2018 Volkswagen Polo Gets Side-by-Side Comparison With Old Model

And did you know that all right-hand-drive Polos for the entire world will be made in South Africa? That would explain why it was spotted undisguised there before the debut.

As you might have heard already, the Polo is all-new from the ground up, built on the MQB A0 platform. No, that's not the same one as the Golf, but it brings very similar technology.

The new hatchback is massively wider, a bit longer and slightly lower than the outgoing model. Seeing the two side-by-side lets us examine how Volkswagen evolved the design from one generation to the next.

The headlights, for example, are now longer and sleeker, while the air intakes have a more elaborate design. Of course, the comparison is made unfair by the equipment levels: Highline for the 2018 and Comfortline for the 2017 model.

With many people complaining about flat design, Volkswagen completely changed the Polo's interior. Highlights include colors for the dashboard, infotainment that's angled towards the driver and the digital instrument panel.

The review makes a point about all the smart features that increase the price of the Polo substantially. These include active safety systems borrowed from the larger Golf, the automatic climate control, sound system and even airbags. Of course, the old Polo was also very expensive when it came out nearly a decade ago, so give it time.

Overall, the new platform has given the Polo more noise insulation and a better ride, even on large wheels. Volkswagen says that trunk space has increased from 280 to 350 liters. But we don't see such a substantial increase. Still, there's no denying that the 2018 model is better in almost every way.

But if we're honest here, we would have liked to see more 4-cylinder engines and steel rear brakes (yes, it has drums).