Power by stage
Stock is VW's figure. Stage 1 to 3 are the tuners' own claims; RacingLine and APR quote engine power, the others don't say. Stage 1 and 2 figures are mostly on 98 octane; only APR publishes a 95-octane figure (245 hp). The Stage 2 figures above 252 PS need the particulate filter removed. We found no built-engine parts made for the Polo, so there is no Stage 4 figure.
Names with an arrow go straight to that part's product page for this car. Names in a dashed outline are other brands that make the part; exact links for them are being added.
Software only
232–259 hpA flash tune on a 2017–2021 car claims 232–259 hp on 98 octane, with torque rising from 320 Nm to about 400–445 Nm. APR programs the Bosch MG1 engine computer through the diagnostic port without unlocking it (its note). For the 2021 facelift only BR-Performance offers a flash tune; the rest are plug-in boxes.
Typical cost: flash tunes $446.95 (APR), £480 (RacingLine, at the dealer) or €620–€690 (BR-Performance); gearbox software €400–£678; plug-in boxes €299–€449 (DTE, RaceChip) or $559 (JB4).List prices, Sept 2026, before shipping, import tax and fitting.
Stage 1 tunes compared
| Tune | Fuel | Claimed power | Claimed torque | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| APR Stage 1 | 95 / 98 / 102 RON | 245 / 259 / 269 hp | 419 / 445 / 466 Nm | 2017–2021 car; engine power |
| REVO Stage 1 | 95 / 97 / 99 RON modes | 232–252 PS | 392–435 Nm | Particulate-filter car (DKZC); the earlier CZPC file claims 225–243 PS |
| RacingLine OEM+ Stage 1 | 98 RON+ | 233 PS | 405 Nm | 2017–2021 only, not the facelift; £480 at a RacingLine dealer |
| BR-Performance Stage 1 | — | 240 hp | 420 Nm | €690; the facelift file is €620 |
| DTE PowerControl X | — | 249 PS | 401 Nm | Plug-in box for the facelift; the 200 PS box adds +34 PS |
| ABT Power | — | 245 PS | 360 Nm | Plug-in box for the facelift; €3,018 at ABT's French distributor |
| RaceChip | — | +25 / +30 hp | +46 / +55 Nm | Plug-in box; also for the facelift |
| JB4 Group 8 | 91 octane or better | "up to 30hp" | +45 lb-ft | Plug-in box for the 200 hp car; gain at the wheels |
Tune the gearbox too
VW's training booklet for the 6-speed DQ250 (Self-Study Programme 308) gives it a maximum of 350 Nm, and every flash tune above runs more. REVO, APR and RacingLine all raise the gearbox's clutch torque limits with their own gearbox software: REVO DQ250, RacingLine (£480–£678 at the dealer, or £780 with the engine file as a package) and BR-Performance (€400).
Intercooler, intake and downpipe
250–285 hpRacingLine says the factory intercooler "proved to be unable to cope", with "serious power losses during hard driving", so a bigger one comes first. With its intake and intercooler and the particulate filter kept, RacingLine's Stage 1+ claims 252 PS and 440 Nm. The bigger Stage 2 figures need a high-flow downpipe and the filter removed, which RacingLine offers only "where legal".
Typical cost: intercooler £572.25–£839 (Airtec, Wagner) or $813.37 (do88); intake $268.95–£609.32 (APR, do88, RacingLine); Milltek sports-cat downpipe £983.62 or HJS ECE downpipe £1,935.60–£2,497.20; BR-Performance Stage 2 from €3,800.List prices, Sept 2026, before shipping, import tax and fitting.
