Volkswagen Polo GTI Review 2024

The Volkswagen Polo GTI isn’t quite the fun-size Golf GTI we hoped it would be. It’s also unable to reach the dizzy heights of the Ford Fiesta ST, which is arguably the greatest affordable hot hatch of the new millennium. Instead, it’s a more mature take on the hot hatchback recipe, with classy looks, superb build quality and a fair amount of poke. You can thank the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine for that – it’s the same unit that’s used to power the contemporary Volkswagen Golf GTI. That means 200PS and plenty of bragging rights in the office car park.

This is an easy car to like but a hard car to love. It’s the most powerful production Polo ever, with Volkswagen borrowing the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine from the fabled Golf GTI to give the Polo GTI some serious poke. Yes, it has been detuned to 200PS, but that’s a big number for a small car. The engine puts the super in supermini.

Its chief rival is the Ford Fiesta ST, another hot hatchback with 200PS to its name, albeit sourced from a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine.

Ultimately, the Polo GTI can’t match the Fiesta ST for outright thrills, but if the Ford is too frenetic for you, the more mature Volkswagen could be a welcome tonic. More red wine than Red Bull.

Then there’s the styling. The Polo GTI certainly looks the part – bystanders would have to look twice to check you’re not driving a Golf GTI. Hardly surprising, when you consider that the overall dimensions of the five-door only Polo GTI are nearly identical to the Mk5 Golf GTI. Haven’t you grown, etc?

The 17-inch alloy wheels fill the arches, while the twin exhausts and red pinstripe give the Polo GTI a sense of purpose. This continues on the inside, where you’ll find trademark tartan-trimmed seats, red stitching and a GTI badge on the leather-trimmed steering. You could buy the Polo GTI on the strength of its aesthetics and be very happy with your purchase.

It’s not as practical as the regular Volkswagen Polo. The battery has been moved to the boot to accommodate the 2.0-litre engine, so there’s a small penalty in terms of boot space. Elsewhere, there’s enough room in the cabin for five adults, although the middle seat is a bit tight.

While the cabin looks the part, and we have no complaints about the space, some of the plastics used feel a little low-rent in a car of this price. The details and quality of the seats, steering wheel and infotainment system go some way to counterbalancing these issues, but we’d expect better from a Volkswagen.

We’d also expect more fun from a Volkswagen wearing a GTI badge. It’s quick, but it lacks the fizz of the Fiesta ST. The 0-62mph time is polished off in just 6.7 seconds, but there’s a remoteness to the driving experience that seems to remove the sense of excitement. Maybe this is part of its appeal. For long-legged comfort and joy, the Polo GTI is hard to beat. Swift rather than explosive. Fast rather than fun.

That said, it’s certainly the best Volkswagen Polo GTI to date. Stylish and tech-laden, especially in GTI+ guise. We also adore the look of the cabin and the strong image associated with the badge.

There are compromises, not least the overly firm ride. It also can’t match the Ford Fiesta ST in terms of ultimate thrills.

Part of the problem is the steering, which is too slow and unresponsive. It’s all a bit sophisticated and grown-up, which aren’t characteristics you’d associate with a hot hatchback. The 15mm lower suspension means it rolls a lot less when cornering, but you’re never far from the impression that the Polo GTI is more suited to a long cruise than a quick B-road blast.

This might be a good thing. When you’re in traffic or just cruising, the Polo GTI is undemanding to drive without feeling inert. Stick it in Sport mode and you’ll enjoy the exhaust popping on the over-run. A little spice in an otherwise mild-mannered GTI.

The 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine is lifted from the Golf GTI and Golf R, so it has some genuine pedigree. It has been detuned to 200PS, a figure that would have been unheard of in a small hot hatchback a decade or so ago. Zero to 62mph is completed in 6.7 seconds, with a top speed of 150mph.

It’s hardly slow, but the engine feels a bit dull and lifeless in the Polo GTI. The three-cylinder engines in the Fiesta ST and even the Up GTI feel more alive and peppy. The Polo GTI just lacks fizz.

In fairness, the engine is smooth and free-revving, showing a real tenacity when it approaches the red-line. The six-speed DSG automatic transmission seems to suit the Polo GTI, offering smooth and relaxed changes. We just wish it was snappier on the downshifts, particularly given the paddle shifters on the steering wheel.

The regular Volkswagen Polo was awarded a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating when it was crash-tested in 2017. Six airbags are standard, all five seats have seatbelt reminders, and there are two Isofix points in the rear. All Polo models get automatic post-collision braking, autonomous emergency braking, hill hold function, driver alert and a tyre pressure monitoring system.

