2018 Polo GTI vs. Golf GTI: a POV Drive Comparison

Now, we're not suggesting the Polo is just as fast. It's got 200 HP to the Golf GTI's standard 230 HP, not to mention less torque. But if you put a manual Golf against a DSG Polo, some strange things might happen.

We're getting a little ahead of ourselves here. It's not a drag race, but a POV comparison we're dealing with. You can always see which car is the Polo because everything is red, including the dashboard.

Yeah, we think the Golf GTI dashboard looks dull in comparison. You can also have the smaller car with a digital panel, although the screen is about two inches shorter. Volkswagen fanatics will probably complain about the navigation in the Golf being way better. But honestly, how often do you look down there?

The Golf GTI received a facelift about a year ago. Pretty soon, there's going to be an all-new Golf, so that explains why it's starting to look dated.

Although both hatchbacks are underpinned by a platform called MQB, the one used by the Polo is smaller is called A0. That means no independent rear suspension, even though the cars weigh about the same. The list of available "toys" is surprisingly similar: self-parking, adaptive cruise control, adaptive suspension, LED lights and so on.

The price? Well, the smaller car starts at a reasonable €23,950 with a standard 5-door body and DSG gearbox. The Golf GTI is €30,425 with two fewer doors and one extra clutch pedal. Only 30 less horsepower? That sounds like 2-liter turbo bargain. Pretty soon, the manual Polo will be available for even less.