Driving the small Volkswagen Polo GTi – a potent small five-door hatch that
offers enormous driving appeal. Despite its small size and footprint it feels a lot
bigger behind the wheel, overall a very satisfying driver. At $39,690 plus on-road
costs its risen significantly in price since launch in 2018 but gained specification
increases along the way. While VW Australia has had a special offer of $39,990
drive-away which ironically finishes today saving around $4,000. With a gutsy 2.0-
litre turbo 147kW engine and an abundance of torque it offers an exhilarating
performance with a smooth 6-speed dual-clutch automatic with paddle shifters.
The transmission can display a little hesitancy from rest but underway super
smooth. An interesting feature, a torque vectoring function on the front wheel
drive which taps the brakes if the wheels begin to lose traction – a sort of
electronic limited slip differential. The VW Polo GTi excels in ride and handling,
extremely nimble with a sharp 10.6 metre turning circle and if you like sports
driving you’ll like this hot hatch – well featured with the latest drive technology
features, excellent Continental SportContact tyres and a very accommodating
and well thought out cabin – very much a scaled down VW Golf GTi.

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