Compact sports car has a thought-provoking look and behavior, but Volkswagen weighed its hand on the price

by Eduardo Rocha

Auto Press

Volkswagen has a long-standing tradition, born back in the 1970s, of creating sporty versions for its passenger cars. Models not only with a sportier look, but also with an engine that justified the print. In Brazil it has been like this since the late Passat TS (Touring Sport), which brought the 1.6 version of its first national liquid-cooled engine, with an astonishing 96 hp – 18 hp more than the normal version. Currently playing this role in Brazil is the small Polo Gran Touring Sport, or Polo GTS, the only hot hatch currently offered in the domestic market.

It is equipped with a 1.4 TSi engine, with 150 hp and 25.5 kgfm, the same as the Virtus GTS, and was designed to deliver a really sporty performance, without charging anything for it in terms of comfort. He also has the mission of making Volkswagen’s model a broad-spectrum car, which reaches all layers of the compact hatchback segment. The GTS version plays the role of a showcase for the range. The price makes it very clear that this is not a sales car, but a display car at dealerships. It costs no less than R$ 151,490, or 72% more than a Polo Track, the configuration responsible for the model’s current leadership in the ranking of automobiles in the country. In other words: the GTS is at the opposite end of the spectrum, both in terms of sales and price and content.

Visually, the Polo GTS has a certain distinction from the rest of the range. The front has changes to the grille, bumper and optical assemblies. The grille with a honeycomb weave features an upper bar in the color of the vehicle and a red and red trim at the bottom. These two elements invade the optical assembly and make the external contour of the headlight, where there is another shorter LED frieze, to compose the light signature of the model. On the outer sides of the lower air intake, there are two DRLs on each side in a hexagon shape, a detail inherited from the Golf VIII. Other than that, the model can be identified by the Zunky 18-inch wheels and the GTS badges on the grille and tailgate.

This look follows to the letter what the German model assumed in the mid-life face-lift in 2021 – in Brazil, the renewal took place the following year, but without adopting the new European taillights, elongated horizontally. Inside, the points of differentiation of the version are due to red details in trims on the steering wheel, air vents, center console and synthetic leather upholstery stitching on the steering wheel, front console, gear boot, and armrest. The acronym GTS appears on the steering wheel and in embroidery on the backrests of the front seats, which are sporty, with more pronounced flaps.

Regarding content, the version brings all the features available in the line, which for the value asked by the brand, is not such a generous list: digital air conditioning, face-to-face key for locks and ignition, rear camera, front and rear sensors, electrochromic interior mirror, induction cell phone charger, light and rain sensor and start/stop system. The most technological items are the 10.25-inch digital dashboard, the LED matrix lighting system with variable light distribution, the so-called IQ Light, which includes automatic high beams, and the VW Play multimedia center, with a 10.1-inch touch screen and wireless mirroring of the Apple Car Play and Android Auto apps.

On the safety side, the GTS doesn’t add anything compared to the normal items in the range. It has the mandatory items, such as front airbags, stability control and ABS and even two side airbags and post-collision braking. It doesn’t even have the adaptive cruise control, which is present in the Nivus – which is a kind of marombo Polo. It only has the control and the speed limiter.

But what makes the GTS stand out is what’s under the hood. The 1.4 TSi engine, turbocharged with direct injection, offers 150 hp of power at around 5,000 rpm and 25.5 kgfm of torque at 1,500 rpm. With a very favourable power-to-weight ratio of 8.15 hp/kg. It is managed by a six-speed automatic transmission, with paddle shifts on the steering wheel for sequential shifts, and takes the Polo from zero to 100 km/h in 8.3 seconds and up to 206 km/h.

Point-to-point

Performance – The 1.4 TSi flex engine revs high and loose. It has very fast rev climbs and delivers full torque as soon as the car starts moving. To give you an idea, this engine doesn’t do badly even in models that weigh 400 kg more than the Polo, hence this surplus of strength in any regime and the enthusiasm of the cart to gain speed. The automatic transmission also has agile reactions and understands well the intentions of those who step on the accelerator – to the point of making paddle shift dispensable. The zero to 100 km/h in 8.3 seconds and the top speed of 206 km/h translate this personality well. In this context, four-wheel disc brakes were very welcome. Note 10.

Stability – The suspension of the Polo GTS has recalibrated springs and shock absorbers and a resized anti-roll bar, which further accentuates the rigid, European-style set-up. This makes the model even more neutral on the straights and with little roll in the corners. In this task, it is still helped by the 18-inch tires with a 205/45 size, with 9.2 cm of sidewall – which suffer a little from potholes. On good quality pavements, the ride is smooth and extremely precise. Note 9.

Interactivity – Traditional commands are in the right and obvious places and the model has huge screens to monitor and control resources. The multimedia center does not impress with its speed and ease of use, but it offers the most important functions. The dashboard settings are also not unintuitive. Note 7.

Consumption – InMetro tested the Polo with a 250 TSi engine and automatic transmission and measured very acceptable consumption rates, given the model’s performance. It was 8.0/9.98 km/l in the city/highway with ethanol and 11.4/14.1 km/l with gasoline, under the same conditions. It earned a grade of C in the category and B overall. Note 7.