The Polo GTI+ has an adaptive cruise control system that includes front assist, radar distance-monitoring cruise control, a speed limiter and a city emergency braking system that auto-stops if it detects pedestrians or other cars in the way.

The Volkswagen Polo GTI has a maximum towing capacity of 1,200kg, but we’d suggest you look elsewhere if you’re after a Polo for towing. The Polo 1.0-litre TSI is noted as being particularly good for towing lightweight caravans.

The Polo GTI is slightly less practical than the standard Polo, simply because Volkswagen has moved the battery from the engine bay to the boot to make room for the 2.0-litre engine. This means luggage capacity is down from 351 litres to 305 litres, although you can make use of 1,079 litres by folding the rear seats.

Because the Polo GTI is five-door only, getting into the back isn’t a problem. Once there, you’ll find better than average knee room and plenty of space for your feet. It certainly doesn’t feel cramped in the cabin – this is a hot hatchback you can buy with your head and your heart. It’s even possible for five adults to sit in the Polo GTI, but it works best as a four-seater.

It’s worth noting that the Polo GTI comes with a space-saver spare wheel, rather than a tyre repair kit.

Trademark GTI touches include delightful ‘Jacara’ tartan-look trim and sports seats, red stitching, and a GTI logo on the flat-bottomed steering wheel. It looks brilliant – the interior is one reason to choose the Polo GTI over its immediate rivals.

Look beyond the trademark details and you’ll find evidence of hard and scratchy plastics, though. Some of the materials are too downmarket for a car with a Volkswagen badge. However, the Polo GTI+ scores well for boasting active instruments that won’t look out of place in an Audi worth twice the price.

As standard, the Polo GTI comes with a nine-inch colour touchscreen infotainment screen mounted high up on the dashboard. The glassy-look black-panel display gives it the look of a high-end tablet or smartphone, with a crystal-clear display tilted towards the driver. The Composition Media system features DAB digital radio, a CD player, USB connectivity and Bluetooth, plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

The Discover Navigation system is available as an option. This adds sat-nav with European mapping and a three-year subscription to the Volkswagen Car-Net system. The GTI+ model also features an impressive 10.3-inch digital instrument panel in place of the standard dials.

The Volkswagen Polo GTI costs £22,765, or £24,280 if you opt for the GTI+. This makes the GTI the most expensive model in the Polo range, which starts at £15,645 for the S trim. Does this make the Polo GTI look expensive?

Not really. When you consider the styling, specification and the allure of the GTI badge, the hot Polo feels more like a fun size and cut-price Volkswagen Golf GTI. However, if you’re after the styling and kit, but you’re not too bothered about the performance, it’s worth looking at the Beats (£17,625 to £19,820) and R-Line (£19,275 to £21,725).

The Polo GTI arrived in 2018, so it’s possible to buy an early example for a bargain price. A 2018 model with up to 20,000 miles on the clock could cost as little as £16,000. Cars registered in 2019 start from around £17,500, while 2020 cars start at £19,000. Unregistered examples are available with discounts of up to £2000.

Alternatively, Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) plans are available for between £250 to £300 a month. This is based on a four-year contract after a deposit of £1,000. The Polo GTI tends to hold its value well, so a PCP deal is an affordable method of ownership.

While some of the modern breed of hot hatchbacks are powered by small and efficient turbocharged engines, the Polo GTI gets a 200PS 2.0-litre engine. This means fuel economy of between 38.7mpg and 39.8mpg. This is likely to be much less if you take advantage of the car’s performance.

Opt for a Polo R-Line with a 1.0-litre TSI engine and a manual gearbox, and you could see between 47.1mpg and 51.4mpg. This is enough to give the 1.6-litre TDI a run for its money in the running costs department.

Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is another problem for the Polo GTI. It emits a rather high 159g/km of CO2 in standard form, and 160g/km in GTI+ guise, which means first-year VED is expensive. A bill of £540 is high for a car of this size, but at least the rate drops to £150 in year two.

Then there’s car insurance. You can thank the GTI badge for group ratings of 26 for the standard car and 28 for the GTI+. Young drivers should consider one of the other Polo models until they’ve built up a decent no-claims bonus.

The Volkswagen Polo GTI looks superb. As good looking as the outgoing Golf GTI, with a great cabin and a long list of standard kit. It’s also rather brisk, albeit without the explosive pace and frenetic characteristics of the Ford Fiesta ST.

This means it’s a different kind of hot hatchback. If you’re in the market for a stylish performance supermini with long-legged ability, the Polo GTI is the best of an increasing limited range of small hot hatchbacks.