We Got our First Polo GTI in today...

[Hail22]

You should be on the Drive Test Crew team, as they're becoming a pack of boring dinosaurs with their thoughts/reviews i quite thoroughly enjoyed reading your unbiased view of the car.

Cheers

[walbjj]

tbh, i have no intention, nor have i gone anywhere over 100km/h the past few years. will this be a problem then?

[philthy]

tbh, i have no intention, nor have i gone anywhere over 100km/h the past few years. will this be a problem then?

Please stay off the motorway then

Also some people like to take their GTI's to track days... but obviously not you.

[triode12]

tbh, i have no intention, nor have i gone anywhere over 100km/h the past few years. will this be a problem then?

Even under 100km/hr, the new Polo GTI lacks the character the previous one had. It is too refined for the GTI label.

[walbjj]

i use my car in everyday sydney traffic. mainly peak hour. but it does open up. i have owned an s2000, evo9, wrx i the past. i used to drive from newcastle to sydney weekly, but since moving to sydney i have not found the need, nor the opportunities to let the car go more than 100km/h.
my cars have seen the track, unfortunately, it wasnt me driving. too busy with work
the reason why im looking at the polo/ golf gti is that i think they offer a more refined motoring experience than the usual jap car examples. if what the previous reviewer says is true, then perhaps i might enjoy the refinement, rather than a more hectic drive which the previous gti was

[triode12]

i use my car in everyday sydney traffic. mainly peak hour. but it does open up. i have owned an s2000, evo9, wrx i the past. i used to drive from newcastle to sydney weekly, but since moving to sydney i have not found the need, nor the opportunities to let the car go more than 100km/h.
my cars have seen the track, unfortunately, it wasnt me driving. too busy with work
the reason why im looking at the polo/ golf gti is that i think they offer a more refined motoring experience than the usual jap car examples. if what the previous reviewer says is true, then perhaps i might enjoy the refinement, rather than a more hectic drive which the previous gti was

If refinement is your requirement, both the new Polo and Golf GTI would fit the bill perfectly. They just don't live up to the GTI label. You could spend a lot less for the same driving experience and more space.

[leasaunce]

Even under 100km/hr, the new Polo GTI lacks the character the previous one had. It is too refined for the GTI label.

I know what you mean. My 08 polo gti, the 1.8L engine sounds so much meaner compare to the 1.4L. But I must say the interior quality is a major improvement, if only they come in manual!

[Serge]

I test drove a 3Dr Polo GTI today. While I was impressed with the fit and finish, I was disappointed by the drive. As reported by Autocar.co.uk many months ago, the new Polo GTI isn't fun to drive. Like it's Golf GTI counterpart, the new Polo GTI lacks the fun factor and soul of it's predessor with the 1.8 turbo engine. What exact fun factor is it lacking. when i get into this car i have a massive smile on my face and i push that car to the limit.

I own a GT with the same 1.4 TSI twin charged engine (with less power - 125kw) but the two cars couldn't be more different. The new Polo GTI power delivery is linear but once it hit 120km/hr or 4000RPM, the engine was clearly straining and felt gutless (tested with 3 people in the car and travelling at 120km/h up a 30-35deg incline). This is so unlike my GT on the same course, which still has (a lot) more to give past 5000RPM and doesn't sound like it's straining it's guts out. Most of the time you cant drive more then 120km/hr in australia, so why woulf you need more more and more power after 120? Fortunately, i drove this car on philip island race track, and doing it was doing over 200km/hr with no problems and it could keep up with golf rThe other criticism is that boot is rather shallow, it has less space than the 77TSI version. well, obviously since they put battery in the boot.

Otherwise, the new Polo GTI feels planted and the interior is streets ahead of it's predecessor (I espcially like the GTI flat bottomed steering wheel). I really wanted to like this car because on paper, it sounds like it should be a rocket and really exciting to drive, but it just didn't do it for me. The Autocar.co.uk review of the car was spot on in their assessment of it. if you get a chance go on a race track or go drive in some streets and see how well it handles the road on the corners, because thats what this car was designed for, previous polo gti lacks that, even though it was a great car to drive.

YouTube - VW Polo GTi review by autocar.co.uk

If I was a current owner of the previous gen Polo GTI, I would not be trading it in for the new one if fun was high on the list of requirements. The new Polo GTI is a very good car but not a great one.

That car is lovely to drive and every single time i get into it, i have smile all over my face, but its my personal opinion.

[triode12]

That car is lovely to drive and every single time i get into it, i have smile all over my face, but its my personal opinion.

That is all good if everyone was like you. And unfortunately, being a dealer, your opinion is naturally biased. I would advise prospective buyers to test drive the car and judge for themselves. In my opinion, it passed in all aspects bar one (fun).

The MkVI Golf GTI is nice to drive on the track and at track speeds but totally characterless at everyday speeds where most of us drive at. What is the point of having a car that you can only enjoy at speeds in excess of 150km/hr and mundane other than that?

The MkV GTI and previous gen Polo GTI provided that fun in spades at legal and post legal speeds. The new GTIs are better cars from a technical perspective but from a fun perspective IMO they don't live up. It is not all about absolute performance nor is it about refinement. That is not what the GTI heritage is about.

The only car (I've driven so far) in the current VW range that still stirs the soul is the Golf R.

