New Volkswagen Polo GTI goes on sale from £26,430

Volkswagen’s updated Polo GTI has gone on sale, bringing a performance option to the sixth-generation hatchback.

Priced from £26,430, the Polo GTI features a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with 204bhp and 320Nm of torque, enabling a 0-60mph time of 6.3 seconds and a top speed of 149mph.

Power is sent to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, while larger front anti-roll bars and stiffer axle-location mounts at the rear of the car ensure that the GTI is just as good in the corners as it is in a straight line. Compared with the standard Polo, the GTI sits 15mm lower, too.

All cars feature an XDS electronic differential lock as standard, too, which can control brake pressure on the front wheel through the inside of a corner, reducing wheelspin.

Adaptive chassis control gives drivers two different damping characteristics to choose from, while Eco, Individual, Normal and Sport modes allow them to adjust other areas of the car such as the steering weight, engine sound and gearbox shift time.

The GTI also benefits from matrix LED headlights, joined together with an illuminated radiator grille as seen on other Volkswagen models such as the ID.3 and ID.4. A handful of other traditional GTI styling touches have also been included, with highlights being the red trim in the grille and red-coloured GTI badges. Red-painted brake calipers take this design a step further, too.

Inside, there are sport seats finished in a check pattern material, though these can be changed to sports comfort seats trimmed in a microfibre material as an optional extra. In the centre of the dashboard is an eight-inch infotainment display, coupled with a 10.25-inch digital cockpit display.

All cars boast 17-inch alloy wheels as standard, two-zone electronic air conditioning and extensive interior lighting.