2022 Volkswagen Polo GTI Review

Aug 2, 2023

2022 Volkswagen Polo GTI Review

The 2022 Volkswagen Polo GTI is a pint-sized pocket rocket.

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The VW Polo GTI has an extremely tough act to follow. Its bigger brother, the Golf GTI, is one of the most popular kids in school, with its dashing good looks and athleticism. The Polo GTI, meanwhile, doesn’t get the same amount of attention, because comparatively, it’s physically smaller and a little bit of a weakling. But despite this sibling rivalry, does the Polo have what it takes to shine in its own right?

After all, it still comes from a good family, with its desirable VW badge, and while it may not boast the sporting accolades of its annoying big brother, its still no slouch, packing a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine that delivers 207 horsepower, so it’s capable of dispatching the 0-62mph sprint in just 6.5 seconds. Chuck in decent practicality, a posh-feeling interior and plenty of equipment, and it would seem that all the makings of a good hot hatch are present can correct.

However, there’s one attribute above all others that defines a good hot hatch - fun - so does it deliver there? In this CarGurus UK video review, Rebecca Jackson answers that very question.

Read our written expert review on the VW Polo:
https://www.cargurus.co.uk/Cars/Volks…

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▬ Contents of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
00:00 – Introducing the VW Polo GTI
00:50 – Styling and passenger space
01:26 – Interior and infotainment
03:18 – Driving impressions
04:36 – Verdict
05:08 – Let us know what you think

