Volkswagen Polo GTI 2019 Review

Okay, so Kanye West doesn't have anything to worry about – yet – but it's fair to say my second and more extensive test of the Volkswagen Polo GTI has left a lasting impression on this cracker-jack two-bit hack.

It's not just the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol EA888 engine transplanted from the Golf GTI that's that makes the Polo GTI great, nor is it the copious, almost class-leading boot space or ample rear seat space, the 15mm lower suspension, the big wheels, the sports body kit, or the gargle-blaster exhaust note.

No, it's the tartan upholstery.

With its white, red and black seat patterning, this car just reeks of coolness. The Polo GTI is modest and disarming in some ways, yet in others, such as its high-tech armory, it's got more swagger than Vlad Putin cruising in his bulletproof Sollers limo.

Where most rivals will just add red stitching to the seats, or perhaps a smattering of faux cow-hide, the pernicious Polo looks pilfers not only the engine from its bigger brother the Golf GTI, but also the coolest seat upholstery you can get from the factory.

If you want to impress an unimpressionable fashionista mate, this is the car with which to do it.

After the settling into the sporty tartan seats, the view is contemporary. Compared to most rivals in the compact car space, it's like leaving a dull and dated '70s brick single bedroom unit and stepping inside a bold, vivacious, architecturally designed townhouse – complete with electrically-powered retracting bamboo chopping board.

Only in this case the ultra-cool chopping board is a digital instrument panel, which not only future-proofs the car but if you were to jailbreak the system you could probably play Super Mario on.

The virtual cockpit (to use Audi-speak) displays the usual stuff on a high-definition 10.2-inch screen, such as road speed and engine rev dials, fuel consumption et al. Flick a button however and you get maps and sat nav and it looks gorgeous! Being front and centre it's easier to follow at a glance too.

You can also get wireless phone charging but only as part of a luxury pack, which at $3900 could blow the budget, changing the Polo GTI's ethos from a cut-price hottie to a car closer in price to the bigger, more powerful Golf GTI.

Granted, the luxury pack adds 18-inch alloy wheels (that look mint), impressive LED headlights that punch out loads of lumens, tinted windows and a panoramic electric glass roof as part of the almost $4K pack. But the velour microfleece seats – which are admittedly soft and supple – don't have the street cred of the tartan cloth upholstery.

Ditch them quicker than an unpopular governmental policy on green car initiatives, I reckon.

Since the sixth-generation VW Polo arrived in March 2018, it's grown considerably bigger and this is a boon not only for the driver and front occupant but for back seat passengers too. Those no longer need to hyper-extend their backs to get into the car. Rear seat legroom is pretty decent in the nuggety little rip-snorter too.

The boot has grown significantly over the previous generation Polo GTI, by 25 per cent to 351 litres. To put it in perspective is enough to room for four slow cookers full of massaman curry. Don’t ask me how I know this…

It's also a great looking hot hatch. It's not blatantly showy like some hot-fours (hello, Civic Type R!) but it has an emboldened look via its subtle sports body kit comprising front and rear bumpers, side skirts, roof spoiler and dual exhaust. The red pinstripe on the front grille is a nice homage to bigger bro Golfie GTI too.

Overall it's a very well presented machine that will get respect from the go-fast gang and find admiration from the sophisticates who prefer to strut and pose.

You could say it's equal parts stylish and athletic. Very much unlike the author, who prefers the daggy slob look.

What's the VW Polo GTI like to drive?

Driving the Volkswagen Polo GTI can be challenging at times. It has an ability to smoothly, quietly join the commuter crush each morning, easily slotting into gaps thanks to its considerable thrust (320Nm is nothing to be scoffed at).

It's a quiet cruiser and with the standard fitment of adaptive dampers on all Aussie models, just slot it into Comfort mode and cruise around.

But the challenge is trying to drive it calmly and carefully at all times, because it’s so easy to just drop the hammer and blast off down the road.

Despite 'only' pumping out 147kW at 6000rpm and 320Nm at 4400rpm, the car's relatively low mass (1285kg) and responsive six-speed dual-clutch 'DSG' transmission conspire to deliver ebullient response. Fair Dinkum, this car is more reactive than a split nuclear atom.

The exhaust blips are bloody rad too.

