By Sibusiso Mkhwanazi

Are deadlines, “kind regards” and debit orders leaving you feeling a bit down, lately?

Then just the sight, sound and feel of the Volkswagen Polo GTI will lift your mood instantly, before you even drive it. Well-placed GTI decals, 17-inch alloys, a lower suspension and IQ.Light Matrix LED headlights distinguish it from the stock standard Polo.

Even before we got behind the wheel of the dark blue, blues-beating hot hatch, the mind-blowing figures of 147kW of power (available from 4,400 to 6,000rpm) and 320Nm of torque are sure to put a smile on your face.

The numbers kept on impressing us, including the feisty 2-litre turbocharged petrol engine paired with a 7-speed DSG transmission, family-friendly 305 litres of boot space and a 15mm lower suspension providing a sporty drive. Keyless operation, Park Distance Control and a reverse camera also make it much easier to live with, as a daily commuter.

The cockpit is welcoming, complete with supportive leather sports seats, a dual-zone climate control and an 8-inch Composition Media infotainment system and an Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible Beats sound system. To really get your blood pumping as you push its handling capabilities in corners and twisty roads, it comes standard with a digital display in red, just in case you need to be reminded it is a GTI.

Once you are firmly piloting the nimble hatch, it accelerates from 0 to 100km/h in 6.7 seconds in Sport Mode, and with the launch control selected. On that note, it would have helped to have a simpler way to activate launch control, as it takes several tries to get it right. But once you do, it is worth it! The raspy exhaust notes coupled with crowd-thrilling wheelspin and being pushed back into your seat are simply magical.

Surprisingly, when driven conservatively in Eco or Comfort mode, the Polo returned a fuel consumption of about 7.5l/100km, which makes it ideal as a practical, daily commuter, while a heavy right foot will take this figure to beyond 10l/100km. Good thing we didn’t try and reach the top speed of 238km/hour.

Verdict

The Polo GTI retails for R554,000, which is a lot of car for that price, but if you have driven the bigger brother and sledgehammer Golf GTI, you instantly know that the detuned motor is not as brutal as you want it to be at times, and that might put purists off.

But for the average man and woman on the street, it is more than sufficient as being a driver or just a passenger increases feel good hormones every time you are in it, especially know it comes with a 3-year or 45,000km service plan.