VW Polo GTI Edition 25 Celebrates Quarter of a Century for the Pocket-Sized Hot Hatch

A quarter of a century has passed since Volkswagen introduced the world to the first-ever Polo GTI sporty subcompact hatchback. It's certainly not as old as the VW Golf GTI, which was born in 1976, but it sure follows in its footsteps by adding on weight, exponentially lifting the hp count, and trying to halve its zero to 62 mph time. And, of course, one can also bask in many creature comforts nowadays.

Because 25 years have passed since Volkswagen launched the first Polo GTI on the market, the German company is naturally marking the anniversary with the special Polo GTI Edition 25. Limited to just 2,500 units, the Mk6 Polo GTI rocks the same 152 kW (207 PS/204 hp) powertrain along with the usual array of stand-out features. These include a standard sports suspension, XDS electronic differential lock, lots of equipment goodies, and a slew of "special design highlights."

Of course, pricing is to match the glory of a collector's item, and the new Volkswagen Polo GTI Edition 25 has a starting MSRP of €35,205 (around $38,135 at the current exchange rate) at home in Germany, where it will become available starting June 1. Not to be fussy about it, but over in the United States, you could add around $3k and snatch a proper sports car like the 2023 Nissan Z two-door. Or, if you still want the Hot Hatch treatment, the bigger GR Corolla compact car starts from an even lower $36k!

Anyway, back to the smaller sibling of the Golf GTI, the unique anniversary model Polo GTI Edition 25 will sprint to 62 mph (100 kph) in 6.5 seconds, along with its "host of exclusive equipment features." The latter include perks like Black Glossy 18-inch Adelaide alloy wheels, black-painted roof and mirrors, premium sport seats in perforated black-red leather with GTI logos, and glossy black trim with red GTI lettering, plus a commemorative "One of 2500" symbol in the cabin. The special edition version is available in regular Polo GTI hues like Pure White, Kings Red Metallic, Reef Blue Metallic, Smoke Grey Metallic, and Deep Black Pearl Effect, but there is also a new Ascot Grey shade.

Other perks range from IQ.LIGHT LED matrix headlights with Dynamic Light Assist and LED daytime running lights to a sports steering wheel and the optional Travel Assist as part of the IQ.DRIVE assist package that "can take over steering, braking, and acceleration of the new Polo GTI at speeds up to 210 kph," which is almost 131 mph. Inside, the standard infotainment system Ready2Discover has an 8-inch touch display, but there are also two other systems on the options list. Just like most other Polo models, the Polo GTI Edition 25 is also produced in Kariega (South Africa).