| First Drive | Millbrook, England | VW Polo GTI |

It'll be a while before we get to spend a decent amount of time in the new Polo GTI, but a few laps of the hill route at the Millbrook testing grounds was enough to give us a flavour of things to come.

In the Metal

VW should have its GTI look copyrighted. Take one regular hatchback, add a set of bigger five-spoke alloys, a chromed exhaust, sportier bumpers and side sills and then top it off with the GTI badge and red piping on the honeycomb grille. It may be a little formulaic, but it works, making it immediately obvious that you're looking at the range-topping hot hatch. The Polo also features redesigned headlights with optional LED running lights.

Inside, it's more of the same, though, as with the basic Polo, this new car takes an appreciable step up in terms of perceived quality in the cabin. GTI add-ons include a lovely chunky leather-trimmed steering wheel (flat-bottomed) and deeply contoured seats sporting the GTI family tartan. The dials are restyled too and there's more use of black than in lesser models.

What you get for your Money

VW has announced that the Polo GTI will cost £18,275 on-the-road. That's for the three-door model, as there's a premium of £600 for an extra pair of doors. Despite the performance on offer running costs should be modest, thanks to combined fuel economy of 47mpg and CO₂ emissions of 139g/km.

Driving it

As mentioned, time behind the wheel was limited. First impressions are really good though. This Polo feels much more solid and stable than its predecessor and endows the driver with confidence to push its boundaries. Those limits are high, but a few quick direction changes revealed a playful chassis that is adjustably as well as grippy. The fast-acting electronic XDS system (which mimics the effect of a limited slip differential by applying the brakes to a spinning wheel) helps keep the nose on line while powering out of tighter corners too - you can hear and feel it in operation.

The steering seems to offer up some feel, while the brake pedal is firm and well-weighted. The seven-speed, dual-clutch (DSG) automatic transmission works well, though we'd like the option of a manual too. Sadly, there won't be one.

There's plenty of grunt from the 1.4-litre TSI engine. It features a supercharger and a turbocharger and there is zero lag anywhere in the rev range. Peak power is 178bhp at 6,200rpm, with maximum torque of 184lb.ft produced from 2,000rpm. Unsurprisingly, performance is good, with 0-62mph in 6.9 seconds and a top speed exceeding 140mph.

Worth Noting

It's natural to compare the Polo to its big, accomplished brother, the Golf GTI. However, buyers in this sector will probably eye up the Polo's SEAT and Skoda cousins instead. The Ibiza Cupra and Fabia vRS both feature the same 1.4-litre TSI engine and seven-speed transmission yet cost significantly less. Does the VW badge matter than much? We're not so sure.

Summary

Even a short amount of time in the new Polo GTI is enough to realise that it's a far better car than its predecessor. Whether that, and the VW badge on the nose, will be enough to keep junior hot hatch buyers out of SEAT and Skoda showrooms has yet to be seen. It's available to order now with first deliveries in July this year.