VW Polo GTI - any good in the real world?

[Ari]

Doing only 7,000 miles a year these days with maybe one long trip a month. Suddenly, sinking £20,000 - £25,000 into a secondhand car seems a bit pointless. I'd still like something quick, quiet and refined though, and prefer German cars for their longevity.

I like to buy cars are sub 3 years old sub 30,000 miles and just run them for ages. I thought maybe a Golf GTI would make a quick comfortable refined runabout but they're lots of money secondhand these days - around £20K to get below this age and mileage.

But it strikes me that the Polo GTI sits where the Golf GTI used to - 190hp, sub 7 secs to 60 and near 150mph. And recent ones can be found with pretty high spec - cruise control, heated seats, centre armrest, sat nav, SD card for music, all the things that help take some of the sting out of occasional long trips. I don't need back seats (indeed my current car doesn't even have any) so space isn't much of an issue.

£15K will buy a 2 year old car with 16,000 miles - something like this:

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

Question is, are they a bit too small for long journeys? I want something with a decent ride and that's quiet. I found a Pistonheads test which informed me that:

At medium to high speed, with the heaviest of flicks, followed by the deftest application of opposite-lock, it possible to maintain a tiny slide without computer intervention.

Helpful...

So have any grown ups driven a Polo GTI, and what is is like in the real world? (Note this is the 2015 onward facelift model with the 1.8 Turbo, not the eariler 1.4 supercharged/turbocharged engine).

[CJG98]

The 6R/6C Polo’s are great Cars. I’ve had one for 3 years (Just a boring SEL model!), It’s great to drive and very quiet for a small car, they are about the same size as old Golfs. I haven’t been too lucky with mine reliability wise (dodgy electrics), but this appears to be a one off and hasn’t put me off, I intend to move onto a 6C GTI sometime next year.

I have driven the older 2012 1.4 6R GTI, it’s great fun but a lot more sensible than the Fiesta ST’s and Abarths etc... Better Ride and Build quality, on par with the Audi A1 just without the flashy chrome and piano black stuff. The DSG is a great gearbox, however a bit dodgy reliability wise, to me the Manual makes more sense in a car this size.

As you say, to me a Polo GTI seems to make a lot more sense than the Golf GTI’s, especially now they are creeping down to the £13k-15k mark. I’m pretty sure you have already heard of the horrors of the 1.4 Twincharger, the 1.8 is much improved reliability wise, with only a few early models having Turbo issues.

Go for it!

[Shrimpvende]

These were on great lease deals recently, around £4800 all in on a 24 month lease for a DSG model IIRC. I was tempted, but reading/watching a few reviews put me off. The underlying feeling seemed to be that the golf was far better and to go for that instead.

Sadly they're nearly double the lease cost so I went with a Skoda instead! I think for short trips and only occasional rear seat passengers it would be a decent little car, on paper it seems they go pretty well and they do look good

[ZX10R NIN]

Hi I'd say the Golf is the more accomplished out of the two so that would be my pick but there is an alternative (I know you said you prefer German but this is German but without the badge) & it's the Seat Leon Cupra, they come loaded with kit as well as having a fair bit more go than the Polo/Golf:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

I think these are a better bet & if you only want to spend 16K ish then a Leon Cupra 280 would be my pick over the Polo:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[loskie]

quite likely the Polos are Spanish or SA built. German brand but not German made.
That said I had a 1.2 Polo on hire in Spain this year. A solidly built wee thing.

[Dolf Stoppard]

OP is doubting the wisdom of sinking £20k to £25k into a car, so the first three £20k cars suggested may not appeal.

The cheaper Cupras look good, but the Polo GTi is a nice car, and there's not many around.

But there are S1s around for just over £15k and I suspect these will make a sound buy in the long-term. This is where my money would go.

[Ari]

loskie said:

quite likely the Polos are Spanish or SA built. German brand but not German made.
That said I had a 1.2 Polo on hire in Spain this year. A solidly built wee thing.

Yes, good point. But still German engineered - they seem far more interested in creating a decent car than just something that looks flash in the showroom.

Perfect example of the latter was a Fiesta I borrowed recently - mid range it had alloy wheels and 'sporty' front fog lights which made it look great in the showroom, but on a motorway at night there was no way of turning down the intense glare of the instruments as they'd saved money by not fitting a dimmer. Just one of many examples of cost cutting where it's not obvious until you use the car (drum brakes on the rear axle of some Ford Focuses (Foci?) was another).

[Ari]

S1 a very interesting shout! This is a cool looking car for £18K.

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

Must go like hell with 228hp and 4 wheel drive!

Pistonheads road test as helpful as ever...

I don't really know how it drives. I spent half an hour driving it like a wally on a frozen lake

FFS.

[Ari]

Leon Cupra - nearly 300hp through the front wheels..!?

I bet that's 'interesting' on a cold wet winter day...

Looks a lot of car for the money though (although the dash - the bit you see most of - looks really old fashioned).

[ZX10R NIN]

It's not going to be as good as the same year Golf but they're a good car & worth a visit to a Seat showroom for a test drive to help you make up your mind.

