Opening
Volkswagen will launch a new compact sedan for the Indian market called the Ameo. This is tipped to be the next volumes spinner for the German car brand. The Ameo, which measures under 4-metres, is based on the Polo but borrows a few things from its full-fledged sedan sibling, the Vento, as well. The latter as we are aware was first vehicle designed specifically for the Indian market and now Ameo is the next.
The Ameo was unveiled ahead of the 2016 India Auto Expo and will go on sale later this year. Ahead of its official launch, we spent some time with the car (though we did not drive it) and here is what to expect.
Appearance Exterior
The Volkswagen Ameo looks just like the Polo when viewed from the front. It gets a two-slat grille with the large VW logo at the centre while the lower section of the bumper gets chrome garnish that extends below the fog lamps. The Ameo continues to get double barrel headlights along with square fog lamps; the latter might not be standard across all variants.
The Ameo is in essence a Polo with a boot. So right up to the B-pillar both cars look identical in profile. The stubby boot extends beyond a revised C-pillar design and marks a change in the roofline as well. Otherwise, the flared wheel arches and forward leaning stance adds a little muscle to the appearance of the car.
The all-important rear end gets a lip spoiler, L-patterned lights and the familiar Skoda Rapid like diagonal lines above the number plate slot. We have always rated the Polo as one of the better looking cars in its class even though it is a bit understated. The Ameo has taken some of this and the end result isn’t half as bad given this is a vehicle born out of highly constrained ‘small car’ regulations.
Appearance Interior
The Ameo gets the same basic layout, feature list and 2.46 metre wheelbase as the Polo. Step inside and you are welcomed by the familiar black and beige two-tone interior and sporty gloss black flat bottom steering wheel. The front seats are welcoming and get a decent amount of side bolstering. The feature list looks to be pretty decent too as you get a touchscreen infotainment system, cruise control (first in segment), padded central arm rest, a rear camera and a cooled glove box.
At to the rear, VW has angled the rear bench to maximise boot space within the available wheelbase. This has resulted in a rather odd seating position and as a consequence a six-footer like me is left with little head and knee room and not much under-thigh support. Also, there’s central no arm rest for the rear passengers. There is a cup holder and two AC vents for the rear occupants, nonetheless.
The Polo’s boot of 295 litres is pretty huge which means that the Ameo should be bigger still. It has the ability to swallow around three pieces of airline sized luggage loaded sideways which is quite decent though a slightly high boot lip means loading up might be a bit of a task.
Performance Drive
The Volkswagen Ameo, when launched, will be offered with a 1.2-litre petrol engine and a 1.5-litre diesel engine, the same as the Polo hatchback. The former produces 74bhp/110Nm while the latter produces 89bhp/230Nm. A five-speed manual will be standard with both engines while we expect a seven-speed DSG automatic to be offered as well.
Our time with the car was limited to being in the passenger seat as well as at the back which means a detailed review of what it is like to drive will come once the car goes on sale. However, if we are to go by the Polo’s ride quality, handling and ability to put a smile on the driver’s face then the Ameo should perform just as good and should be an involving vehicle to drive.
Tech Specs
| Make | Volkswagen |
| Model | Ameo |
| Fuel | Petrol |
| Variant | 1.2 TSI |
| Engine Capacity | 1.2-litre |
| Max. Power (bhp@rpm) | 74 @ 5400 |
| Max. torque (Nm@rpm) | 110 @ 3750 |
| Gears | Five |
| Length mm | 3995 |
| Width mm | 1682 |
| Height mm | 1469 |
| Wheelbase mm | 2469 |
| Fuel Capacity (in litres) | 45 |
| Tyre size | 215/45 R16 |
Features
| Features | |
| Touchscreen infotainment system | Yes |
| Rear AC vents | Yes |
| Cooled glove box | Yes |
Competition All Specs
| Specifications | Honda Amaze |
Ford Figo Aspire |
Volkswagen Ameo |
| Variant | VX MT | Titanium Plus | 1.2 TSI |
| Fuel | petrol | Petrol | Petrol |
| Engine Capacity | 1.2-litre four-cyliner | 1.2-litre four-cyliner | 1.2-litre |
| Max. Power (bhp@rpm) | 87 @ 6000 | 87 @ 6300 | 74 @ 5400 |
| Max. torque (Nm@rpm) | 109@4500 | 112 @ 4000 | 110 @ 3750 |
| Gears | Five | Five | Five |
| Length mm | 3990 | 3995 | 3995 |
| Width mm | 1680 | 1695 | 1682 |
| Height mm | 1505 | 1525 | 1469 |
| Wheelbase mm | 2405 | 2491 | 2469 |
| Fuel Capacity (in litres) | 35 | 42 | 45 |
| Tyre size | 175/65 R14 | 175/ 65 R14 | 215/45 R16 |
Conclusion
Volkswagen is expected to price the Ameo in the range of Rs 5.6 lakh to Rs 8.6 lakh. It will compete in the B-segment against the likes of the Hyundai Xcent, Honda Amaze, Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire, Tata Zest and the Ford Figo Aspire.
Photo Courtesy By : Kapil Angane
