Today signalled the last day of our northern borders adventure, and as we loaded the little red car that had provided lots of driving fun on a variety of roads over the last few days, our thoughts turned to the seven-hour journey home.
Hot Polos don’t come along that often. And so it was with great anticipation (and frantic emails to the Volkswagen UK Press Office) that OY07 HRM was delivered, before our break in the north east. I was pleased it was brightly-coloured too, as a stand-out hue made for good photos, though would have been equally unhelpful had we not been keeping an eye on all things to do with speed.
The smaller GTI brother to the Golf was certainly tested (a full report will appear in the next issue of the VW Polo Register newsletter). Preliminary itineraries meant that we thought we would cover at least 800 miles over the course of six days. In fact, ‘our’ hottest Polo in the pack was reluctantly sent back to the Volkswagen press garage with over 1,300 miles added to its barely run-in 1,850-arrival mileage.
Not having been to the north east of England for some time, I didn’t know what type of roads to expect, but ribbons of sweeping moor land tarmac, combined with fast, long stretches of motorway, gave us perfect opportunities to challenge the car, and see where its talents lie. A spot of town driving ensured that every base was covered.
First impressions were good, with the looks bang on the money. The larger GTI styling cues of the Golf transfer equally well to the Polo. Looking chunky, purposeful, and squat, in an all-of-a-piece kind of way, and finished in retina-popping Flash Red, it appeared every inch the hot hatchback. It promised much. And, I so hoped it would deliver.
Powered by the ubiquitous and previous-generation Golf GTI’s 1.8T engine, you wonder why it took Volkswagen so long to drop it into their second-smallest car. The 1781cc unit gives 148bhp and 162lb ft of torque, making the Polo feel very spritely. The loudest and most sporting exhaust seen on a recent VW completes the GTI picture, and complements the extrovert and stylish looks perfectly.
HRM didn’t get off to the most ideal start, as under heavy, emergency-style braking, it would weave all over the road, making some of my confidence fade. To be fair, the A12 was very wet that night, and I’d only had the car a short time, but I had hoped for better.
It may be down on power compared to its best-in-class rivals such as the Renaultsport Clio 197, but in isolation, the Polo GTI doesn’t want for speed. Volkswagen quotes a 0 to 62mph time of 8.2 seconds, but I would say that figure is on the conservative side.
Although we never got out the stopwatch, we’ve never found ourselves in compromising situations, the GTI growling pleasantly when it’s time to up the ante. Of all the available rivals, the Ford Fiesta ST and SEAT Ibiza FR provide more realistic competition, both at a less expensive price.
With that turn of speed, comes refinement. On motorway schleps, the GTI is not only a comforting companion, but also a more than able cruiser. Only minor wind noise at lower speeds and tyre roar at higher speeds blot its copybook. The ride is on the firm side (but the right sporting side of firm), and seems well damped on most surfaces, coping well with expansion joints and sleeping policemen.
Disappointing body control shows up the limitations of the suspension, though. As with previous hot Polos, the set-up is too soft, and if you really fling it into a corner, safe but steady understeer is the unsurprising result.
For keener drivers, it’s all the more disappointing, as it’s so close to being a more talented handler. If that and the slightly over-keen and too-light (though direct) steering were sorted, it would be even more of an entertaining little car than it already is.
Even so, HRM felt surefooted and safe, and ferried our things and us to our dry-stone, wall-lined countryside destinations, comfortably and unflustered.
Minor passenger seat comfort niggles aside, the interior is a nice place to be, with the leather trim and sporting touches livening up the standard (and all-too grey) Polo cabin. The overall impression is one of quality when compared to rivals’ efforts, although the centre console and air vent trim finish could be better. Our in-dash ratcheted cup holder refused to open, too.
It’s disappointing to report, that, on evidence of our time with the car, I’m not entirely sure of Volkswagen’s long-lasting reputation. Though HRM is a press hack (and only two months old), the driver’s seat outer bolster is showing signs of bobbling and wear; a creak has surfaced in the boot; and just today, the driver’s door has started creaking.
Whether any, or all of these are down to the build of this individual car or not, is something of debate. I’ve not come across any of these problems with any low mileage Polos I’ve tested before.
Durability and handling niggles aside, though, I warmed very much to the smaller member of the VW GTI family. It’s fun to pilot down a mildly twisty and sheep-lined road, large enough to shrink around you (making placing it on the road easy), and provides exciting looks and a big-car sounding soundtrack.
Add in a reasonable 30+ mpg, and a £5k saving over (the admittedly more-talented) Golf GTI, and Volkswagen should be onto a winner. And, contrary to what I’ve read in certain quarters of the motoring press, it certainly doesn’t do the GTI brand any harm.
Yes, £15,022 is a lot of money for a small car, especially when there are more powerful and gifted rivals waiting around the corner to give the Polo a bloody nose. But, the old hot hatchback combination of little car and big engine serves the hot Polo well. It is frustrating, though, that after over 20 years, a truly outstanding hot Polo still seems to be out of Volkswagen’s creative grasp.
But, having said that, the current car will suffice for the majority of drivers, myself included. The Polo GTI is feisty, fun, and has something which many modern cars lack: character. I like it very much, and now that our week’s trip is over, I will be sad to see it go.
Special thanks to Nikki Joyce of the Volkswagen UK Press Office.