2022 Volkswagen Polo facelift due in Australia in March

The facelifted 2022 Volkswagen Polo is slated to arrive in Australian showrooms in March next year, bringing new styling and technology to the brand's city car range.

Revealed in standard form in April, followed by the hot GTI in July, the updated Polo will reach local Volkswagen showrooms in March 2022 with a similar range to that offered today (and unchanged engines), comprising an entry-level 70TSI, mid-tier 85TSI and sporty GTI.

All three engines will launch at the same time – meaning the GTI will arrive earlier than expected, given the April to June 2022 arrival timing announced for the Polo GTI at its reveal earlier this year.

The 70TSI and 85TSI will continue to use 70kW/175Nm and 85kW/200Nm tunes of a common 1.0-litre turbo three-cylinder engine respectively, paired to a five-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch (DSG) automatic gearboxes in the former, with the latter upgrading the manual to a six-speed.

Meanwhile, the GTI will retain the current car's 147kW/320Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder and six-speed dual-clutch automatic pairing – with the 152kW/320Nm, seven-speed DSG and two-tenths-quicker 6.5-second 0-100km/h time remaining exclusive to Europe for now.

As reported, the facelifted Polo's updates begin with a revised exterior, with a new front end incorporating standard LED headlights (or optional matrix LEDs) and full-width light bar, reshaped tail-lights, tweaked bumper designs, and new alloy wheels.

Inside, flagship variants feature a 9.2-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus a carry-over 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a new-for-2022 touch-based climate control panel, and a leather-wrapped version of Volkswagen's latest steering wheel design.

Safety has been upgraded with Volkswagen's semi-autonomous Travel Assist system, allowing the vehicle to accelerate, brake and centre itself within its lane at up to 210km/h on freeways, combining adaptive cruise control and lane following assist functions.

Safety and driver-assistance technology have also seen an upgrade, with the addition of Volkswagen’s Travel Assist system, combining adaptive cruise control and lane-centring assist to accelerate, brake and centre the Polo within its lane at speeds of up to 210km/h.

Pricing for the 2022 Volkswagen Polo range will be released closer to its local launch in March 2022, however expect an increase over today's range, which spans from $19,290 before on-road costs for the entry 70TSI Trendline manual, to $32,890 before on-road costs (and option packs) for the flagship GTI.

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