2016 Volkswagen Polo GTI review, test drive

The 192hp Polo GTI could make the hot hatch market reach fever pitch. Hormazd Sorabjee has a blast in it.

Published on Oct 06, 2016 01:20:00 PM

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2016 Volkswagen Polo GTI review, test drive

Hot Handling

The grip on the Polo GTI is ceaseless, the fat 17-inch tyres don’t give up and there’s hardly any body roll. Equipped with a electronic differential lock that’s hooked up to the stability control system, the Polo GTI is remarkably neutral. I have to push really hard to break traction, at which point, the Polo gently understeers. The chassis is so well sorted and the handling so predictable that you end up attacking corners at astonishing speeds. To top it off, the steering, which is completely different from a regular Polo, is quick, accurate and nicely weighted. If there’s something lacking, it’s a bit of feedback or feel at your fingertips – like in most VW Group cars, the steering feels like you are driving with gloves on. Also, the Polo GTI feels a touch nose-heavy and doesn’t eagerly dart into corners. The chassis is tuned to be surefooted and confidence inspiring, which makes the Polo GTI effortless to drive quickly. This meant a transformation of the regular Polo’s setup – the GTI gets stiffer anti-roll bars, beefier suspension, a wider track and a lower ride height. Looking at the Polo’s pointy chin, the reduced ground clearance may be of concern in India and speed breakers will have to be treated with respect. However, despite the sportier suspension setup, ride quality hasn’t suffered greatly and the Polo GTI feels surprisingly pliant. The true test will be on our broken roads but knowing how well VW judges its suspensions, expect the Polo GTI to feel stiff but not harsh.

A price upwards of Rs 20 lakh is steep, but the Polo GTI is something you buy with your heart, not your head.

Pocket rocket

If there is one thing that can tempt you to part with your savings for the GTI it’s the 1.8 litre turbo-petrol. It’s essentially the same EA888 engine that powers the Octavia but in Polo guise, it’s even more potent, cranking out 192hp. And unlike the Octavia, the 1,272kg Polo GTI is significantly lighter, so if you do the math, this hatch has got a power-to-weight ratio not far behind an Audi TT.

According to VW, the Polo bolts from 0-100kph in a remarkable 6.7 seconds which is over 2 seconds quicker than the Abarth Punto. But that’s not all, top speed is rated at 236kph which makes it quicker than many luxury sedans. Interestingly, VW quotes identical 0-100kph times for the manual and DSG automatic versions and whilst it’s the six-speed manual I’m driving in the UK, India will get only the twin-clutch DSG gearbox-equipped model.

Also, my test car is a five-door which won’t be coming to India, so the specs are not quite the same as the India-bound car's but close enough to give an idea of how the Polo GTI drives.

What surprised me was the minimal turbo lag, something I didn’t expect from an engine that I’ve known well from the Octavia. The Polo GTI pulls strongly from low revs and once you get into the meat of the power band, there’s a brawny shove that doesn’t ease until 6,400rpm redline. On the Chobham test track, 200kph was a breeze and the power delivery is so linear that it masks how fast the Polo GTI can go. Adding to the sense of disbelief is the fact that the GTI doesn’t look very different from a normal Polo.