Volkswagen Golf GTD

IN boxing terms, the Golf is a legend of the hot hatch ring – and this heritage isn’t restricted to the petrol models. The GTD badge dates from 1982, and was reintroduced when the MkVI arrived last year.

In comparison, the Leon is something of an upstart, although it does share the same gym as the Golf – as both come from the VW Group stable, and they feature the same common-rail diesel engine under their shapely bonnets.

From the outside, though, they couldn’t look more different. The GTD borrows its front bumper from the GTI and adds chrome grille trim and a different set of alloy wheels – although our car’s optional Vancouver rims (£410) look even better. The Golf’s sober outline is transformed by the changes and the understated GTD gets its fair share of attention from other road users.

With its orange paint and black alloys, the Leon grabs even more attention, for obvious reasons. A less vivid shade would help, but the wider colour palette available on the SEAT says much about its objectives – believe it or not, the solid red finish of our VW is the most outlandish choice available…

Inside, the Golf has the Leon pinned in the corner. Its cabin is superb, with high-quality materials, classy switchgear and a sensible and attractive dashboard layout. The display for the optional sat-nav (£1,700) and touchscreen stereo is positioned high up, close to your eyeline – unlike in the SEAT – and the steering wheel features tactile metal highlights. In contrast, the Leon makes do with a nasty flat-bottomed plastic insert.

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Details such as the black headlining and classy lined door pockets give the interior a premium feel beside its cheaper cousin. Rear space is largely the same, but the Golf provides a little extra room for luggage and a more practical boot. Unlike the Leon, the GTD features a ski hatch, power socket and handy hooks in the load area.

For the Golf, it’s a case of so far so good, then, but these cars are as much about driving thrills as they are about practicality. And the GTD also leads the way here. For a start, it even sounds better. It’s as if the VW engineers have paid special attention to tuning its gruff exhaust note. The same unit in the SEAT is louder and rougher than in the Golf.

Against the clock, performance is closely matched. The SEAT has a slight edge, sprinting from 0-60mph one-tenth of a second faster than the Golf, but in real world driving the differences are tiny. If anything, the VW has a more linear power delivery, and responds more crisply at low revs, which explains why the GTD was faster in our fourth and sixth gear acceleration runs.

Our long-termer is fitted with VW’s excellent Adaptive Chassis Control (£765) dampers and they add further gloss to the package. The adjustable set-up provides sport, normal and comfort settings, and gives the Golf a split personality. Find a twisty B-road and you can stiffen the chassis to improve agility and body control, but on motorways and around town, the comfort mode delivers impressive ride quality.  

With precise and better weighted steering, the Golf is more communicative than its rival, with greater composure over mid-corner bumps and a more refined cabin at high cruising speeds. The brakes are too responsive at the top of their travel, but even here the VW has the measure of the less progressive SEAT.

The sting in the tail is the Golf’s price, because at £24,185 it costs £4,695 more than the SEAT. There’s no doubt the VW is a better and more desirable car, but does its polished all-round performance merit such a hefty premium?

Details

Chart position: 2
WHY: Mixing understated looks with an executive class cabin and great performance, the GTD floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee!