Volkswagen Polo GTI

The new Polo GTI is an impressive car. It’s fast, desirable and incredibly easy to live with. If you want strong pace and style delivered with the minimum of fuss, it’s hard to beat. But in some ways, it’s too competent. For outright driver thrills and involvement, this latest VW can’t quite match the class leaders.

It’s hard living in the shadow of a more successful older brother. So is VW’s latest hot Polo finally worthy of the GTI legend created by the Golf? To find out, Auto Express grabbed the keys to the first example to arrive on British shores. 

Let’s start with the engine. It’s the same unit as is fitted to the Skoda Fabia vRS and SEAT Ibiza Cupra, and although it displaces only 1.4 litres, a turbocharger and supercharger help it deliver a healthy 178bhp. This means the 0-62mph sprint takes only 6.9 seconds – interestingly, that’s exactly the same as the more powerful but heavier flagship Golf. 

The design has more than a passing family resemblance, too. From certain angles, the similarity is uncanny, with the telephone-dial alloy wheels and trademark GTI red stripe running horizontally across the grille adding to the illusion. 

It continues inside, with a tartan seat pattern, chunky flat-bottomed steering wheel and red needles on the instrument dials. Plus, you get an overwhelming air of quality from the Polo’s soft-touch materials and solid-feeling switchgear – something that competitors struggle to match.

The GTI DNA is evident in the driving experience, too. Volkswagen has worked hard to ensure the hot Polo is a strong all-round performance car. One example of its attention to detail is that engineers moved the battery under the boot floor for better weight distribution and more balanced handling. Floor the throttle, and the engine makes a satisfying noise, and the GTI surges along a twisty B-road as if it has rockets up its stylish twin exahaust pipes. Yet it can also do refined and comfortable. Plus, it’s practical too – especially the five-door version we drove. 

So it really is a Golf GTI in miniature. And while an £18,000-plus price appears a bit steep for a car of this size, that’s still £6,000 less than its big brother. There’s a nice surprise when you come to fill up, too, with 47mpg combined fuel economy, while 139g/km CO2 emissions translate into road tax bills of £110 a year. 

But not everything is as perfect as it seems. Hot hatch buyers want their car to be immature and silly – yet the Polo GTI is a bit too grown-up. In some ways, it’s too sensible for its own good.

Make no mistake, it can cover ground as quickly as anything else in this class. There’s lots of grip, minimal body roll in corners and an electronic limited-slip differential to help make the most of the available power. Yet you’re left feeling rather disconnected from the action. 

For starters, the chassis isn’t as playful as that of a Renaultsport Clio or MINI Cooper S. And while the steering is sharp, weighty and direct, it doesn’t tell you what the front tyres are doing. The first you know about any loss of traction is the ESP light flickering.  

In fact, the GTI’s electronic stability control system is a little over zealous for a performance car. It cuts in too readily, so rather than driving your way through a corner, you are effectively being electronically nannied around it. This spoils the fun. Further detracting from the driving involvement is the fact there is no manual gearbox; all cars come with a seven-speed DSG paddleshift automatic. On the whole, this set-up is very good, but we’d like the option of full control.

You get the impression that the Polo GTI is aimed at people who want to travel quickly, but without having to put in too much effort. And if that sounds like your cup of tea, brilliant. But if you’re seeking good, old-fashioned supermini hot hatch thrills and spills, we think there are better – and cheaper – alternatives available.