Volkswagen Golf GTI review
Our review of the VW Golf GTI, the original hot hatch - and still one of the very best
The Volkswagen Golf GTI was the original hot hatch. Now, in its seventh generation, VW has made the car quicker, comfier and, most importantly of all, more fun to drive. Combine this with the GTI's desirable image, and you have the best all-round hot hatch you can buy. The GTI shares its underpinnings with the standard Golf, which is a very good starting point, but it adds lowered and stiffened suspension, fast steering and a 217bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine. You can also buy a Performance Pack upgrade, which increases power by 10bhp and adds larger brakes plus an electronically controlled mechanical limited-slip differential – a first for the GTI. Three- and five-door bodies are available, and prices start at just under £26,000, which is a slight increase on the old car’s. However, improved efficiency means running costs are lower, while the addition of the new Volkswagen active safety systems makes the newcomer cheaper to insure than before.
Our choice: Golf GTI five-door manual
Styling
The new Golf GTI looks pretty much the same as the old one – but that's because Volkswagen has, once again, gone for an evolutionary rather than revolutionary design. There are all the usual GTI hallmarks, such as a roof spoiler, GTI badging, a subtle body kit and a sports exhaust. And there's the traditional red stripe across the grille, only this time it extends into the headlamps. Various red accents and shiny bits of trim throughout the interior help create a sporty feel, as does the flat-bottomed GTI steering wheel, aluminium pedals and classic golf-ball-inspired gearknob. Standard tartan cloth seats also make a welcome return, and raise the question of why anyone would pay for the optional leather upgrade. Overall, the GTI looks like a very desirable machine. It may lack the in-your-face attitude of some rivals, but none can match its breadth of appeal.
Driving
There are two sides to the Golf GTI. The first is comfort. While other cars in the class trade ride quality for handling, the Golf somehow manages to square this circle. The car is especially good when fitted with the optional adaptive dampers, as in comfort mode you’d almost never guess it features lowered and stiffened suspension. That’s until you point the car at a few bends and realise just how well it handles – and it's even better when fitted with the limited-slip differential, as this improves traction when exiting corners. New variable-rate steering, which progressively increases the angle of the wheels as you apply lock, makes the car feel very agile and responsive to inputs, while excellent stability provides you with lots of confidence to make the most of the performance. The GTI's 217bhp 2.0-litre power output is below that of its main rivals, but the 350Nm of torque it produces isn't. And because it's available from 1,500rpm, performance is instantaneous.
Reliability
The Volkswagen Golf has earned an impressive five-star rating from Euro NCAP, making the GTI one of the safest hot hatches around. All models come with curtain and driver's knee airbags, while stability control is standard. The GTI also gets VW's anti-collision systems, which can prevent you getting too close to the car in front and will even automatically brake the car to a complete halt to prevent a collision at low speed. Then there's the reliability – the Golf's reputation for solidity has been one of its key selling points for over 30 years. Nonetheless, the GTI gets a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty.
Practicality
The GTI is just like any Golf, so that makes it a very practical performance car. Obviously the five-door is the easiest model to live with, and that's why it’ll account for 70 per cent of all GTI sales. Both it and the three-door have a good- sized 380-litre boot with an adjustable floor. There’s also a low load height and a completely flat boot floor when the rear seats are folded. Add back seats which have enough space for adults, as well as a selection of useful storage spaces throughout the car, and the Golf GTI is very easy to live with.
Running Costs
Volkswagen says the Golf GTI can return up to 47mpg and emits just 139g/km of CO2, which is a massive improvement on the previous model. So too is the car's insurance rating. The addition of various active safety systems as standard, such as emergency city braking, means the GTI sits five insurance groups lower than before. When you also consider that the GTI will hold its value well come resale, and the fact that VW offers fixed-price servicing and a large dealer network, you can see why it’s one of the most affordable performance cars available.
