The CrossPolo in depth

The recently launched CrossPolo was nothing quite like its stablemates or the rest of the offerings on the market. We find out more about the car from Dr. Zeno Kerschbaumer (ZK), Managing Director Volkswagen Group Singapore.

SGCM: A very good day Dr. Kerschbaumer, congratulations on the launch of two lovely models. It has been a while since the CrossPolo made its debut at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show. What was the reason behind the decision to launch the car in our local market now?

ZK: The CrossPolo is currently in its second generation, succeeding its forebearers such as the Polo Fun and the first generation of the CrossPolo. Analysis of the current situations, where it is more concentrated on the younger generations, makes us feel that the market is ready for such a car.

SGCM: There is no clear cut direct competitor for the CrossPolo. Whom do you think the car is targeted at?

ZK: Clearly, the CrossPolo is aimed at younger audiences and even families that have an active and sporting lifestyle. The character that the car portrays is also relatively different - more biased towards individualism which makes it unique from others - on that point we believe the CrossPolo shares similar attributes with certain variants of the MINI.

SGCM: As the CrossPolo is a more rugged version of the normal Polo hatch, are we expecting any All-Wheel-Drive variants for the car in the future?

ZK: Although the CrossPolo promotes active lifestyle, it is not meant for extreme off-roading. Currently, the platform in which the CrossPolo is based on does not support the marque's 4WD system. In addition, we have an array of models to tend to individuals who are looking for more off track driving, such as the Touareg. That said, we have seen the CrossPolo's capabilities on less extreme conditions.