Volkswagen Polo GTi 2006 Review

7-day Test

It's a rare occasion that a global carmaker launches a new model in Australia before any other world market but such was the case last October when Volkswagen introduced its baby Polo GTi. The car had been on sale in other markets in previous incarnations but this was a first for Australia and it demonstrated how important the global parent regards the local market.

It could also be seen as a confirmation of just how much Australians now like their hot hatches. In a market that has traditionally favoured its performance cars in big rear drive configurations, with high petrol prices, the hot hatch is finding a growing legion of fans. VW already experienced this with the huge success of the latest generation Golf GTi -- which presently has a wait for delivery of about six months -- so the impetus to offer another driver's car in a small package was strong.

And after a week in the baby Polo, there is no doubt that the car certainly offers plenty of driver appeal.

The standard bread and butter Polo hadn't exactly excited buyers in droves as the premium price for what is a pretty small car turned many in that segment to other cheaper products. But add some spice to the driving experience and all of a sudden it has a fresh appeal.

Visually, the little three-door looks the part without being overtly in your face. A deep grille with integrated fog lights hit you face on, the side profile spells sporty with a lowered stance and biggish (for this size of car) 16-inch alloys and the rear adds a roof top spoiler and twin exhaust pipes.

Inside, the theme continues with the seats offering up very big side bolsters, plenty of alloy highlights and a thick three-spoke steering wheel.

The driver's seat offers plenty of adjustments and the steering column allows both rake and reach so getting a good driving position is easy. While the seats are comfortable enough and the big bolsters on the backrest and squab welcomed on twisty country roads, they do feel just a little narrow across the back when you are just cruising around town.

Under the bonnet, the turbo charged 1.8-litre four is zippy off the line with a good response from the throttle. According to the figures, it generates a maximum power of 110kW at 5800rpm and peak torque of 229Nm at 1950rpm in a car that weighs just 1190kg.

Delivery of this power and torque is reasonably smooth and the engine feels very flexible. Cruising the freeway at 100kmh it is ticking over at around 2500rpm in fifth and it only takes a drop back to fourth to get the revs going and the power surging. At the same time, trawling around the suburbs, the little Polo will happily pull up from about 40kmh at 1200rpm in fourth without any need for a gear change.

While the broad torque band offers flexibility -- and the opportunity for lazy cruising - there is a definitive power zone from about 2500rpm through to the red line at 6500rpm, where the engine feels sweetest.

And for that, you need to use the gears appropriately. The five-speed manual gearbox feels solid if a little notchy but it is a relatively easy task slipping up and down the gears.

Around town, the ride is very firm and over particularly bad urban roads, it does tend to get a bit lumpy. Not overly uncomfortable but there is plenty of jiggling being fed back through the seats and the steering wheel.

But unlike its lesser-endowed Polo kin, this car was not designed to be most at home crawling around the suburbs under 60kmh. As the name suggests, it is a GTi and where the whole package really comes into its own is out on winding country road.

Here, where you can wind it up to extract the most out of its turbo engine by sticking to the lower gears, the car delivers a drive experience that will have you grinning. It feels extremely tight and solid and push it hard into a corner and it responds with the kind of confidence-boosting handling that you would expect of GTi.

The car sits flat and stable on the road and only way too much speed will have the front wheels understeering slightly. But between the interception of the very well calibrated ESP -- for both dirt and tar -- and a slight lift off the throttle, it doesn't take much for the grippy 205/45 Continentals to reaffirm their connection with the road.

The steering is well weighted, direct and linear although it could do with a little more feedback and the brakes are well up to the task of pulling the car up swiftly and efficiently.

Out on a lovely stretch of challenging road with little traffic and 100kmh limit, it is possible to forget the very firm ride and tight seats, with the Polo delivering what you ask of a GTi and that is FUN.