2016 Auto Expo: Volkswagen Ameo sub-4m sedan for India revealed
A day before the 2016 Auto Expo, Volkswagen has officially revealed the Ameo - its contender in the compact sedan segment. For those visiting the Expo, the Ameo will be showcased at the Volkswagen exhibit at Hall No 15 alongside the 2016 Polo and the Vento, which now get a larger features list.
The Volkswagen Ameo is based on the Polo and not the Vento. What that means is that it gets the Polo's sportier front bumper and rear doors that are smaller than the Vento's. Expectedly, the sub-four-metre length makes the side profile or the rear three quarters look a tad awkward. To add a bit of flair to the rear end though, VW has taken a leaf out of Skoda's design book and has incorporated slashed creases that flank the rear registration plate. The car sits on 16-inch alloys on the range topping trims.
The Ameo is made for India and promises best in class safety standards. Airbag will be standard across the range. The Ameo will come with other safety tech like ESP and ABS, which too will be standard across the range. Creature comforts include a reversing camera, a touchscreen infotainment system, rear AC vents, automatic wipers, soft touch boot lid opener, rear centre arm rest and cruise control. The Ameo gets a 330-litre boot. In comparison, the Polo gets a boot capacity of 295 litres while the Vento gets 494 litres.
The Volkswagen Ameo gets two engine options - the 1.2 MPI petrol and the 1.5 TDI diesel. The petrol is a three-cylinder motor and only comes with a 5-speed manual gearbox. The diesel is a four-cylinder motor that can be had with a 5-speed manual or a 7-speed automatic dual-clutch gearbox.
Volkswagen will launch the Ameo in the second half of 2016 and it will take on the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire, the Honda Amaze, the Tata Zest, the Hyundai Xcent, the Ford Figo Aspire and the Tata's upcoming compact sedan based on the Zica.