Stage 2 packages compared
| Package | Fuel | Claimed power | Claimed torque | Required hardware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RacingLine Stage 1+ | 98 RON | 252 PS | 440 Nm | Intake and intercooler; filter kept |
| RacingLine Stage 2 | 98 RON | 277 PS | 468 Nm | Intake, intercooler, high-flow cat downpipe, filter removed |
| REVO Stage 2 | — | 245–285 PS | 427–480 Nm | Hardware list not on its page |
| BR-Performance Stage 2 | — | 250 hp | 440 Nm | Sports-cat exhaust, intercooler, inlet pipe, BMC filter; filter removed on later cars |
Parts list
- Intercooler required
RacingLine VWR141001Wagner Competition intercoolerAirtec intercoolerdo88 intercooler
RacingLine claims 20.5°C cooler air and says its intercooler also fits the facelift; do88 claims 21°C.
- Intake required
APR Open Intake (2019–2024)RacingLine carbon intake (to 2021)do88 intake and turbo inlet (to 2021)
The facelift has no air-mass meter, so intakes for the earlier car don't fit it. APR lists its intake for 2019–2024 cars.
- Downpipe recommended
HJS ECE downpipe (filter cars)HJS ECE downpipe (2018–19, no filter)Milltek sports-cat downpipeScorpion downpipe
HJS's are the only downpipes we found that are ECE-approved for road use. We found no downpipe listed for the facelift.
- Exhaust optional
Milltek GPF-backScorpion (facelift)Remus
Milltek's GPF-back fits 2019–2021 filter cars and the facelift, and keeps the filter.
- Boost hoses optional
RacingLine boost hoses (to 2021)
Silicone hoses for the charge-air side of the 2017–2021 car.
Upgraded turbo and DSG clutch
320–420 hpStage 3 replaces the factory IS20 turbo with an upgraded one, on top of the Stage 2 parts. BR-Performance's Stage 3 claims 320 hp and 500 Nm. Turbo-Total's upgraded IS20, which lists the Polo's CZPC and DKZC engines, claims "up to 300 hp" with its Stage 1 file and "up to 420 hp" with Stage 2.
Typical cost: upgraded IS20 turbo €1,259.66–€1,361.85 before VAT (TTE, Turbo-Total), plus software, DSG clutch and cooling; BR-Performance Stage 3 from €7,000.List prices, Sept 2026, before shipping, import tax and fitting.
Turbo upgrades compared
| Kit | Fuel | Claimed power | Claimed torque | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BR-Performance Stage 3 | — | 320 hp | 500 Nm | Hybrid turbo plus the Stage 2 parts, from €7,000 |
| Turbo-Total IS20 upgrade | — | up to 300 / 420 hp | — | €1,361.85 before VAT; needs software; "no road approval" |
| TTE485 | 95 RON | 387 hp | 503 Nm | €1,259.66 before VAT; the example car was a Cupra, not a Polo |
Parts list
- Upgraded turbo required
Turbo-Total IS20TTE turbos for the Polo AW
Every one needs its own software. TTE's example build also had an upgraded clutch, fuel pump and oil cooler.
- DSG clutch and gearbox software required
TVS DQ250 race clutch (550 lb-ft)
At 500 Nm the DQ250 is far past VW's 350 Nm rating; TVS's clutch is used with its own gearbox software. It fits the 6-speed car only.
Built engine
no verified partsWe found no built short block or big-turbo kit sold for the Polo. TTE lists bigger turbos in its Polo section, but its 535–580 PS figures come from other cars on the same platform, so we don't give a Stage 4 figure. Past Stage 3, find a shop that has built an EA888 Polo before and can show its results.
Watch: real builds
From tuners', shops' and motoring journalists' own YouTube channels. Nothing loads from YouTube until you press play.
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0:18Questions to ask the shop
- Is my car a CZPC (no filter), a DKZC (with filter) or a facelift DNND, and does your file support that exact engine?
- What does the file make on 95 octane, not just 98?
- Will you tune the DSG too, and to what torque? Is my gearbox the 6-speed DQ250 or the facelift's 7-speed?
- Does your Stage 2 keep the particulate filter and an approved catalyst, so the car passes inspection?
- Do I need a bigger intercooler for repeated pulls in hot weather?
- Can you flash the car back to stock before a dealer visit, and does that show?
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