Volkswagen Ameo

The Ameo is a compact sedan by the German auto-giant Volkswagen. The Volkswagen Ameo is the company’s first made-for-India car, mainly targeting the sub 4-meter sedan segment in the country.

EXTERIOR
The front fascia of the Ameo looks identical to that of the Polo. The Ameo too, features the same three slat with the VW logo in the middle. There are subtle differences though, the front is a little shorter, and the roofline has been slightly lowered, along with chrome detailing on the front grille and air dam, chrome door handles, 15-inch alloy wheels and static cornering lights as part of the fog lamp cluster. The Ameo also features electrically adjustable ORVMs with turn indicators. The rear of the Ameo looks well proportioned, giving it a classier look.

INTERIOR
The inside of the Ameo looks like that of the Polo, but some changes have been made. The dash features dual tone beige and black hard plastics, the same classy console from Polo, while the new additions include a touch screen audio system with display for reverse camera, a central front armrest with built-in storage, along with one-touch up/down windows with anti-pinch on all four doors, cruise control, auto-dimming IRVM, rear air-con vents, foldable rear seat and a cooled glove box. The head/shoulder/leg room in the front is quite adequate, but as the Ameo is built on the Polo’s wheelbase, the rear leg room has been compromised, this being the vehicle’s biggest weakness.

ENGINE & TRANSMISSION, RIDE & HANDLING, BRAKING & SAFETY
The Ameo is initially being offered with a 1.2L 3-cylinder MPi petrol engine which churns out a power of 75Ps and a maximum torque of 110Nm, and comes mated to either a 5-speed manual transmission or a 7-speed DSG transmission gearbox. The ARAI certified fuel efficiency of 17.83 kmpl. It is also expected that, a re-worked 1.5L 4-cylinder turbocharged diesel motor will be launched later this year.
Volkswagen has perfected the balance between ride and handling with the Ameo. While the suspension is on the firmer side, the ride quality isn’t exactly cushy. The steering has got a pleasant feel to it, and weighs up adequately at highway speeds.
The Ameo follows the traditional braking system with front disc and rear drum brakes, which support ABS with EBD.
The safety features include dual front airbags, anti-pinch power windows, front and rear fog lamps, anti-glare adjustment function. It is also equipped with 3-point ELR (Emergency Locking Retractor) seat belts along with a lap belt in the middle for passengers, in case of any accidents.

CONCLUSION
The Volkswagen Ameo is a heavily built car and comes with unmatched luxury, performance and best in segment safety technology.