Volkswagen Polo GTI (2010 – 2018) Review

With the Volkswagen Golf GTI a huge success, a smaller hot hatch would be just as big an earner – that was the thinking behind the original Volkswagen Polo GTI. But it has never worked out that way, with the car often too sensible and slow to rival the likes of the Ford Fiesta ST, storming Renault Clio Renaultsport, or even the Vauxhall Corsa VXR. However, this generation is worthy of the hot hatch name. Read on for our full Volkswagen Polo GTI review.

The German brand more or less invented the hot hatch with the original Volkswagen Golf GTI, so it has a wealth of experience to build on.

Sadly, this generation of Volkswagen Polo GTI was beset by problems from its launch in 2010, although from 2015 things changed for the better.

There were numerous major tweaks and revisions, raising the model from a fairly poor hot hatch to one of the best. 

The biggest change was the engine. Out went the old Volkswagen Polo GTI’s 1.4-litre twin-charged engine that used a supercharger and turbocharger, and in came a 1.8-litre turbocharged petrol.

Power went up from 180PS to 192PS and peak torque from 250Nm to 320Nm. Plus there was now a manual transmission as standard in place of the old car’s seven-speed DSG – although you could still specify the auto as an option.  

Inevitably, the Volkswagen Polo GTI must be compared to the Ford Fiesta ST – a car that is more fun on the right road – but in reality it has a different character.

It’s more mature and easier to live with, thanks to a quiet engine and easy controls at low speeds. Around town or at a cruise, it’s barely any different to a regular Volkswagen Polo or many other small cars. 

It’s fairly subtle in style, too, with bumpers and a spoiler that are much less ‘in your face’ than the oversized add-ons you get with a Vauxhall Corsa VXR.

It’s still noticeably different from a lesser variant, though, with a red grille surround and GTI-specific alloy wheels the most noticeable features. Those in the know will recognise this as a GTI, but your neighbours may see it as just another small car.

It might look relatively subdued, but it is an impressive performer. Acceleration from 0-62mph takes 6.7 seconds (down from 6.9 with the old 1.4 motor) and, thanks to that meaty peak torque figure, there’s always performance on tap when you want it.

Overtaking is effortless and on a country lane there’s a lot of fun to be had, plus the engine makes a meaningful growl at higher revs.

However there are problems, notably with the suspension. It’s a little too stiff on very poor roads, causing the car to jitter and jiggle.

That’s not particularly confidence-inspiring if you want to put your foot down and have some fun, but on a wider road with a better surface the Volkswagen Polo GTI is great, thanks to good grip levels, nicely weighted, nimble steering and a snappy gear change.

If out-and-out enjoyment is top of your list, the Ford Fiesta ST is still the one to have from this era. However, for someone who really wants the fun of a fast hatch and isn’t in favour of bright paint and oversized styling kits, a used Volkswagen Polo GTI is ideal.

It is a little more practical thanks to a five-door option, plus it feels like a more mature, better-made car.

Fancy a new Volkswagen Polo GTI? Read our review here.

Through corners, the Volkswagen Polo GTI is a lot of fun thanks to nicely weighted, accurate steering, but it lacks the precision of the Ford Fiesta ST.

There’s plenty of traction from the front wheels and there is next to no body roll, making quick changes of direction and high speed cornering enjoyable.

This is helped by an XDS+ electronic front differential that helps keep the Volkswagen Polo GTI going where the steering is pointed. It works very well, subtly braking individual wheels in an unobtrusive way.

It’s certainly less noticeable than the differential used in the Vauxhall Corsa VXR, which is often very aggressive.

It’s not all good, though. The suspension, particularly on cars with the Sport pack, is a little too firm for the worst of British back roads.

The Volkswagen Polo GTI jitters and jiggles over rough and rippled surfaces, which robs the driver of confidence when driving enthusiastically. Thankfully this is only an issue on particularly bad roads.

When not being driven hard, the Volkswagen Polo GTI is perfectly easy to get on with. Around town the controls are no more difficult than on a basic Volkswagen Polo, while the engine is reasonably quiet and subdued.

It’s the same story on the motorway, where the car isn’t noisy or uncomfortable.

From 2015, the Volkswagen Polo GTI got a new 1.8-litre turbocharged engine, replacing the old 1.4-litre, DSG-equipped twin-charged petrol fitted from 2010.

The new engine produced more power at 192PS versus 180PS for the 1.4, plus it has a higher peak torque figure and – perhaps most importantly – it comes with a manual transmission as standard.

Acceleration from 0-62mph is taken care of in an impressive 6.7 seconds, yet running costs are reasonable. Officially the manual-equipped car is capable of 47.1mpg, while the optional DSG automatic bumps economy up to 50.4mpg. We’d still stick with the manual, though.

The new engine and gearbox transformed the Volkswagen Polo GTI from a fairly weak model into one of the best hot hatches on sale.