The two new GTIs don't do it for me. For people who haven't driven and experienced the previous gen Polo GTI and MkV GTI, they probably would be none the wiser and think the new cars are great. But for people that have, and if fun is what they are looking for, the new one isn't as good in the fun department as the previous one (not even close).

Having said that. YMMV.

PS: Like I mentioned, I really wanted to like the new Polo GTI and have been eagarly waiting for it's arrival. I was eyeing it as a replacement for the GT. Unfortunately, it didn't win me over.

[flyingfridge]

my my, sam- that's rather generous of you!

Hahah, if there's plates on it by the end of the week, I will be asking for it

That is all good if everyone was like you. And unfortunately, being a dealer, your opinion is naturally biased. I would advise prospective buyers to test drive the car and judge for themselves. In my car, it passed in all aspects bar one (fun).

It's easy to assume that just because we're dealership guys we'll never say anything against the amazing VW but you couldn't be more wrong. I'm on here because I'm a car guy, I love VW and a few other brands as an enthusiast, I enjoy the community and I'll always say what I think, regardless of affiliation.

I also couldn't disagree more about the Polo GTI. If anything it puts me in mind of the MkV Golf GTI when i drive it, it has that same rorty character to it yet an all-rounder flexibility that makes it appropriate to own and use as a daily drive. On first impressions it's significantly better than the WQ Fiesta XR4 which was my previous favourite small performance car.


But hey that's my personal opinion and it must mean nothing because I said I actually like VWs.

[pologti18t]

I have a current Polo GTI and drove the new GTI on a great test drive route last week.

My observations.

1. The engine in the old GTI seems smoother and quieter than the new 1.4TSI. And my car has the APR upgrade. This is to be expected as the old 1.8L Turbo was initially developed for high end VW/Audi use.
The new engine is more frenetic if that makes sense. It would probably get smoother as it is run in. There is no doubt this car is quick in standard form. Much stronger than the standard 1.8L 110kw engine. I didn't find it lacking in comparison with my APR'd car (155kw/330Nm). It would be interesting to try the 150kw APR 1.4TSI upgrade in the Polo Gti.

2. Ride: The new model definitely has a firmer ride and sharper handling than the old model. I find my Polo is fairly sloppy in its handling. The ride is acceptable on the highway but quickly deteriorates if the car is loaded or the road gets lumpy. This suggests a lack of rebound damping and some unwanted sloppiness in the bushes. The new car seems alot more planted on the road and has less lean in the corners. There was a hint of harshness in the way it handled potholes etc. There was definitely an improvement in the torque steer and getting the power down in the new car compared with the old one.

3. Interior: This is what will win the punters over. It is a dramatic improvement over the old model. It feels far more intimate than the old model. The move to a darker grey colour scheme is also an big improvement just as it was on the Golf GTI MK5 -> MK6. I was disappointed in the depth of the boot. It seems there is a lot of underfloor space taken up with a foam moulding to accomodate the "flat" 17 inch tyre if you need to change it.

[triode12]

I have a current Polo GTI and drove the new GTI on a great test drive route last week.

My observations.

1. The engine in the old GTI seems smoother and quieter than the new 1.4TSI. And my car has the APR upgrade. This is to be expected as the old 1.8L Turbo was initially developed for high end VW/Audi use.
The new engine is more frenetic if that makes sense. It would probably get smoother as it is run in. There is no doubt this car is quick in standard form. Much stronger than the standard 1.8L 110kw engine. I didn't find it lacking in comparison with my APR'd car (155kw/330Nm). It would be interesting to try the 150kw APR 1.4TSI upgrade in the Polo Gti.

2. Ride: The new model definitely has a firmer ride and sharper handling than the old model. I find my Polo is fairly sloppy in its handling. The ride is acceptable on the highway but quickly deteriorates if the car is loaded or the road gets lumpy. This suggests a lack of rebound damping and some unwanted sloppiness in the bushes. The new car seems alot more planted on the road and has less lean in the corners. There was a hint of harshness in the way it handled potholes etc. There was definitely an improvement in the torque steer and getting the power down in the new car compared with the old one.

3. Interior: This is what will win the punters over. It is a dramatic improvement over the old model. It feels far more intimate than the old model. The move to a darker grey colour scheme is also an big improvement just as it was on the Golf GTI MK5 -> MK6. I was disappointed in the depth of the boot. It seems there is a lot of underfloor space taken up with a foam moulding to accomodate the "flat" 17 inch tyre if you need to change it.

I have tried an APR'd 1.4 TSI GT and compared to my stock GT, I couldn't detect much of a difference except for a slight increase in torque in the midrange - the difference wasn't night and day. Of course, the Polo GTI tune might be different again - I'd do a trial to see if it was worth it before handing over the cash.

[Greg Roles]

Have to say this new Polo is the first MK6 to have me seriously considering an upgrade. I love the new GTI and GTD, but it's not different "enough" from what I already have, yet here is the twincharged engine that initially got me interested in VW in the first place in a nice light pocket rocket.

I'd LOVE to tinker with one!!

[pologti18t]

This months (just out) Motor Magazine has a test of the Clio 200 vs DS3 vs Polo GTI.

[walbjj]

Can u recall what the verdict was?