Late last year we tested the facelifted Volkswagen Polo. Resplendent in metallic purple paint, with a modestly powerful petrol engine and a manual gearbox, it is the sort of car people might be clamouring to buy as the end of the decade and ban on new petrol and diesel cars looms. People who either for logistical reasons can’t have an EV – or simply don’t want one (put me into both categories).
This week we have the new GTI version of the Polo, which taking into account the above paragraph, should also receive tumultuous applause from this seat. Here’s the recipe: a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that produces 204bhp and gives a performance of 0-62mph in 6.5seconds and a top speed of 149mph. That’s very much on a par with close rivals the Ford Fiesta ST and Hyundai i20N. So far so good.
The not so good news is that unlike those two pocket rockets, the Polo GTI is only available with a DSG automatic gearbox.