Comfort – The suspension set is firm and the 15-inch wheelset with 45-profile tires, with a 9.2 cm sidewall, does not help to soften life on board. On carpet-type surfaces, the ride is extremely smooth and the GTS sticks to the asphalt. The 1.4 turbo engine is not the quietest, but a certain roar is even desirable for a model with this profile. The sports seats hold the body well in place and are softer than you’d expect from the Note 7.

Technology – The Polo’s MQB platform is rigid and lightweight. And although the model is already seven years old since it was launched in Europe (it should change generation next year), it is still well updated. Even though the model is structurally safe, the model disappoints in offering driving assistance features. The only ADAS item is the automatic high beam. There’s no adaptive cruise control, lane monitoring or collision warning with autonomous emergency braking, equipment present in even cheaper rivals. Note 7.

Habitability – The Polo offers a good space for four occupants to travel, mainly because of the good wheelbase of 2.57 m. Legs and heads find good movement area. The seats of this GTS version, on the other hand, are soft at the right point and the good quality upholstery is aggravated to the touch. The 300-liter trunk is about average for competitors. Note 8.

Finish – Even in more expensive versions like the GTS, the German brand does not excel in refinement. Even for the price, the Polo GTS deserved more neat materials, in addition to the partial synthetic leather lining. All exposed plastics are rigid with unattractive textures. On the other hand, there seems to be a certain compromise on durability with well-done assembly. Note 7.

Design – The design of the Polo has been in the market for seven years, but it has been resisting the test of time. It follows the brand’s costume, with geometric lines, straight creases and flat surfaces. In the mid-life update, the brand preferred to save the rear update. Either way, it’s a nice car with a well-marked personality. And in the version, specifically, the interventions were not exaggerated and gave an additional charm to the model. Note 8.

Value for money – The Polo GTS has a very exaggerated price, higher than any other compact on the market. Although it is the most powerful, it is not the best equipped. The function of the version is really to serve as a showcase for the brand. Note 6.

Total – The Volkswagen Polo Tracker scored 76 points out of a possible 100.

Impressions when driving

Nervous, but controlled

The Polo was born as a more sophisticated compact, with consistent structure and dynamics. That was in 2017, at the launch in Europe. But the market is moving at a faster and faster pace. Seven years is a long time and the model’s predicates have already been equaled and even surpassed by rivals. But in the case of the GTS version and the Brazilian market, there are no direct rivals. The closest compact hatchback in terms of performance has 15% less power and 20% less torque. And what distinguishes the Polo GTS even more is that it has the ability to take advantage of this additional power with ease.

The 1.4-litre 250TSi engine is responsive and works with a refined gearbox. The dynamics of the model are solid and the running is consistent. Right from the start, the generous torque of 25.5 kgfm (for a car weighing just over 1,200 kg) is completely available. The starts are vigorous and on resumptions the automatic transmission comes into action, which is so agile that it rarely requires direct intervention, via paddle shifts.

The exterior size and interior space make the Polo a pleasant car to live with. Although it does not have great technological devices, it has interesting features such as a digital panel, multimedia center with a good-sized screen, automatic air, light, rain and front and rear obstacle sensors, as well as a reversing camera. Nothing that is too out of the ordinary. The impression is that the various red details in the interior are there to remind you that this is a hot hatch in the best tradition of the brand. And just press the accelerator for this to be very clear.

Volkswagen Polo GTS

Engine: Gasoline and ethanol, front, transverse, 1,395 cm³, turbocharged, with four cylinders in line, double overhead camshaft and four valves per cylinder. Electronic throttle and direct fuel injection.

Transmission: Automatic transmission with six forward and one reverse gear. Front-wheel drive. It has electronic traction control with electronic differential lock.

Maximum power: 150 hp from 4,500 to 5,000 rpm with ethanol and from 5,000 to 5,250 with gasoline.

Acceleration 0 to 100 km/h: 8.4/8.3 seconds with gasoline/ethanol.

Maximum speed: 204/206 km/h with gasoline/ethanol.

Maximum torque: 25.5 kgfm from 1,500 to 4,000 rpm with ethanol and from 1,500 to 3,800 rpm with gasoline.

Bore and stroke: 74.5 mm X 80.0 mm. Compression ratio: 10.0:1.

Suspension: McPherson type independent front, with lower wishbones and hydraulic shock absorbers. Torsion axle rear with longitudinal arms with coil springs and hydraulic telescopic shock absorbers. It offers electronic stability control.

Brakes: Ventilated discs at the front and solid discs at the rear.

Tyres: 205/45 R18 on alloy wheels.

Hatch body in monocoque with four doors and five seats. With a length of 4.07 meters, a width of 1.75 m, a height of 1.48 m and a wheelbase of 2.57 m. It offers front and side airbags as standard.

Weight: 1,222 kg in running order.

Trunk capacity: 300 liters.

Fuel tank: 47 liters.

Production: São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo.

Price of the GTS version: R$ 151,490.00

Optional: metallic paint (R$ 1,650).