2018 Polo GTi is shorter, lighter and better to drive

[Watts]

I like the Polo and I bet it is a really fun drive but I struggle with space in the Golf on holiday so couldn't go smaller. Plus I do prefer the look of 3 doors. They should do a coupe GTI Polo, that could look great.

[Finglonga]

The interior is Chavtastic!

[scanesare]

Interior looks quite good actually, main lines and overall design with more trapezoids replacing rectangles are a welcome step forward and away from typical "boring VW" look which especially on a car like the Polo is needed. I don't get how most comments here are about the red (optional) dash as it's irrelevant anyway. There's always the grey option but the big news is that the next gen Polo GTI will be a much improved/better car. Bullet-proof 2.0 TSI (if it is the EA888 gen3 with IS20 we are practically talking 300bhp with only a remap - on such a light chassis, more focused suspension, bigger interior, bigger boot - do people realise it will have the same boot volume as an MK7/7.5 Golf R??

It can certainly steal sales from people that are not absolutely maxing out the usability of current Golf/Focus/Leon/Astra and most of them are anyway in bigger cars already. All in all a very tempting car I'd say.

[SRGTD]

Interior looks quite good actually, main lines and overall design with more trapezoids replacing rectangles are a welcome step forward and away from typical "boring VW" look which especially on a car like the Polo is needed. I don't get how most comments here are about the red (optional) dash as it's irrelevant anyway. There's always the grey option but the big news is that the next gen Polo GTI will be a much improved/better car. Bullet-proof 2.0 TSI (if it is the EA888 gen3 with IS20 we are practically talking 300bhp with only a remap - on such a light chassis, more focused suspension, bigger interior, bigger boot - do people realise it will have the same boot volume as an MK7/7.5 Golf R??

It can certainly steal sales from people that are not absolutely maxing out the usability of current Golf/Focus/Leon/Astra and most of them are anyway in bigger cars already. All in all a very tempting car I'd say.

It’s pretty much the same size as the mk4 Golf, so shows just how much larger both the Golf and the Polo have become over time.

There are to be two GTI trim levels; GTI and GTI+. The GTI+ will be the same power output as the non-plus model, but with a higher spec. I like it and it will certainly be a main contender when the time comes to change my current car in 2-3 years time - hopefully there’ll be some decent discounts to be had by them and if there are any initial teething problems, they’ll have been ironed out.

[fredgroves]

Quite nice... I actually quite like the red dash.

My problem with it is that a car that small is going to be horrible over distance. I guess "the golf is for the highway" is saying exactly that.

I suppose it will suit some here though

[Jim_mk7.5]

Interior looks quite good actually, main lines and overall design with more trapezoids replacing rectangles are a welcome step forward and away from typical "boring VW" look which especially on a car like the Polo is needed. I don't get how most comments here are about the red (optional) dash as it's irrelevant anyway. There's always the grey option but the big news is that the next gen Polo GTI will be a much improved/better car. Bullet-proof 2.0 TSI (if it is the EA888 gen3 with IS20 we are practically talking 300bhp with only a remap - on such a light chassis, more focused suspension, bigger interior, bigger boot - do people realise it will have the same boot volume as an MK7/7.5 Golf R??

It can certainly steal sales from people that are not absolutely maxing out the usability of current Golf/Focus/Leon/Astra and most of them are anyway in bigger cars already. All in all a very tempting car I'd say.

New Polo - 351 litres.
Mk 7 Golf 380 litres

Not quite the same. But close. The Golf boot is pretty small, I certainly wouldn't have anything smaller than this.

[Watts]

Interior looks quite good actually, main lines and overall design with more trapezoids replacing rectangles are a welcome step forward and away from typical "boring VW" look which especially on a car like the Polo is needed. I don't get how most comments here are about the red (optional) dash as it's irrelevant anyway. There's always the grey option but the big news is that the next gen Polo GTI will be a much improved/better car. Bullet-proof 2.0 TSI (if it is the EA888 gen3 with IS20 we are practically talking 300bhp with only a remap - on such a light chassis, more focused suspension, bigger interior, bigger boot - do people realise it will have the same boot volume as an MK7/7.5 Golf R??

It can certainly steal sales from people that are not absolutely maxing out the usability of current Golf/Focus/Leon/Astra and most of them are anyway in bigger cars already. All in all a very tempting car I'd say.

New Polo - 351 litres.
Mk 7 Golf 380 litres

Not quite the same. But close. The Golf boot is pretty small, I certainly wouldn't have anything smaller than this.

In fairness the quote above was for the R which is 340L, 11 less than the Polo! But 380 in the GTI is as low as Ican go especially as I came from an Audi A4 which at times was completely stuffed.

[scanesare]

My problem with it is that a car that small is going to be horrible over distance. I guess "the golf is for the highway" is saying exactly that.

Have done a few highway trips on last gen Polo GTI, no comfort issues at all at and above speed limits (i was a passenger of course). Next gen can only be even more refined so hardly an issue I'd imagine.

do people realise it will have the same boot volume as an MK7/7.5 Golf R??

New Polo - 351 litres.
Mk 7 Golf 380 litres

Not quite the same. But close. The Golf boot is pretty small, I certainly wouldn't have anything smaller than this.

If you read again, i specifically mentioned Golf R, and that has 343 lt due to the Haldex, still many swear by its usability. Last gen Polo was 300, those extra 50lt are quite a jump that could make a small family's stuff from impossible to fit to "don't know how but we've managed". Despising most estates I've always had to play with volumes around those values so I can vouch it's a big improvement.

[BobbyT]

What's that strange handle in the centre of the car? 

[CHB100]

Fabulous smallish car, I would love it, having had several Clio Williams, Sports,. So chuckable and I imagine quicker than my R on the narrow road from Cirencester to Withington.
Wonder if I could persuade my other half to px her Mk7 GTI.