This is a car for all phases of your life; sophisticated and understated. It ticks all the boxes for performance and handling, and you can live with it in all situations.
It wouldn't tick the box for reliability. I sold VW and can tell you that you're rolling the dice if you buy one. Unless, of course, you enjoy spending time in the service department, even if the work is covered under warranty.
The most comprehensive and knowledgeable review I’ve watched for this car. I was seriously considering upgrading my Polo R Line to the 22 GTI but the cost increase is a sledgehammer blow to that idea. $40k plus is stupid for this product.
Ι configured a fully loaded GTI on the German site....and the total cost is 38k EURO aka 57k AUD.....its insane... I dont know maybe the war in Ukraine has affected car prices... I remember the pre facelift GTI fully loaded was like 32-33k EURO.
John, I think you meant to say thirty thousand? I'm pretty sure the 6R and 6C going all the way back a decade were all listed for 27k before driveaway.
Bit late to this but thanks for the excellent summary and video as it has reassured me that the choice I have made, just ordered the 2024 version and due to arrive May/June this year (2024) was correct. Can't wait to get hold of it.
The instrument Lay-out on the Polo is nice, better than the Golf. Too bad the Polo is not offered in the States, but if it only offered with automatic like in Australia, it would give me pause, as part of the fun of driving a hot hatch is rowing your own gears, but overall a very nice little car!
@@rjbiker66 damn I didn’t know that they actually made them without OPF for certain countries. I see on the internet that indeed australia’s fuel wasn’t compatible with the filters, and so the filters have been emerging much later. You are really lucky to not have them in a lot of vehicles, cause I own a 2018 polo gti (no OPF), and it sounds soo much better than the models with OPF. They literally have no pops or dsg farts
I think this should be compared against the Fiesta ST, not the i20N. Even though the i20N by far the more popular car, the Ford Fiesta ST is known as the best hot hatch. I am really interested to see the Ford Fiesta ST lining up against the GR86 in the future if possible. Since the most fun car does not always have to be rear wheel drive.
@Lawence Lo: Autocar UK (often accused of being the world’s biggest fast Ford and VW fans) named the i20N as it’s best affordable sports car of the year beating both the Golf R and Fiesta ST. Maybe you need to reset your bias…
I don't think an i20n is a fair comparison, it's a very track focused and tight hot hatch, it would leave the polo for dead round a circuit. This is probably a more fair comparison with a fiesta or clio.
i20 N in Aus is around 37k, this is about 45k. I used to own a POG but with no manual gear box and the price difference I think the winner is a no-brainer.
@@chrismlarge1 with the rarity and the raving reviews the Hyundai has got and with the warranty included also, I doubt it would depreciate any more than the VW
The gearbox, even in manual mode, always upshifts on its own when the engine approaches the upper rev limit, and sometimes, when you touch once the paddle to downshift into just one lower gear, it actually shifts down into a much lower gear than you need. It simply kills all the fun. No thanks.
@@chasingcars Not really or you would have included the group in your general statement regarding relative value. Since we live in a period with the highest rate of inflation since the '80's, where the price of nearly everything has gone up, including cars, then why complain about VW, their prices have not gone up much more than others, and are still competitive?
@@chasingcars Perhaps you should add that car prices are up across the board due to chip/supply chain/generally high rates of inflation so that your statement means something.
The Polo GTI has never been a big seller in this country, and I can see why when compared to the latest competition. People drawn to small high performance cars want something fun, sporty and characterful, something unmistakably divisive and boisterous, and that's not where the Polo shines. It's safe, conservative and refined, making it somewhat vanilla and a little too expensive compared to the competition. It's a decent car in isolation, but it lacks what most enthusiasts care about in a hot hatch. And let's not kid ourselves: cars like this are primarily for enthusiasts.
