Review of 2015 Vokswagen Polo GTi in South Africa
Volkswagen Polo GTi driven in South Africa 2015
What is it?
The Volkswagen Polo GTi returns to the continuously developed 1.8-litre turbo engine, just as had powered the original in 2006. Despite reversing the trend of engine downsizing the third generation Polo GTi is unsurprisingly the company’s most powerful and economical version to date while the 5-door layout provides a standard of practicality that many of its rivals can’t offer. In this segment the Volkswagen Polo has easily been the dominant leader, calmly outselling rivals by a margin that echoes the rampant success of its bigger sibling, the Golf GTi. And now that the Polo GTi has motorsport success under its nails with a almost flawless record in WRC and consistent podium places in local rallying. Watch out, the Polo GTi is slowly becoming the brand’s face for performance.
What’s it like?
Most of what’s telling about the 2015 Volkswagen Polo GTi rests under the skin with only subtle changes to the exterior. The Parabollica wheels are key to its makeover while traditional GTi cues of red calipers and badges keep the car very much in the bloodline.
A small aerodynamic tweak to the bumpers and an extended red blade that runs through the grille into the headlights is striking up close but not radical enough to spot from a distance.
The choice of gearboxes divides the Polo in dramatic fashion. Responding to customer feedback – and taking a close look at what the rivals are offering – Volkswagen has decided to bring back the option of a manual 6-speed gearbox while keeping the 7-speed DSG. This signifies more than just a level of interaction; the manual gearbox comes with an additional 70Nm more than the DSG for reasons we understand but refuse to accept. The theory: The dry-plate DSG on the Polo GTi is weaker compared to the wet-plate system on Golf GTi and Golf R, and a decision to detune torque was taken.
At launch only the DSG option with 141kW and 250Nm was available and although an improvement over the previous model on paper, we didn’t find it that much more powerful out on the road and didn’t demolish slower traffic as quickly as expected. Lopping off the supercharger has added some high-end revs to the experience but disappointingly there’s no gruff sound to it – that unmistakable DSG baaarp is at its softest setting and there’s an uninspiring whimper that misses that GTi snarl.
First thing you notice about the ride is the extra stiffening that has gone into the springs; the Volkswagen Polo GTi has reached a point where the Mini Cooper S from five years ago was – we’d even suggest it’s stiffer than a Fiesta ST. This is all comforting stuff to hear; the Polo starting to fill the shoes of the original Golf GTi as a less compromised compact hatch with a firm ride and fiery power-to-weight ratio.
The bigger engine weighs less than the outgoing powerplant for reasons as perplexing as the improvement in fuel consumption. Volkswagen has skimmed 5.5 kilograms just from the turbocharger! Front wheels are kept on line by an electronic differential which individually applies brake force for a more controlled cornering attitude although it’s no match for a mechanical system. The Polo GTi is more than able to hustle amongst the pack but doesn’t possess the chassis feedback and intimacy of a Fiesta ST to really break ahead.
But if you want interior refinement it has to be the Volkswagen Polo GTi. Brilliant seats that hug during bobbing and jolting suspension movements, high quality finishes around the dashboard, Golf-level equipment and a spacious cabin you could realistically use under circumstances of family life.
Should I buy one?
This is a simple one, and possibly for others. If we could have a DSG with the full 320Nm together with the lower consumption, we’d be almost willing to find that R70 000 premium over the Fiesta ST. We expect the cheaper manual to release the car’s full potential but simultaneously lose all its charm in the first traffic pile-up caused by loadshedding. The bigger engine capacity might make a more convincing case to displacement-prejudiced buyers but in DSG guise doesn’t translate out on the road as effectively, while the handling doesn’t mirror that motorsport heritage.
