GROWING UP BUT NOT GROWING OLD

New Polo GTI has been around the block, six times!

- Pawan Dhingara

If the Kona N's idea of a hot hatch is a little too abstract, you're probably someone who still has a soft spot for the venerable Volkswagen Polo GTI. And you're not alone either in these feelings because in markets like South Africa and the UK, the Polo is among the top five best-selling passenger cars, and every time you get behind the wheel, you understand why. It's well-built, stylish, carries a degree of German polish and even in base form has a chassis that won't go all soggy when you throw a set of corners at its front wheels.

The Polo GTI has been through a number of evolutions, not least of which have been the myriad engines. It's gone up and down in displacement, fettled with both turbochargers and superchargers and manual and auto gearboxes. Problem is, it wasn't ever following what the bigger Golf GTI was doing and if you're a brand trying to save costs by setbacks, you can't afford too many variations.

For the last few years, the Polo GTI has been cuddling up to the Golf GTI, offering a more mature package than previous iterations while still trying to be within budget for those who are entering the hot hatch scene for the first time.