There's a mild exhaust acoustic that builds as the revs rise but it's that rumble-fart-pop between gearshifts that compels the inner-adolescent to emerge. Give me more!

Sitting 15mm lower to the ground that garden variety VW Polo cars and with firmer (but adaptive) suspension, it hooks into corners with the alacrity of coffee-imbued bonobo. The front-end is positively reactive to input and the overall chassis balance is pleasing. And even though the rear end gets a torsion beam it still tracks very crisply through fast corners.

Push it too hard with too much throttle and she'll understeer gently but for the most part it’s a neutral car that lets you focus on apexes, not inequities in engineering and chassis calibration.

Indeed, jumping hard on the throttle out of all but the tightest of corners is a jubilant experience, one that ranks up there with birthdays, free sausage sizzles and double rainbow sightings.

The front differential lock does a decent job of ensuring power gets to the road effectively and while the steering isn't the keenest or the most communicative in the hot hatch segment, it gets the job done reliably and predictably. Like Christian Bale, the brakes are strong but touchy.

There's only really one whinge I have with the savvy Volkswagen Polo GTI and that's ride comfort. Where the Golf GTI has a slightly longer wheelbase and is better able to absorb smaller, more acute chips in the road, the Polo feels them. Cat eyes for example.

The Polo GTI is almost too firm in sports mode, which is only really suitable on glassy smooth road surfaces. But if you do find such asphalt nirvana, you'll be happier than a pig in sh*t.

Being a relatively small and light vehicle, fuel economy can be very good. This car may be hot and fiery on weekends but it acts like a true professional in the week and can be a cheap-to-run daily driver.

VW claims a 6.1L/100km fuel economy figure and while the end result after a week of driving in a variety of scenarios, including slow commuting and freeway cruising, the figure was 6.9L/100km. At one point it was as low at 5.8L/100km.

But that almost seven-litre figure is impressive considering the assertive driving style that was adopted. The boy-racer in me seemed to demand action wherever I drove this hot hatch. I reckon a part of that desire to gun the throttle away from the traffic lights and through highway on-ramps is the engine note. In fact I know it is.

The Volkswagen Polo is not a cheap vehicle by compact car standards but it comes with loads of kit, such as adaptive suspension, 17-inch alloy wheels, six-speed auto, leather steering wheel, and of course tartan cloth upholstery. Swoon.

An electronic front diff lock, cruise control, sports body kit plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto via a premium-looking 8.0-inch touchscreen display. You get a decent six-speaker stereo with all the Bluetooth streamery and two USB ports.

Keyless entry and push-button ignition are always welcome features – particularly as standard in this case – and there's more LEDs than you throw a diode at. We're talking daytime running lights, brake lights and interior lights.

A rearview camera makes parking a little easier (not that it was hard to start with), power folding door mirrors are a nice touch and dual-zone climate control will keep more sensitive occupants comfortable.

Safety features including six airbags, a low tyre pressure warning system and autonomous emergency braking that operates at low and high-speeds. A car alarm and immobiliser is part of the package, as is stability control and anti-lock brakes.

Perhaps the only reason you'd choose another hot hatch over this one, apart from getting a little more interior space, is the fact that servicing will cost a lot more than most Asian vehicles.

To its credit Volkswagen Australia has jumped on the five-year warranty bandwagon and has something resembling a capped-price service program, which means there are fewer and fewer reasons not to put this exceptionally talented hot hatch on your shopping list.

Even without the whiz-bang tech the option packs bring, the Polo GTI is fundamentally sound.

There's some strong competition coming, such as the Ford Fiesta ST and the Renault Clio RS, while the Suzuki Swift Sport and even Kia Rio GT Line are bringing some interesting options to the compact hot hatch table.

But the Polo GTI is the current king, delivering the sort of thrust rare in cars of this size, like the premium cabin ambience. Most of all, it generates the kind of mid-corner grip that could inspire a bloke to take up freestyle rapping.

Straight up, Kanye's lyrical talents are top of the table. But this car is unshakable, it's undeniably stable. Fast and smooth like a voracious bull shark. This swanky Polo GTI hits the mark.

Unlike my sh*tty freestyling.

How much does the 2019 Volkswagen Polo GTI cost?
Price: $31,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 147kW/320Nm
Transmission: Six-speed dual-clutch
Fuel: 6.1L/100km (ADR Combined); 6.9L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 140g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP (2017)