2016 Auto Expo: Volkswagen unveils Ameo compact sedan

More than a year back, ZigWheels was the first to bring you the news of Volkswagen working on a Polo-based compact sedan. After spotting test mules on several occasions, Volkswagen finally put all rumours to rest with the official unveil of its upcoming compact sedan Ameo. The car was given the name a few weeks back when the Wolfsburg based car maker announced its the official date of its unveil. 

In terms of looks, the Ameo shares the same design language as its siblings Polo and the Vento. Up front it has the long sloping bonnet that leads into the typically VW grille. On either side of the grille, the horizontally stacked headlamps compliment overall design. The bumper houses the fog lamps which get chrome accents for company. In profile, the car looks like a scaled down version of the Vento thanks to its stubby boot. Working under the sub-4 metre regulation, the new Volkswagen Ameo gets a flat tail section with the diamond cut boot lid and the wraparound taillights. 

On the inside, the car looks identical to the Polo and the Vento. In fact, it shares the same dashboard as its siblings. The grey and beige combination on the dashboard looks good and the quality all around is top notch as well. 

Under the hood, the VW Ameo comes with the same petrol and diesel engine options that already work on the Polo. In petrol form it pumps power of 74 horses and torque of 110Nm from a 1.2-litre unit. The diesel Ameo gets a 1.5-litre unit to make most of the excise duty benefits. It makes 90PS of power and 230Nm of torque. Both these engines come mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. The diesel trim will also come mated to a 7-speed DSG. 

Volkswagen is expected to launch the Ameo in the next six months. Developed to fill the gap between the Polo and the Vento, the Ameo will compete against the likes of the Honda Amaze, Maruti Suzuki Swift DZire, Hyundai Xcent, Tata Zest and the Ford Figo Aspire. Expect the Ameo to be launched at a starting price of Rs 5.5 lakh.