Downsizing done right

This is an important car. Not just for the expected reasons — including all the excitement stirred by any new Volkswagen wearing the three-letter performance moniker — but also on the grounds of sentimentality and pride. See, the sixth-generation Polo GTI is built right here in South Africa, at the Wolfsburg-based brand’s local facility in Uitenhage, Eastern Cape. The previous version hailed from the Navarra plant in Spain. But you get a warm fuzzy feeling knowing that this car comes from our very own friendly province. Tell you what else induces feelings of warmth, particularly in these times when we are all tightening our belts: the new model costs a decent sum less than its predecessor — at R375 900 you save about R11 600 versus the older model. Obviously you are going to have to put some bucks aside to get a Polo GTI that looks like the one in the brochures. Aside from its home-grown status and cheaper asking price, the biggest talking point could be what sits under the hood. With the fifth-generation model, Volkswagen seemed a tad indecisive with its engine offerings. First it gave us a 1390cc unit that was both turbocharged and supercharged, delivering 132kW and 250Nm, capable of sprinting to 100km/h in 6.9 seconds. Launched in 2011, it could only be had with a seven-speed dualclutch transmission. Then in 2015 Volkswagen decided its Bsegment brawler required more muscle. So a boosted 1798cc engine was thrown into the mix, offering 141kW while retaining the old torque figure of 250Nm. Still, it was 0.2 seconds faster to 100km/h and in addition to a double-clutch transmission option, buyers could have a six-speed manual. Are we to infer that bigger is better? Seemingly, because the latest car employs the same 1988cc mill from the Volkswagen Golf 7 GTI, of course with an output that obeys the pecking order of the range. In this guise it serves 147kW and 320Nm — stout figures that make it the most powerful version of the breed yet. Our market is unlikely to receive the row-your-own threepedal version. And few will care, because the standard six-speed direct-shift gearbox is close to perfect in operation anyway. Volkswagen claims its car will accelerate to 100km/h in 6.7 seconds. But does it bring the “vrr-pha” frippery as seen in the mightier Golf? Well, sort of. There was simply no way the engineers were going

to make the Polo as boisterous as its big sister. Listen closely and you will note it has a character of its own, rather than trying to emulate the outright flatulence of the other car. The arrangement includes crackles on downshift and cute belches as you work up through the lower ratios of the gearbox. My abiding memory of the previous car involved Slaaihoek Pass in Mpumalanga. And how its short-wheelbase and tallish nature made for lively (read: unsettling) antics attempting to catch up with a colleague in a Scirocco R. Things are a bit different this time. There are the immediately notable benefits of having the already polished underpinnings of the regular Polo. Throw in what Volkswagen calls its XDS electronic differential lock and you have a rather tidy, planted handling character. It relies on the electronic stability control system, not an actual mechanical differential, to limit spin on the inside wheel in a corner. Franschhoek Pass in the Western Cape is an ideal – if precarious – environment in which to gain insight into the dynamic prowess of a car. Stationary trucks and wayward animals add another layer of thrill to already tricky topography. Negotiating my way up the stretch, enjoying the substantial bump in torque output, my brain recalled those classic Polo commercials with the tagline “You’ll think you can”. And we did. Right until a Western Cape traffic department official flagged down one member of our convoy. Probably to issue a stern warning about water wastage or something totally unrelated to exuberant driving. The Polo GTI offers a selection of four driving modes: Normal, Sport, Eco and Individual. These profiles tailor steering, engine and gearbox characteristics accordingly. Buyers may also specify active dampers as an optional extra — our testers were so equipped — but the standard suspension is said to be amply “sporty” in its default configuration. As we mentioned earlier, it would be wise to set aside extra outlay for optional goodies. Because while that base price looks enticing, there is much to specify, to build an example with all the amenities that will make the ownership experience a joyous one. So, yes, you will likely pay more than R400 000 for your Polo GTI. Still, not bad, when you consider that entry-level pricing for the bigger Golf GTI starts at about R548 600. Many shoppers might find it easy to live without the extra space and marginally better pace the costlier car offers.