The transmission is slick, precise and enjoyable to use, while the engine produces a strong spread of torque, making acceleration and overtaking very easy.  

The Volkswagen Polo GTI came with only four airbags instead of the six that was rapidly becoming the norm in 2010.

However, this should not be a cause for concern when buying, as the side airbags inflated upwards as well as outwards to create the same cushioning area as cars with side and curtain airbags.

As a result of this, the Volkswagen Polo scored an impressive five-star Euro NCAP crash test rating thanks to its adult and child occupant safety.

Every Volkswagen Polo GTI comes with ESP traction and stability control, as well as ABS anti-lock brakes on all models.

There are also three-point seatbelts for every person in the car, plus two Isofix child seat mounts on the outer two rear seats.

There is no airbag cut-off switch in the front passenger seat, so rear-facing kiddy seats have to go in the back of the car.

This car predates autonomous emergency braking technology, but there was the option of adaptive cruise control to help maintain a safe distance to the vehicle in front, even as speed varied.

However, there are several contemporary rivals that have more safety kit either as standard or as an option.

The Volkswagen Polo GTI of this generation could pull up to 630kg with an unbraked trailer.

The 1.4-litre model can pull a braked trailer of up to 1200kg, while the 1.8 can manage up to 1100kg.

There are no five-door variants of the Ford Fiesta ST or Vauxhall Corsa VXR, so if you’ve got a family and need a bit of extra versatility, the Volkswagen Polo GTI is a smarter buy.

Boot space is reasonable at 280 litres and a double layer boot floor is available, which provides a place to hide valuables while making the load deck flat – handy for bulky items.

The rear seats can be folded flat to liberate 952 litres of space to the roof, which is plenty for most flat packs or other bulky items.

Plus there are some nice touches, such as a 12-volt outlet for plugging gadgets or chargers in at the back of the car.

GTI tradition is maintained in the cabin, with the Volkswagen Polo GTI featuring signature tartan cloth upholstery, along with a GTI-specific gear lever and steering wheel.

Besides that, it’s all regular Volkswagen Polo, but that’s fine – material quality is good, the layout is user-friendly and practicality is reasonable, particularly since you can choose either three or five-door body styles.

The 2014 facelift introduced the German brand’s generic infotainment screen to the whole Volkswagen Polo range, which will be familiar to anyone who has the same in a Volkswagen Golf or Volkswagen Passat.

The five-inch touchscreen comes with Bluetooth and USB connections, as well as DAB radio. It responds quickly to the touch of a finger and it’s easy to scroll through the various menus on screen.

There are also handy shortcut buttons arranged on either side of the display to take you to the important menus quickly, while a smaller screen in the middle of the main dash instruments can show sat-nav instructions.

A six-year-old Volkswagen Polo GTI with the much better 1.8 turbo engine will cost around £14,000 if you want one with just 30,000 miles on the clock. This will get you either a three or five-door model.

A 2015 car with the same engine will cost around £11,000 for one with 50,000 to its name.

Go for the older 1.4-litre twincharged engine in the Volkswagen Polo GTI, and you’ll spend between £8500 and £11,000 for cars in top condition with 60,000 miles covered.

The earlier 1.4-litre engine that used a supercharger and turbocharger only came with a DSG automatic gearbox, and both three and five-door versions delivered an identical claimed economy of 47.9mpg.

In the real world, you can knock 10mpg off that figure.

In 2015, Volkswagen replaced the 1.4 motor with the more powerful 192PS 1.8 turbo petrol engine.

With a six-speed manual gearbox now an option, it returned an official economy figure of 47.1mpg in three and five-door forms.

The DSG auto version, meanwhile, offered 50.4mpg. Again, you can take 10mpg off those numbers for a realistic everyday figure.

With carbon dioxide emissions ranging from 129g/km for the 1.8 engine with the DSG gearbox, to 139g/km for the other Volkswagen Polo GTI variants, you’ll be looking at road tax costing between £150 and £180 for cars that went on the road up to 1 April 2017.

After that date, any Volkswagen Polo GTI will require £180 for road tax at the time of writing.

Insurance falls into groups 29 to 30, so this is not a cheap small car to get cover for. Then again, it’s not dissimilar to rivals such as the Ford Fiesta ST or Vauxhall Corsa VXR.

Servicing a Volkswagen Polo GTI with the 1.8 turbo engine should not be too much of a drain on finances. However, the 1.4 twincharged engine will be more expensive, as there are more components to work on and the supercharger will need an in-depth service at around 100,000 miles.

The Volkswagen Polo GTI offers air–conditioning, touchscreen infotainment (with the facelifted model from 2015 onwards), sound-enhancing actuator and GTI interior detailing.

There’s also a GTI exterior body kit, 15mm lowered suspension, foglights, red-painted brake calipers and 17-inch alloy wheels.