Model tested: Volkswagen Polo GTi 3Dr
Price: £18,275
Date tested: May 2010
Road tester: Andy Goodwin

The Polo GTi has always lived in the shadow of its big brother, the Golf GTi. The bigger car has consistently been more polished and more successful as a result. But the latest Polo is an excellent car in its own right, so, with the added GTi treatment, is it finally time for the smaller car to shine?

Every inch the mini Golf GTi, the hot Polo features the iconic badging, red piping and telephone-dial alloy wheels which set the GTi apart from other models in the range.

Inside, there's red and black tartan trim, a flat-bottomed steering wheel and a standard seven-speed DSG semi-automatic gearbox, with paddle shifters behind the steering wheel.

Power is provided by a 178bhp, 1.4-litre supercharged and turbocharged engine, to give 0-62mph in 6.9 seconds and a top speed of 142mph.

Volkswagen also includes a system called XDS as standard, which acts on the front wheels to minimise wheelspin, and speed up cornering.

This level of standard technology is impressive, but the Polo GTi is far from cheap. With prices starting at £18,275 for the three-door and £18,875 for the five-door, it's firmly in Mini Cooper S territory.

It also costs significantly more than the £15,700 Fabia vRS and £16,545 Seat Ibiza Cupra with which it shares most of its components. The Polo does have the best interior and brand kudos - so its value on the used market should be better - but individual buyers will have to choose which car, and badge, they prefer.

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The Polo GTi has very good handling, but it's not class-leading. That accolade still goes to the brilliant Renaultsport Clio 200 Cup. Where the Polo differs, is that it's better suited to life away from the track. On the way to the shops, on the motorway or even a pot-holed B-road, the Polo's comfortable ride shines through.

It's also one of the first hot hatchbacks which could genuinely be described as clean and economical. Claimed figures of 47.9mpg on the combined cycle and emissions of 139g/km are still considered pretty good for a turbo diesel hatchback, never mind a 6.9 second to 62mph GTi.

Light weight (the Polo GTi weighs less than 1,200kg), clever forced induction, direct fuel injection and the ultra-efficient DSG gearbox give the Polo its fuel efficiency, and so long as you resist the temptation to accelerate hard too often, it's an economical car.

With its subtle looks, comfortable ride and fuel economy some might think the Polo GTi has gone soft. It's true, if you want a hatchback which feels right at home at a circuit a Renaultsport Clio Cup or Ford Fiesta Zetec-S is probably a better bet. But, you'd probably rather drive home in the Polo GTi.