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Content

0.48 -> meet the new volkswagen polo gti it

2.8 -> mixes a typically upmarket volkswagen

5.12 -> vibe with mini golf gti looks and real

8.559 -> hot hatch performance if you've never

10.559 -> actually owned a volkswagen polo gti

12.48 -> you'd be very forgiven if you didn't

14.24 -> even know they existed because it's the

16.16 -> volkswagen golf gti and the volkswagen

18.16 -> golf r that grabs all the headlines when

20.48 -> it comes to a volkswagen hot hatch and

22.88 -> if you've gone for something smaller you

24.56 -> probably would have chosen something

26 -> like a ford fiesta st renault sport cleo

29.199 -> mini cooper s or the rally inspired

31.359 -> hyundai i20n these days though a golf

34.399 -> gti is at least 36 000 pounds the mini

37.52 -> isn't the cheeky budget run around it

39.12 -> once was and there hasn't been a hot

40.719 -> clio since 2018. that leaves only the

43.6 -> fiesta and hyundai as realistic

45.36 -> alternatives to the polo gta so perhaps

47.68 -> it's finally time for the little

49.12 -> volkswagen to shine on first impressions

51.84 -> it perhaps does just enough on the road

54.079 -> to stand out in terms of design at the

56.559 -> back there's twin chrome finished

58.719 -> exhaust tailpipes and at the front

61.44 -> there's this

62.559 -> lighting strip that connects the

64.08 -> headlights and there's dashes of red

66.159 -> here and there inside there's a

67.92 -> reasonably sized and well proportioned

69.6 -> boot that's only a few liters short of

71.2 -> the one in the ford fiesta and that's

73.119 -> combined with reasonably spacious rear

74.96 -> seats too the doors open fairly wide for

77.2 -> a small hatchback there's plenty of room

79.28 -> for two adults in the back and even

81.04 -> rear-facing child seats fit in without

83.36 -> compromising front seat space too much

86.08 -> talking of up front seat space is pretty

88.159 -> comfortable here and there's plenty of

90.64 -> adjustment in the seat

92.72 -> and steering wheel

94.96 -> although this armrest and the cup

97.6 -> holders do feel like a bit of an

99.04 -> afterthought there are plenty of little

101.04 -> luxuries gadgets and safety tech as

102.96 -> standard on the polo though including a

105.04 -> decent 800 watt beat stereo matrix led

108 -> headlights dual zone climate control a

109.84 -> large digital driver's display adaptive

112.159 -> cruise control and automatic emergency

114.24 -> braking and not all rivals are as well

116.32 -> equipped as the polo for example the

118.24 -> fiesta st doesn't get the automatic

120.079 -> emergency braking as standard and the

121.84 -> hyundai i20n doesn't get the fancy

124.88 -> matrix led headlights the downside is

127.439 -> that the polo is a little more expensive

129.2 -> than either of its two main competitors

130.959 -> in fact with a couple of option boxes

132.72 -> ticks like this one has you're very

134.64 -> quickly going to take the price north of

136.319 -> 30 000 pounds the one saving grace is

139.04 -> that the polo should hold its value

140.48 -> better than the hyundai and ford so if

142.4 -> you're buying on finance you won't

143.76 -> notice much of a difference in monthly

145.52 -> payments

146.56 -> talking of downsides volkswagen has

148.48 -> developed an infuriating habit of

150.56 -> replacing simple buttons with touch

152.56 -> sensitive pads they could be found here

154.64 -> on the steering wheel and also down here

156.4 -> for the air conditioning controls and

158.48 -> they're fiddly to use and you can

160.239 -> accidentally knock them on or off or

162 -> change the setting when you really don't

163.519 -> want to fortunately the infotainment

165.68 -> screen isn't the latest volkswagen unit

167.599 -> so it still has a volume control knob at

169.519 -> least and the screen itself isn't as

171.2 -> laggy as the ones you'll find in golfs

173.04 -> and id3s it feels pretty upmarket in

175.84 -> here too any hard scratchy plastics are

178.239 -> well hidden and there's enough sporty

180.48 -> touches such as this red flash on the

182.879 -> steering wheel and the gear selector

185.04 -> here and the tartan seats just to make

188 -> it feel a little bit more special than a

189.92 -> regular polo so far then the polo gti

192.879 -> has proved itself to be reasonably well

194.72 -> built fairly well priced and very well

197.04 -> equipped but what's it like on the road

199.44 -> well the polo gti hatchback does

201.76 -> everyday driving very well it's smooth

205.12 -> quiet comfortable and rides well it

208.159 -> soaks up the lumps and bumps on town and

210 -> country roads and it handles the

211.84 -> motorway in a very smooth fashion

214.64 -> without any fuss it's economical too

217.12 -> drive it hard and you'll see fuel

218.48 -> consumption below 30 miles per gallon

220.56 -> but cruise around a bit more sedately

222.48 -> and you'll get around 40 miles per

224 -> gallon fairly easily but hang on isn't a

226.72 -> small hot hatch supposed to be about

228.799 -> zingy handling and exciting performance

232.239 -> it is

233.28 -> and that's where the polo falls down

235.84 -> sure it's as quick as you'd expect with

237.439 -> 207 horsepower meaning you can get from

239.84 -> naught to 62 in just 6.5 seconds and

242.799 -> it's got adaptive damping as standard so

244.879 -> you can firm up the suspension for a

246.48 -> more sporty feeling drive it's all very

248.959 -> restrained civilized sensible even and

252.879 -> sensible is not a word you want to be

254.959 -> using to describe a small hot hatch you

257.759 -> want it to be like an over-excited jack

260 -> russell that's got boundless energy and

262.479 -> barely controlled excitement instead it

265.6 -> just feels like a scaled-down golf with

267.919 -> a little bit of extra pep

276 -> if you want a smart easy going practical

279.12 -> car with a decent turn of speed then the

281.36 -> polo gti ticks all the boxes problem is

284.56 -> a golf gti ticks more boxes so you'd be

287.28 -> better off going with one of those and

289.04 -> if you don't want a golf gti chances are

291.44 -> you'll want something more raw and

293.28 -> exciting and in that case an i20n or a

296.4 -> fiesta st are both a better bet and

299.12 -> that's the problem with the polo gti

301.12 -> it's really not a bad car in fact it's

303.44 -> rather good it's just not as enjoyable

305.919 -> as any of the alternatives but what do

308.08 -> you think let us know in the comments

309.919 -> below and if you're thinking of buying a

311.84 -> used car then head to cargurus.co.uk

314.639 -> to find top cars from top rated dealers

319.64 -> [Music]

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axIT4Tyxe20