Volkswagen Golf GTI Edition 30 review

The simple ideas often prove to be the most successful, as someone in VW’s engineering department understood 30 years ago – because here we are celebrating the Golf GTI’s birthday. While the MkV is great, there’s scope for a faster, more pure hot flagship. Whether or not it ever materialises is another matter altogether. In the meantime, happy birthday, GTI. Here’s to the next 30 years!

Time flies when you’re having fun – just ask any owner of the Volkswagen Golf GTI. Launched in 1977, the original model brought more than just performance motoring to the masses; it gave birth to the hot hatch scene as we know it.

Next year, the GTI will be treated to a right royal knees-up as it celebrates its 30th birthday. And to get the party started, top brass at Volkswagen asked the engineering department to come up with something special.

And here’s the result – the Golf GTI Edition 30. Based on the acclaimed MkV GTI, the newcomer adds power and kit, plus retro nods to the MkI. Only 1,500 will be made available in the UK, and the price rises from £20,360 to £22,295 for a three-door version; add £500 for a five-door and another £1,330 if you’d like the excellent DSG sequential manual transmission.

That’s a pretty hefty hike, but it does get you 227bhp – up from the standard model’s 197bhp, or an extra 30bhp for the 30th birthday boy!

There’s also full colour coding for the bodykit, complete with a unique chin spoiler and 18-inch Pescara alloy wheels. To our mind, however, none of these cosmetic additions is an improvement over the standard GTI.

Inside, it’s the same story, with one notable exception – a golf ball-style gearknob. Last seen in service on the MkIV GTI 180, which celebrated 25 years of the badge, and before that the MkII, it’s a neat touch. You could spend more time spotting details such as the Edition 30 logos on the aluminium-effect trim above the glovebox, or down on the door sills. Or you could strap yourself in and power up...

As is the case with the standard GTI, the Edition 30’s exhaust note has a suitable burble at a standstill. And a prod of the throttle only heightens the sense of anticipation as the 2.0-litre TFSI engine’s rev counter needle flicks rapidly round the dial.

The newcomer needs slightly more revs than a regular GTI before displaying its extra muscle. Yet past 2,300rpm, it breathes faster and punches harder. All the while, the crisp-sounding, free-revving nature that makes this engine so great remains intact.

VW claims the Golf covers 0-60mph in 6.8 seconds and goes on to 152mph, Yet it returns up to 34.4mpg on the combined cycle – a drop of only 0.5mpg on the standard car. There’s no change in the CO2 levels at 194g/km.

It’s a pity that, for all the improvements made to an already fine engine, the Edition 30 wasn’t used as a platform to experiment with more driver-focused suspension. It’s the same as the standard model’s, which means it’s very good in all situations – but not brilliant.

We wouldn’t expect the latest GTI ever to get back to the intimacy and sheer exuberance of the MkI and MkII. But after sampling the Edition 30, there is room in the hot Golf clan for a car that comes closer to recapturing the old timers’ spirit. The Edition 30 takes that a step further with the engine – all we need now is for VW to uprate the suspension, make it a permanent addition and watch it sell like hot cakes.