VOLKSWAGEN POLO GTI
The Golf GTI’S push upmarket should give its little brother the opportunity to shine. Does it take it?
THE VW POLO GTI HAS ALWAYS struggled to make its mark on the hot hatch landscape. Stuck in the shadow of the more illustrious Golf, there’s a sense that the smaller car has been deliberately held back so as not to risk stealing its big brother’s limelight, that it’s a model that’s about the show rather than the go.
Now, however, there is hope for the Polo, because the Golf’s relentless push upmarket has created a gap in VW’S line-up for something more youthful and fun. It also can’t have escaped the attention of Wolfsburg’s top brass that cars such as the (deep breath) Peugeot 208 GTI by Peugeot Sport and Ford Fiesta ST have proved to be surprisingly successful. The result is that this all-new Polo GTI is claimed to be the most playful and driver-focused yet – a car that uses the clear air between itself and the Golf to set out a more entertaining agenda.
The initial signs are encouraging, chiefly because the latest, sixth-generation Polo is underpinned by the same MQB platform that supports the larger Golf. Mounted to this is thoroughly reworked suspension that’s 15mm lower than the standard Polo’s and comprises struts at the front and a torsion beam at the rear (the Golf’s multi-link system is too bulky and expensive for the smaller car). The springs are 38 per cent stiffer at the front and 39 per cent firmer at the rear, while there are also thicker anti-roll bars and uprated passive dampers. Drivers wanting even more keen dynamics can order the ‘Sport Select’ set-up that features two-way adaptive dampers, a thicker front anti-roll bar and tougher steering arms and rear axle mountings.
Under the bonnet is the tried and tested EA888 2-litre four (no downsizing here – take note, Ford), tuned to deliver a respectable 197bhp and a healthy 236lb ft of torque. Yet while VW claims the six-speed Dsg-equipped Polo GTI (a manual version doesn’t arrive until the middle of 2018) will rattle off the 0-62mph sprint in just 6.7sec, it never feels quite as quick as its rippling torque figure and relatively low 1280kg kerb weight suggest. There’s plenty of muscle at low speeds and the unit relishes a workout, pulling cleanly, crisply and with a satisfyingly rorty rasp all the way to the red line, but it feels a bit flat in the mid-range, particularly in third gear and above, where the ratios are absurdly tall for a hot hatch – sixth is a continent-crossing 35mph per 1000rpm.
And it’s not just the ratios that cause concern, because while there’s nothing
technically wrong with the DSG (there’s some jerkiness when moving away, but it shifts smoothly in auto mode and swaps cogs with lightning speed when you use the steeringwheel paddles), its virtually seamless changes sap the sensation of speed and remove a crucial layer of driver interaction. Unforgivably, it also shifts up automatically when the engine hits its limiter, even in manual mode.
What about that uprated chassis, then? Initial impressions are good: when tootling around, the Polo benefits from almost perfect control weights and a taut yet composed ride – on our adaptive damper- equipped car at least. Push harder and there’s strong bite from the front tyres and a definite sense that the rear axle is taking its share of the load; on the smooth and snaking roads of our Spanish test route, the VW felt planted and poised, allowing you to cover ground exceptionally quickly.
Yet there’s something just a little clinical about the way the Polo goes about its business, and after just a few corners you feel you’ve got the measure of the GTI. The steering is quick and precise but there’s only the bare minimum of feedback, while that grippy chassis doesn’t want to get expressive. Lifting the throttle will tighten the car’s line, but there’s no sense of the puppy-like agility you get in the 208 GTI. And while you can sharpen the throttle, add artificial weight to the steering and fractionally firm up the dampers with the driver mode settings, the Polo’s benign character remains to the fore.
The standard XDS ‘differential’ is also no substitute for the real thing. You can feel it nibbling away at the front brakes as it keeps the nose tucked in, but with the ESP in its Sport setting (you can’t turn the systems off completely) the inside wheel simply spins power away out of slower turns.
There’s no doubt the new Polo GTI is faster and far more composed than its predecessor but, despite VW’S claims, it still feels as though it is playing understudy to the star. If you can’t afford a Golf GTI, or don’t need its extra space, then the Polo is a fine alternative, right down to its red stripes, checked seat trim and cutabove perceived quality, while few small cars are as comfortable and easy to live with. But, for keen drivers, it falters. The really frustrating thing is that there’s a fine car lurking somewhere underneath. So, VW, what about a ‘Performance’ version with more power, closely stacked ratios and the Golf’s trick diff?