Handling!

[FrankM83]

what does everyone think of the 6R's handling? I think it's quite hairy! pushed my a bit and could feel the car understeer quite a lot! I can honestly say my Metro handles better! :S

[Hurdy]

Needs a little modification and then it is fine.

[craig200588]

This was one of the big things about my Polo, the handling was terrible, too much body roll even at low speeds

Now have a VW Up with bigger alloys and sports suspension let me tell you, you can throw it at corners and it wont blink! sticks to the road like glue and absolutely no body roll!

My advice, get it lowered and wheels

[daydotz]

dreadful

[gavs]

Lowering won't help the handling, in fact if you go too low you will make it worse. Stiffer springs with matched dampers and stiffer front anti-roll bar along with a rear anti-roll bar will decrease the body roll and better the handling. Add strategic urethane bushes also to remove flex and you will find that the polo can handle much much better.

[George H]

This was one of the big things about my Polo, the handling was terrible, too much body roll even at low speeds

Now have a VW Up with bigger alloys and sports suspension let me tell you, you can throw it at corners and it wont blink! sticks to the road like glue and absolutely no body roll!

My advice, get it lowered and wheels

Aren't big wheels far worse for handling? The tyre flex is needed for good handling I was always told. I know of people with TVRs who swap wheels from 18" to 16" for track days, completely transforms the car handling wise, far better apparently. Notice how you never really see a racing car with stupidly low profile tyres?

And having driven an Up! I disagree with "it sticks to the road like glue" Maybe for a little city car, but it's hardly sublime handling, wouldn't like taking corners at fairly high speed in one! Now a Lotus Exige, that sticks to the road like glue

[Deako]

Mine handles great. I think the OP must be comparing a standard model 6R though. Little bit understeery, but when i was on track at Curborough last Monday i had no problems provoking the back end when the track was damp.

[Grey_Polo]

I have a 1.4 petrol with 16" 7J Cartagena wheels in the summer and 15" 6J winter tyres. I also have the sports suspension package as per the GTI with stiffer springs and 15mm lower all round.

There is very little difference between summer and winter tyres. The lower profile summer tyres give a harder ride and about 5% less fuel economy. But handling is very similar and very typically VW - that is neutral and conservative. Unlike the Ford range which seem to ask to be thrown round every bend, the Polo is solid and unsurprising. But really throw the Polo into corners and it just goes round. No drama. No panic. It handles well IMO...

[kevinctr]

The GTI sports shock absorbers really sucks. the rebound stroke is a joke and it makes the car floaty at higher speeds. I used to have good experience with the Koni FSD shock absorbers with stock springs on the 2008 JDM Civic Type R. Might consider this option or go for Eibach Pro Street setup.

[gavs]

Hmmm, interesting opinions being expressed here because 4 out of the 4 suspension engineers at work reckon that the stock suspension on my GTI is pretty bloody good and having travelled at speeds over 200kph in my GTI a fair few times, I am yet to find the rebound stroke making the car flighty, aggressive yes, but not flighty.