Volkswagen Unveils the Ameo in India

Volkswagen India unveiled its new sub-compact sedan, the Ameo today. It is the first sub-4 metre sedan to be launched by Volkswagen in the country and marks the German car-maker’s foray into this highly competitive space.

Volkswagen Ameo has been designed in India, and will be manufactured at Volkswagen’s plant in Maharashtra. The Ameo will get will come in two engine option, a 1.2-litre MPI motor already seen in the Polo and the 1.5-litre diesel engine. According to VW, the diesel Ameo will get a direct shift gearbox, a first for the segment. It has made its Global debut in India.

The Volkswagen Ameo uses Volkswagen  Polo as a blueprint for its design and shares some of its key design and style features. The front end of the car looks a little identical to the Polo with the inclusion of the new features added to the Polo in 2015.  Ameo gets auto-foldable LED rear view mirrors, a rear view camera including parking sensors, a soft touch boot lid opener, and sixteen inch alloy wheels. The Ameo also gets rain sensors which will automatically deploy wipers. This feature will be a first for the segment.

Ameo on the inside is also pretty loaded with features and at the first glance, it looks very much like the interiors of the Polo hatchback. There’s a soft touchscreen for infotainment, including Mirror Link function to sync the smartphone with the car. The inside mirror gets the auto dimming option to ensure safety. Borrowing again from the Polo the Ameo also gets cruise control. At the back, the seats get a centre arm rest and AC vents. Other features include, “Climatronic” automatic AC with dust and pollen filter, cooled glove box, tilt and telescopic steering wheel.

The compact sedan gets ABS and double airbags as standard. The Ameo is expected to launch in June-July, and should be priced competitively around the 6 lakh mark when it hits the market.