The Polo is the only five-door of this trio
and its metallic-blue paint gives it a mature demeanour in this company.
Detroit-design wheels, a honeycombed grille and the squarer stance give it a
familiar look. The GTI can be optioned with LEDs to spruce up its nose, but
that aside, there's very little to fault on the easy-going VW. The Polo clearly
carries a confidence that's only earned from wearing Wolfsburg's GTI badge.
Without doubt, the ST will have the most
forecourt appeal for the Ritalin-addled target market who will covet it. Sporty
Fiestas may be inexorably linked in people's minds to Kenny Block but I can't
shake how much the single-piece grille looks like Kenny from South Park. Order
your Fiesta ST in orange and beware of being killed off at the end of every
episode. The bulge down the bonnet works, as do the LEDs, the ST-family wheels,
the rear spoiler and the mock rear diffuser.
Under
the Fiesta's bonnet sits a turbocharged 1.6-litre EcoBoost petrol engine, which
maximum outputs are 197bhp and 177lb ft
The proof of the pudding
My first driving stint started in the
Fiesta with its grippy Recaros, intuitive ergonomics and driver-focused
cockpit. Ford's Sync connectivity forms part of the pregnant facia bedecked
with buttons, but I'm more impressed with the chunky solidity of the steering
wheel, gear shifter and hand brake. As you'd expect, the Polo's cabin feels
like a mini-me Golf, although there's nothing scaled-down about the quality
materials and top-drawer derailing. As a tactile experience, the fl at-bottomed
steering wheel is less enjoyable to use than the Ford's round item but does
feature red stitching and handy gear shift paddles. The interior of the Peugeot
requires a more discerning palate, its brazen red-failing-to-black gloss door
pulls and facia inserts are not universally liked. Despite this, the 208 is the
best specified vehicle here with satellite navigation, a prominent touch-screen
interface, Bluetooth and two- yes, two - USB ports. It feels less hung up on
performance and more interested in covering more bases.
197bhp
turbocharged 1.6-litre engine on the 208 GTi ensured suitable pace for a hot
hatch
Our convoy sets off towards the R62 and,
like the focused Fiesta, the ride in the Polo is bone-jarring. Thing is, unlike
the balanced, tautly sprung Ford, the VW feels firm for the sake of being firm,
lacking the ST's handling finesse. The only downsides in the ST are the need to
crack your back after a few hours in the sear, and a lot of bump-steer at
speed. The 208 GTi is the comfiest vehicle here when it comes to ride
compliance.
The
Polo GTI is powered by a 1.4-litre turbocharged and supercharged petrol engine
The seven-speed DSG gearbox completely
changes the way you drive the VW, leading you to sit back and rake fewer
chances but in this company, on these roads, life is just too short for such
relaxation. The gearbox needs twiddling with paddles or booted into action with
the throttle to reach more eager ratios. By comparison, whoever drove the Ford
would immediately occupy the space in my rear-view mirror, the ST's gearbox
being slick and involving. The Polo and Fiesta have clever technology on board
to keep their ferreting noses in check but the Peugeot doesn't: it is fast and
it can be a laugh but the package lacks the clarity of the full-HD ST.