Shame that VW are so insistent on this capacitive BS for steering wheels, infotainment volume and AC controls. I don't mind capacitive areas such as small sensors like MB used to do on their steering wheels, but the tactile response is far better with buttons, especially on bumpy roads and where you don't want to take your eyes off the road. Very classy and understated upgrade otherwise though
Not terrible value at all! My 2010 manual Comfortline was $24.5k with everything less the heated sports seats (~$2k) and dealer fit blue tooth (~$600) back in the day.
I still think the I20n only has one true competitor in Australia. The Fiesta ST is offered in a manual, the Polo GTI isn't. Imo the manual gearbox is a big part of the driving experience of a hot hatch.
i20n is a million times more interesting. In the longer run and in particular when looking at a future of electric vehicles the I20n will come out as the memorable one.
The general consensus is that it drives a lot better. For example one reviewer described it as driving like a baby/tiny BMW M 'as in very' tight and sporty'. The polo is basicly a 'normal car' with slightly firmer suspension and a bigger engine. A very fine 'normal car' though. The i20n has gone through much more engineering work to differentiate it from the base 'normal i20'. The fiesta St is a fair competitor to the i20n.
Why so expensive? They knew somehow the world economic depression earlier and raised car price prior to the recession came down to norm people..and they also knew just over $42k gti polo would be more or less equivalent like $27k 2018 gti polo near future.. they knew it n will know it..
Mmm I just wish VW would give us a proper old school hot hatch. I mean a one with a stick shift & a barging basement interior I don’t want any infotainment crap. Nice analogy dials & a nice stereo will do for me. Everything else is unnecessary crap! Please stop with all this nonsense about infotainment crap! A car is a car that I want to drive I don’t want some touch screen cluttering up my dashboard.
This is a car for all phases of your life; sophisticated and understated. It ticks all the boxes for performance and handling, and you can live with it in all situations.
I have to agree. You will end up spending around AUD$20k more to get the Golf GTI, and for little performance upgrade.
It wouldn't tick the box for reliability. I sold VW and can tell you that you're rolling the dice if you buy one. Unless, of course, you enjoy spending time in the service department, even if the work is covered under warranty.
The most comprehensive and knowledgeable review I’ve watched for this car.
I was seriously considering upgrading my Polo R Line to the 22 GTI but the cost increase is a sledgehammer blow to that idea. $40k plus is stupid for this product.
Glad to hear it!
Just look at the market, all manufactures are taking the piss !!
Ι configured a fully loaded GTI on the German site....and the total cost is 38k EURO aka 57k AUD.....its insane...
I dont know maybe the war in Ukraine has affected car prices...
I remember the pre facelift GTI fully loaded was like 32-33k EURO.
Mine arrives in two months! Can’t wait for this daily beast
Enjoy the car!
Excellent and very fair review! This video definitely helped with my decision to order one. Though with an estimated delivery date of Q1 2023 😬
Great review. I’m in the middle of a mid life crisis so looking for something fast and comfortable when I need it to be
lol same......i think the gti is the one
John, I think you meant to say thirty thousand? I'm pretty sure the 6R and 6C going all the way back a decade were all listed for 27k before driveaway.
I think he meant the base model polos for just over $20k, it's kind of confusing to mention it that way in a gti video
Bit late to this but thanks for the excellent summary and video as it has reassured me that the choice I have made, just ordered the 2024 version and due to arrive May/June this year (2024) was correct. Can't wait to get hold of it.
The instrument Lay-out on the Polo is nice, better than the Golf. Too bad the Polo is not offered in the States, but if it only offered with automatic like in Australia, it would give me pause, as part of the fun of driving a hot hatch is rowing your own gears, but overall a very nice little car!
2:34 might want to fix the boot capacity animation
Oops.
I thought I was still drunk from last night!🤪😅
The Polo GTi doesn't have a particulate filter. Therefore it actually has an exhaust note and will pop on downchanges in sports mode.
Yep, it does make fruitier noises.
