VW Polo Blue Motion: Fuel miser hits 60 MPG

Wanna save some gas? Go with the VW Polo Blue Motion!

First revealed at the Geneva Motor Show back in February, Wolfsburg's new fuel-sipper has just gone on sale in Germany. It promises Toyota Prius -beating fuel economy at the low price of $19,990.

Volkswagen is no stranger to the fuel miser ranks. Its Lupo 3L, the advanced 78-mpg city car masterminded by former chairman Ferdinand Piëch, proved just what is capable if a carmaker is prepared to forgo profits. Unfortunately, the disappointing sales figures — only 28,000 units were sold in six years — meant the mileage champ was ultimately dropped from the German carmaker's lineup.

It left a hole that Volkswagen hopes to fill with the Polo Blue Motion. The three-door hatchback is based on the popular front-wheel-drive Polo 1.4 TDI, making the same 80 horsepower from its 1.4-liter 3-cylinder turbodiesel. But with a reworked 5-speed gearbox, an optimized aerodynamic package and 14-inch low-rolling-resistance tires, the Polo Blue Motion returns a highly impressive 60 mpg on the combined European consumption cycle. That's a 8.3-mpg improvement over its standard sibling, made even more impressive by the car's 717-mile range.

Who needs a hybrid?

Related news: GermanCarBlog, P4MR, VW Polo Blue Motion

Source: Inside Line, picture by VW

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