Volkswagen’s next small-car platform — dubbed PQ25 — will offer the possibility of all-wheel drive, a new report finds. VW’s current small-car platform underpins the VW Polo, Seat Ibiza and Skoda Fabia, and will soon be used in the upcoming Audi A1 small-car.
However, not all cars riding on the platform will offer AWD. “The new small-car platform architecture includes an all-wheel drive option,” Erich Schmitt, president of Seat, told Automotive News. “Seat won’t offer awd for its new Ibiza, but other group models could use it.”
The new platform will bow in the next-generation Seat Ibiza, followed by the all-new VW Polo later this year. The PQ25 is also slated to underpin the Audi A1 in late 2009.
It remains unclear if the next Skoda Fabia will offer an AWD option, but the VW Polo and Audi A1 are all but guaranteed the option — especially considering Audi’s all-wheel drive reputation.
05/06, 1:17 PM
posted by:
mr.meanpants
What is the purpose of AWD in a compact car when everybody should be doing things to cut weight?
05/06, 1:31 PM
posted by:
youngm7
because if we all drive FWD 1.3L econoboxes, I’ll probably kill myself.
once you go AWD, you never go back.
now we just have to hope the polo makes it stateside. that’d be fun.
05/06, 1:50 PM
posted by:
xyunya
AWD is helpful in a snow without manual transmission.
05/06, 2:23 PM
posted by:
tastyorange
ha ha PQ25 ….
I drive a PQ25
Really?
I have the QB36!
05/06, 2:48 PM
posted by:
howsmydriving
BFD. If VW announced the intent to offer RWD, then you’d have the makings of a real story.
05/06, 2:55 PM
posted by:
xyunya
VW has few RWD cars: Bentley and Lambo and Bugatti. I don’t believe those are good in snow.
05/06, 3:15 PM
posted by:
e36m
^^^^Last time I check Lambo and Bugatti were AWD, go read a book
05/06, 3:23 PM
posted by:
Thatguy
I did have AWD, and I went back to RWD.
My WRX got worse gas mileage than my Z06 that has twice the power. Hmmmmmm. Why awd in such a green conscious economy?
05/06, 4:43 PM
posted by:
1c3d0g
Cool…a quattro in a small VW vehicle…nice.
05/06, 5:46 PM
posted by:
xyunya
e36m, you are correct. I am old school, Lambo use to be RWD. So was original Bugatti
05/06, 8:00 PM
posted by:
DeansterTJ
All 3 of my Wranglers were default RWD with part-time 4WD. Living in Montreal with obscene snowfall and ice all winter, I can say that the FWD/RWD argument is not really major. Especially when you have ESP and limited slip and all that. The new Wrangler is so good in the snow I had to put it in 4WD only a handful of times this winter (record snowfall).
05/07, 4:26 AM
posted by:
Veda
The only reason to have AWD is when it’s a pure sports car or a car meant to carry your loved ones. But I’m a sucker for safety, thus my reason for AWD everything, whenever possible.
05/07, 7:28 AM
posted by:
JohnnyBlazE
I’d like AWD tbh, but with RWD bias of course… I have RWD at the moment and even with my lowly 1.8 it can get hairy at times!
My mate had an ST185 Celica GT-4… awesome biscuits… 4WDrifting rocks