone sports seats (that’ll be to grip you in place as you fly round the Urban Jungle in your Cross Polo), bits of chrome added all over the place for a ‘Premium’ feel and leather on the bits you touch (well, the steering wheel, gear knob and handbrake gaiter at least).

Engine choices are a trio of petrols and diesels, three of which come with VW’s 7-speed dual-clutch DSG ‘box. They should be nippy enough around town and I suppose they may suit someone. But why go for a fake Polo mini SUV when the proper car is so good?

It seems like wearing a fake watch. It looks the part from a distance, just don’t ask it to do what the real deal does.

By Cars UK