Volkswagen bringing a subcompact to U.S.; Polo will slot beneath Rabbit

January 16, 1:31 PMDC Car ExaminerBrady Holt

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 The fuel-sipping Volkswagen Polo is on its way to the
 American market.

Though it was once known for its inexpensive small cars, today's Volkswagens are anything but cheap and fuel efficient. The least expensive VW sold in the United States today -- the three-door Rabbit -- starts at $16,300 and gets worse gas mileage than many midsize sedans. 

But according to Automotive News, a people's Volkswagen is on the way. Volkswagen told the publication that the subcompact Polo hatchback will join the Ford Fiesta as a European-market subcompact that will become available to American consumers.

The Polo is rated for 37 miles per gallon in mixed driving in European fuel economy tests, compared to 24 miles per gallon for the Rabbit in American testing. (The British Golf, the equivalent to the Rabbit, isn't sold with an engine as big as the American version's, preventing the best comparison.)

The 37-mpg Polo has a 1.4-liter 4-cylinder engine that makes 80 horsepower off regular gasoline, unlike the premium in the Smart ForTwo or Mini Cooper or the diesel in the only fuel-efficient Volkswagens currently available in the United States. Its 0-60 acceleration times of 12 seconds with the manual transmission and 14 seconds with the automatic make it pokier than other new cars on the market but comparable to older subcompacts sold here.

Other engines are available in Europe, including a turbo sold in the sporty GTI version, but details of which models are coming to the United States are yet unavailable. Pricing and release dates have also not been announced.