[AbzST64]

I have a 2016 Polo GTI DSG.

Came from a 2014 Focus ST-3 so big(ish) car to small car but i can't fault the Polo much at all to be honest.

Id say it's just as quick as the focus, great commuter car. Have done a couple 200+ mile journeys in it and wasn't too bad but as you'd expect for a car that size. Only thing for me is the boot is tiny but as i only use it to get to work 95% of the time (50mile round trip) it's not too much of an issue.

Average around 38mpg, that's mainly 15 miles single A roads and 10 miles dual carriageway.

Any questions let me know, i hand it back in March as i got one of the super cheap lease deals!

[Ari]

That's really helpful, thanks.

[Jonno02]

Ari said:

Leon Cupra - nearly 300hp through the front wheels..!?

I bet that's 'interesting' on a cold wet winter day...

Looks a lot of car for the money though (although the dash - the bit you see most of - looks really old fashioned).

The accelerator isn't an on/off switch.

[culpz]

Depends what you class as a small car. They're quite a decent size really. I can't really see them being much less comfortable than a Golf GTI, if at all, but i could stand corrected. I'd personally prefer the Polo's dimensions, as it will feel much more nimble and a bit lighter on it's feet.

[PJRBell]

I bought a manual Polo GTI in March this year and can confirm it is good in the real world. It is very refined to drive and the standard spec/trim before options is really strong-the materials are lovely (particularly the steering wheel).

I have got a three door because I think hot hatchbacks look much cooler that way (and I rarely use the rear seats as seats) which does inhibit practicality for the occasions when you do want to use them, but the main issue is the boot - it is smaller than a VW Up because they moved the battery to the boot because the engine took up all the room at the front!! However, I've still carted my mountain bike inside and it has been just about ok.

VW claim it will get 47 mpg, however I have never got close as mine has averaged between 36 and 37 since new... Also, the fuel tank is tiny so be prepared for frequent stops at the pumps.

However, you buy a GTI to drive, and for the price it is brilliant. I have been up to Wales a couple of times and it handles wonderfully and sticks to the road like glue-I guess the front diff borrowed from its older brother is responsible for this. However, the standard Bridgestone tyres are rubbish-I will be putting Michelin PS4S on in the spring and then I'm sure it will be even better. I can understand why so many reviewers say it is slightly restrained compared to the Ford/Renault etc. but that is what I really like. It really is quick when you want it to be but when you are just cruising to work or on the motorway it is super refined and a lovely place to be. You can't beat the GTI tartan on those bucket seats!!

All of my friends are shocked how quick it is when I take them out in it - 2nd and 3rd gear to the redline are my favourites, and yes you can get the rear end a little bit playful as I discovered on a particularly spirited drive home from London late one night.

I think it is a great car that is often overlooked - get out and buy one.

[Ari]

That's really helpful and sums up my impression of the car (having never driven it!) so thank you.

[bearman68]

Silly thinking though to keep it for a long time. IMO German engineering is well built to last 3 to 5 years, and then all hell breaks loose. Both electrical and mechanical problems.
I don't specifically know about the Polo, but it's going to be the same engineering specs as all the other old ste they build.
Want something to last a long time, buy something else. (you know French, or Japanese or something tidy).

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

bearman68 said:

Silly thinking though to keep it for a long time. IMO German engineering is well built to last 3 to 5 years, and then all hell breaks loose. Both electrical and mechanical problems.
I don't specifically know about the Polo, but it's going to be the same engineering specs as all the other old ste they build.
Want something to last a long time, buy something else. (you know French, or Japanese or something tidy).

I've had some leggy Golfs since the early 80s. Most have never missed a beat & my Mk3 was 20 when I finally saw it away. My R32 was 8 years old and had a faulty diff when new, but other than that was trouble free & very entertaining.

[bearman68]

2004 onwards (give or take) was when the rot started.
But hey, each to their own. I give you they are not as bad as Land Rovers, but they do run them pretty close.

[Ari]

bearman68 said:

Silly thinking though to keep it for a long time. IMO German engineering is well built to last 3 to 5 years, and then all hell breaks loose. Both electrical and mechanical problems.
I don't specifically know about the Polo, but it's going to be the same engineering specs as all the other old ste they build.
Want something to last a long time, buy something else. (you know French, or Japanese or something tidy).

I can't say that's been my experience.

Had a Golf that went well past 100,000 miles and 10 years without missing a beat, and crucially still drove fantastically well, seats didn't sag, suspension was still taut, not a single rattle, brilliant car.

Current Mercedes - owned it nearly six years, was three years old when I bought it. over 80,000 miles, never misses a beat and again, not a rattle or creak, steering and suspension still sharp, seats still perfect.

Father had an E Class from new to 100,000 miles over 11 years. Changed it in the end for no other reason than he fancied a new one.

All sensibly driven and main dealer serviced on schedule.

So thanks for the advice and feel free to believe that 'you're just paying for soft touch plastics' if you like, but I think I'll stick to quality cars.

French...