All models from 2019 on have OPF. The 2018 model sounds so much better because it doesn’t have one yet
@pyrocrewZuiden we didn't in Australia. We always got the 147kw and 6 speed DSG drivetrain.
@@rjbiker66 damn I didn’t know that they actually made them without OPF for certain countries. I see on the internet that indeed australia’s fuel wasn’t compatible with the filters, and so the filters have been emerging much later. You are really lucky to not have them in a lot of vehicles, cause I own a 2018 polo gti (no OPF), and it sounds soo much better than the models with OPF. They literally have no pops or dsg farts
VW Tartan interior looks the part, even today 🥇🥇🥇
Very nice but do we know thw the reliability record of a Polo?
Great review, I’d buy one if it were in my budget. Going to take a look at the Style soon…will you be doing a review on that model?
Yes, we sure are. Stay tuned!
@@chasingcars …awesome, thanks!
I think this should be compared against the Fiesta ST, not the i20N.
Even though the i20N by far the more popular car, the Ford Fiesta ST is known as the best hot hatch.
I am really interested to see the Ford Fiesta ST lining up against the GR86 in the future if possible. Since the most fun car does not always have to be rear wheel drive.
Got the mk8 Fiesta ST, and have the BRZ on order. Looking forward myself to comparing both.
@@andyh5666 lucky you! please keep us up to date! Would be very interested to know.
@Lawence Lo: Autocar UK (often accused of being the world’s biggest fast Ford and VW fans) named the i20N as it’s best affordable sports car of the year beating both the Golf R and Fiesta ST. Maybe you need to reset your bias…
@@rotoehu9266 "bias"? its just an opinion, bruh
Great review👌👌👍.
Where is the long term i20N review?
I was going to ask the same question until I saw yours.....
What's more comfortable this or the Hyundai i30 n-line premium sedan?
The do it all daily warm hatch which is actually comfortable - well done VW!
looks like a real fun daily, not too much hp, not too much money
I20n for me its much more rarer and fun to drive nice sound and a korner pocket rocket🚀 and the most important it has a MANUAL gearbox
I have ordered the I20n and intend to drive the little beast daily.
The thing is the interior has awful quality compared to the GTi....I agree with the other though
Where is the long term Hyundai I20n review that's the review the viewers want to see.
I don't think an i20n is a fair comparison, it's a very track focused and tight hot hatch, it would leave the polo for dead round a circuit.
This is probably a more fair comparison with a fiesta or clio.
I have ordered an I20n and intend on daily driving the little beast.
@@ljp1942 comfy and I still get 50mpg from it and has a larger interior than all the others? The i20N is one of the all time greats
Wouldn't leave it for dead. Ridiculous statement
@@mharro88 tell me you haven’t driven both without telling me 😂
@@steeley_ I have. The i20n is way to rough as a daily
You forgot to color correct LOG shots? :( and 2:36 graphic title “ot capacity” sized like monster? Really? :/
What circuit is that John? I thought I knew all the circuits in Australia but I don’t recognise this one!
i20 N in Aus is around 37k, this is about 45k. I used to own a POG but with no manual gear box and the price difference I think the winner is a no-brainer.
I think you’ve forgotten about depreciation, I can sell my 2 year old Polo GTI for nearly as much as I bought it, try doing that with a Hyundai.
@@chrismlarge1 with the rarity and the raving reviews the Hyundai has got and with the warranty included also, I doubt it would depreciate any more than the VW
@@chrismlarge1 you can easily now. They cost more than you buy them for. The n division is dominating
No manual gearbox to replace my 2016 Polo GTI.
Great review. Wish a new Fabia vRS was released
A new Fabia RS would be great - as would a Cupra Ibiza.
Any idea why Southern Hemisphere Polo GTIs get a different engine/gearbox combination to Europe ?
No autobahn in Australia means less need for a 7th gear I reckon
The gearbox, even in manual mode, always upshifts on its own when the engine approaches the upper rev limit, and sometimes, when you touch once the paddle to downshift into just one lower gear, it actually shifts down into a much lower gear than you need. It simply kills all the fun. No thanks.
