Volkswagen Ameo Might Launch in June 2016

Volkswagen (VW) is planning to launch its much-awaited sub-4 metre compact sedan ‘Ameo’ this June. The car was unveiled at the recently held Auto Expo and created quite a buzz with some of its segment-first features. The fact that the launch date was kept under wraps had added to the excitement around the car.

It will be based on the Polo which, given the latter’s credentials, in our opinion is a good thing. The car will sport 15" alloys like the ones seen on the Polo. The interiors too will be borrowed from the hatch and will be superbly fitted in typical VW style. The overall cabin feel is premium and it will be a nice place to be in.

Other important features include a touchscreen infotainment system, a reverse parking camera, electrically folding mirrors and a segment-first cruise control and rain sensing wipers. The vehicle will be manufactured at VW’s Chakan facility, Pune.

It will be offered in the very familiar 1.2 Petrol and the 1.5 Diesel engines. The former produces 74bhp of power with 110Nm of torque and the latter, 89 horses with 230Nm. On the other hand the Honda Amaze facelift , the Ameo’s toughest competitor, churns out 87bhp of power with 109Nm from the petrol motor and 99bhp with 200Nm from the diesel. The petrol-powered Ameo may seem underpowered. However, given the platform that the Ameo is based upon, we expect the car to be a fine handler with a pliant ride. Transmission duties for the Volkswagen offering are likely to be carried out by a standard five-speed manual and an optional automatic 7-speed DSG only in the diesel variant.

The Ameo will be competing in a highly competitive segment comprising the Ford Figo Aspire, the Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire, the Tata Zest, the Hyundai Xcent and the new Honda Amaze (Check our comparison).

If the German carmaker is able to price this product competitively, we expect to see decent sales figures.

Watch Showcase Video of Volkswagen Ameo