Abarth Punto vs Volkswagen GT TSi

Abarth Punto vs Volkswagen GT TSi is a battle between the two hot hatchbacks in the country at the moment is on the rise as many second or third car buyers want a pocket rocket that will be their weekend drive. The Polo GT TSi is the first of the lot and recently Fiat introduced the Abarth Punto. Now, there are other quick hatchbacks too, but they are diesel ones (Volkswagen Polo GT TDI and the Ford Figo diesel). We will stick to the petrol offerings as these are more powerful, especially the Abarth Punto. So, which is a better pick and why? We will help you decide.

Abarth Punto vs Volkswagen GT TSi Design

When you look at the Abarth Punto, you can spot it in a crowd of Punto Evos, while the Polo GT TSI has major changes and the GT badging if you want to differentiate between the GT TSI and the regular Polo. The Abarth version of the Punto has Scorpion badging, red vinyls and the drooling 16-inch Scorpion alloy wheels. The Abarth Punto is certainly a looker and it is available in two colours, white and black (both come with red vinyls and paint job on them). Volkswagen on the other hand has done a very subtle job on the GT TSi. It gets the GT badging, GT TSi stickers and all the chrome highlights on the Polo are removed.

Both are good in their own way.

Abarth Punto vs Volkswagen GT TSi Interiors

On the inside of the Abarth Punto, there are minor changes as well. The Punto gets black and grey interiors and it finally gets bluetooth audio streaming. This is one of the key feature differentiator on offer in the Abarth and soon it will be made available on the conventional Punto Evo as well. The Punto has Abarth badging and then it even has the Abarth instrument cluster as well. The Abarth Punto gets a different fabric too on the seat. Moving into the Polo, here as well the changes are very subtle. The Volkswagen GT TSi has black interiors instead of the black and beige on other Polos. There is nothing different in terms of equipment list on the Polos.

In terms of look and feel of interiors, it is the Polo GT TSi that is abetter package. Even the seat support of the GT TSi is better than that of the Punto.

In terms of comfort and convenience, we prefer the Polo. However, there isn’t much space for the rear passengers in the Polo, so if you need a proper four-seater, the Abarth Punto will be your choice.

Abarth Punto vs Volkswagen GT TSi Performance

The 1.4-litre turbo petrol on the Punto churns about 145bhp of power and this is the most powerful hatchback at this price point. Slot the gear into first and press the accelerator. The Scorpion powered Punto will start create a high thrust that will push you back into the seat. The torque that this engine produces when the turbo kicks in is unbelievable. The five-speed manual transmission on the Punto is the only kink in its armour. The gearbox is rubbery and this is what spoils the party for this quick engine.

On the other hand, the Polo GT TSi’s 1.2-litre turbo engine produces 103bhp of power and this mill comes bolted to a seven-speed dual-clutch box. It isn’t the fastest engine, but the transmission enhances the power delivery. The Abarth Punto will do 0-100km/hr in under 10 seconds, but the Polo GT TSi will be very close. Drive the Polo in the S-mode and the engine responds much faster. The Polo GT TSi is quick and what makes it fun is its gearbox. With no hands being used to shift gears, you can focus more on driving. This makes it more involving and the Polo GT TSi’s DSG box adapts quickly, making it a joy to drive as well.

Abarth Punto vs Volkswagen GT TSi handling

In ride quality, the Abarth Punto excels ahead of the Polo GT TSi. The suspension set-up on the Fiat soaks up most of the road shocks making it a joy to drive even on bad roads. The Polo’s suspension feels stiff and it can be felt in the cabin as well. In terms handling both are equally good, but for some reason we weren’t very confident with the Apollo tyres on the Punto. This is the first time that we didn’t like the grip that these tyres offered. Maybe, Fiat should get back to the Eagle NCT5’s that it offered on the Linea T-JET as well. That shall be perfect. The Apollos on the Polo as well had a loud roar when we drove it on concrete roads.

Abarth Punto vs Volkswagen GT TSi: Which one to buy?

We love Fiats and the Abarth with its raw power has the thrust to excite you each time you press your right foot down. But it is the Volkswagen Polo GT TSi that is a much better package. It feels more premium (on the inside), comfortable seats, has an effortless gearbox, easier to drive in tight lanes and more affordable too.

The Punto is faster than the Polo, but it doesn’t leave it in its dust smoke, the Polo isn’t too far behind. So, the Polo GT TSi is our recommendation, you won’t miss the manual. The Abarth Punto is highly impressive and we love every bit of it, but the Polo GT TSi is a better package.