Driving the Volkswagen Polo GTI: too sensible for its own good?

Small, affordable hot hatchbacks are getting rare these days. If you go back a few years you could choose between the Ford Fiesta ST, the Renaultsport Clio RS, the Hyundai i20 N and the Peugeot 208 GTI. All these cars have since disappeared from showrooms, although Peugeot is bringing the 208 GTI back next year in electric-only form.

In 2025 there are a handful of electric hot hatchbacks on the market, including the Alpine A290 and the Fiat 500e. If you want a fizzy petrol engine under the bonnet though you’re limited to the Toyota GR Yaris, the Mini Cooper JCW, and the car we’re focussing on today, the Volkswagen Polo GTI.

The supermini hot hatch recipe is a simple one. You take a small, sensible hatchback, slap a powerful engine in it, give it some new suspension to improve the handling and beef up the styling. On that last point, the Polo GTI falls a bit short.

While it does have a deeper front bumper, larger wheels and a new roof spoiler over the standard car, it’s a lot more understated than the GR Yaris or the Mini Cooper JCW. If you prefer your performance car to fly under the radar then it’s perfect, but don’t expect to turn many heads at a car meet.

It’s a similar story inside. Just like the standard Polo it’s well-built and spacious, but there aren’t that many sporting touches to make this stand out as a GTI other than the tartan plaid seats and a couple of bit of red trim.

Things do get more interesting under the bonnet, where the Polo GTI has a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine. It puts out 207hp, and while that’s 24hp down on a Mini Cooper JCW and 73hp less than a GR Yaris, it still feels perfectly quick enough.

You don’t want a small hot hatch like this to be ballistically fast because they’re meant to be fun to drive on the road and within the speed limits. The Polo GTI strikes the perfect balance between feeling brisk, but not being so rapid that you’ll lose your licence if you floor it.

When it was launched back in 2018, the motoring press had a right whinge about the fact the Polo GTI is only available with a dual-clutch automatic gearbox, but these days this has become the norm. If you still prefer to change your own gears, the Toyota GR Yaris is pretty much the only new hot hatch you can get with three pedals.

So what’s the Polo GTI like out on the road? Well, for daily commuting it’s actually quite pleasant. It does feel firmer and a bit noisier than the standard Polo, but it’s still a comfy little thing and the automatic gearbox takes the strain out of stop-start traffic.

However, a small hot hatchback like this should make you feel like a bit of a yob when the road gets twisty. Sadly, the Polo GTI doesn’t. It handles well, with plenty of grip, precise steering and minimal body roll, but it just doesn’t feel as playful as the old Ford Fiesta ST did, nor does it encourage you to drive particularly quickly. There’s just a bit of spark missing.

It’ll be much easier to live with every day than the bone-shakingly hard Mini JCW, and the Polo GTI is around £15,000 cheaper than a Toyota GR Yaris which makes it seem like a bit of a performance car bargain.

However, if you’re after something which is a riot to drive and easy to live with, why not check out a used Ford Fiesta ST? For around £20,000 you can find a late 2023 example with low miles, and it’ll put a much bigger smile on your face than the Polo. It may not be as comfortable or spacious, but it does a better job at being a proper hot hatch.

Car change? Carwow!

Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.

Click here to follow us on WhatsApp, where you can keep up-to-date with all the latest news, reviews, advice guides and videos.