Not long after the regular range was unveiled, Volkswagen’s Polo GTI light hot hatch has been facelifted for the 2022 model year gaining a new look, more power out of its turbocharged 2.0-litre engine and even more active safety tech. The 2022 Volkswagen Polo GTI will go on sale locally in the second quarter of 2022 competing against the likes of the Ford Fiesta ST and the soon to be released Hyundai i20 N.
The existing 2.0-litre turbocharged ‘EA888’ four-cylinder engine now produces 152kW of power in Euro spec, which is up 5kW from the previous model but the torque figure remains 320Nm. Power is still sent to the front wheels and the former six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission has been replaced by a newer seven-speed unit. Using the Polo GTI’s launch control system the sprint from 0-100km/h will happen in just 6.5 seconds (0.2 seconds faster than the model it replaces).
Optional on the 2022 Volkswagen Polo GTI are adaptive dampers (dubbed ‘Sports Select Suspension’), although the standard suspension has been lowered by 15mm over the previous model for a lower centre of gravity. Also included if you go for the adaptive dampers are stiffened anti-roll bars and more rigid mounting for the suspension for a sportier drive – we expect these to be standard kit in Australia.
When looking at the 2022 Volkswagen Polo GTI face on you will notice the new full length light bar that stretched across the front of the Polo tied with the new redesigned LED matrix headlights and new foglight design. Side on you will notice the new design to the standard 17-inch wheels although 18-inch rims are also optional. At the rear there are new tail lights with dynamic indicators and a set of twin pipes.
The full suite of active safety tech is now offered with the 2022 Volkswagen Polo GTI, including Volkswagen’s autonomous driving aid known as ‘IQ Travel Assist’ which works from standstill up to 210km/h and includes lane assist. There’s also cross traffic alert and autonomous emergency braking (AEB).
The most basic Polo GTI variants use an 8.0-inch infotainment system that can be upgraded to a 9.2-inch display with inbuilt navigation. Volkswagen’s Digital Cockpit Pro has become standard kit, with the 10.25-inch instrument cluster featuring red GTI graphics. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now standard on the Polo GTI.
The new 2022 Volkswagen Polo GTI will launch in Australia around May 2022, following the first-quarter launch in around February for regular Polo models. Stay tuned to find out more.
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