Yep. Not really a car for most hot hatch enthusiasts.
Apparently this whole inflation thing hasn't trickled down to the automotive journalism world.
We live normal lives too.
@@chasingcars Not really or you would have included the group in your general statement regarding relative value.
Since we live in a period with the highest rate of inflation since the '80's, where the price of nearly everything has gone up, including cars, then why complain about VW, their prices have not gone up much more than others, and are still competitive?
We note increasing or decreasing prices wherever they appear. That’s our job.
@@chasingcars Perhaps you should add that car prices are up across the board due to chip/supply chain/generally high rates of inflation so that your statement means something.
@@toddstevens8506 Volkswagens prices are up more than anyone else
The Polo GTI has never been a big seller in this country, and I can see why when compared to the latest competition. People drawn to small high performance cars want something fun, sporty and characterful, something unmistakably divisive and boisterous, and that's not where the Polo shines. It's safe, conservative and refined, making it somewhat vanilla and a little too expensive compared to the competition. It's a decent car in isolation, but it lacks what most enthusiasts care about in a hot hatch. And let's not kid ourselves: cars like this are primarily for enthusiasts.
Shame that VW are so insistent on this capacitive BS for steering wheels, infotainment volume and AC controls. I don't mind capacitive areas such as small sensors like MB used to do on their steering wheels, but the tactile response is far better with buttons, especially on bumpy roads and where you don't want to take your eyes off the road. Very classy and understated upgrade otherwise though
Not terrible value at all! My 2010 manual Comfortline was $24.5k with everything less the heated sports seats (~$2k) and dealer fit blue tooth (~$600) back in the day.
Oh, and no sat nav either. Can't remember what that was worth.
I still think the I20n only has one true competitor in Australia. The Fiesta ST is offered in a manual, the Polo GTI isn't. Imo the manual gearbox is a big part of the driving experience of a hot hatch.
I'd buy this if it was offered with a $2k cheaper manual box...
i20n is a million times more interesting. In the longer run and in particular when looking at a future of electric vehicles the I20n will come out as the memorable one.
also way more expensive
It's also louder and less luxurious
What's so interesting about driving a Korean shitbox?
The general consensus is that it drives a lot better. For example one reviewer described it as driving like a baby/tiny BMW M 'as in very' tight and sporty'. The polo is basicly a 'normal car' with slightly firmer suspension and a bigger engine. A very fine 'normal car' though. The i20n has gone through much more engineering work to differentiate it from the base 'normal i20'. The fiesta St is a fair competitor to the i20n.
The Polo GTI has a nicer front interior than the MK8 Golf which is a cheap and nasty mess.
Why so expensive? They knew somehow the world economic depression earlier and raised car price prior to the recession came down to norm people..and they also knew just over $42k gti polo would be more or less equivalent like $27k 2018 gti polo near future.. they knew it n will know it..
No manual so discounted it
Still Prefer the i20n in looks and of course the price, or i20n arrives in August 🤗😎
Of course it’s better than an Hyundai, what a thing to ask 😂
Better? Not according to many people on YT. Your 'better' doesn't make it so.
The new VW Polo is not too expensive - facing the new VW Golf GTI that costs 50K
Only issue is no aircon controls and poor engines which always cause problems
Way too expensive!!!
Is VW a premium car or what!?
It's a Polo, though.
I20 N is far better
Not at all lol. The i20 N is way much better
Pin pls.
Mmm I just wish VW would give us a proper old school hot hatch. I mean a one with a stick shift & a barging basement interior I don’t want any infotainment crap. Nice analogy dials & a nice stereo will do for me. Everything else is unnecessary crap!
Please stop with all this nonsense about infotainment crap! A car is a car that I want to drive I don’t want some touch screen cluttering up my dashboard.
38 k for a polo😝😝😝