VW Polo GTI review: what the car critics say

VW has tried to shrink the character of the Golf GTI into a supermini, said Top Gear Magazine. The Polo GTI is a joyless drive compared to the Golf, but it looks the part with new fins on the front bumper, an LED light-bar and 18-inch alloy wheels. Only available as an automatic, it can do 0-62mph in 6.5 seconds, with a top speed of 149mph. The 2.0-litre EA888 engine has 204bhp, and it is frugal, averaging 35mpg on a whole tank.

Refined, roomy and easy to drive, the new Polo GTI shares the Golf’s MQB platform, said Evo. It has a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch gearbox, operated from paddles behind the steering wheel, with a typical VW slickness to gear changes. The GTI is entertaining enough, with plenty of muscle at low speeds, but it’s too one-dimensional as the pace rises. The steering is quick and precise, but with very little feedback.

The new Polo GTI is about the same size as the Golf (equal in width and only slightly shorter), said The Sunday Times. It’s a cracker of a car, but the interior is “as exciting as the inside of a shoebox”, with cheap, hard plastic throughout. The slider controls on the steering wheel and climate control panel are fiddly, but it is well kitted-out with a decent 8-inch touchscreen infotainment setup and a Beats sound system. UK price from about £28,000.

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In pictures: VW Polo GTI