Volkswagen Golf GTI review

Our opinion on the Volkswagen Golf GTI

Following a little blip in its forties, the VW Golf GTI has undergone a little self-improvement to become a more rounded overall prospect. The key appeal of the GTI throughout its near five-decade history is that it delivers excitement when you want it, but remains incredibly easy to live with every day. The latest Golf GTI delivers on that first front, while its mid-life refresh has ironed out some of the ergonomic irritations. The Volkswagen Golf R has even more pace, but the GTI is the driver’s choice in the Golf family.

About the Volkswagen Golf GTI

What can we say about the Volkswagen Golf GTI that hasn’t already been said before? After eight generations, the GTI remains the default choice if you’re after something quick and classy that can still take care of most families' everyday motoring needs. After all, few other hot hatches have come close to reaching even a fraction of the 2.3 million GTIs sold worldwide since the model was introduced in 1976. 

But popularity isn’t the same as ability, and the latest Volkswagen Golf came under criticism when it was launched. Following on from the incredibly high standards set by the 2013-2019 Volkswagen Golf Mk7, it couldn’t quite live up to the same level, but frustratingly, it was for many reasons other than the driving experience.

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Like the rest of the Mk8.5 Golf family, the GTI was hobbled with a string of ergonomic foibles which managed to irritate enough to detract from the entire package. Fortunately, Volkswagen has responded to the feedback, and a lot of our previous misgivings have been addressed this time around.

As part of our testing, we’ve pitted the pre-facelift Golf GTI against its then key competitor, the BMW 128ti. On that occasion, we found that the Golf wasn’t as entertaining to drive as the BMW, because it felt a little softer and more civilised compared to the BMW, which felt every bit a driver’s car and actually cost less to buy at the time (the 128ti is no longer offered for sale).

We’ve also compared the latest GTI against its renowned ancestors, in a special head-to-head feature to see just how this iconic hot hatch has developed over the decades.

Volkswagen Golf GTI prices and latest deals

Pricing starts from just over £41,800 for the regular GTI, with the hotter GTI Clubsport coming in at just over £44,200. The latter puts it within reach of the Volkswagen Golf R, which starts at a little under £46,800.

There are plenty of hot deals to be had if you spec your perfect Volkswagen Golf GTI via the Auto Express Buy a Car service. We also have a selection of used Golf GTI deals, and can even help you to sell your car.

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One of the Volkswagen Golf GTI’s key traits has always been its ability to offer a balanced set-up; not too hardcore to drive on a daily basis, but not too soft that it becomes dull and uninspiring out on the road.

The standard GTI saw a power boost as part of its facelift, although that change can only really be felt if you extend the engine towards the red line, where there’s a little more eagerness than before. The rest of the time, it’s much the same; in other words, there’s plenty of flexibility low-down thanks to an unchanged peak torque of 370Nm. The engine doesn’t make the most exciting noise (the same can be said of most four-cylinder turbocharged hot hatches), so it’s down to some slightly love-or-hate exhaust crackles to add a bit of intrigue.

Forking out for a Golf GTI Clubsport brings larger brakes, unique exterior design tweaks and a slight 35bhp and 30Nm torque boost into the mix. This car remains front wheel-drive like the reglar GTI, and unfortunately, the driving experience of the Clubsport isn’t as different as we’d like it to be. While the Clubsport is still a capable machine, we still find the crucial fun factor to be lacking. 

Arguably, the most useful upgrade the Clubsport brings is VW’s Adaptive Chassis Control system, which is a rather pricey option on the standard model. This introduces electronically controlled suspension with the option to adjust them through 15 response levels. This widens the Golf’s scope even further, giving a firm track-only setup at its most extreme, to a cosseting cruiser capable of dealing with potholes and speed bumps at its softest, all while maintaining great body control.

Another unique feature is the ‘Nürburgring mode’, and this offers maximum powertrain output combined with a reasonably soft suspension setup to suit the surprisingly bumpy Nordschleife circuit. We haven't tested this on the ‘Green Hell’ yet, but it does a good job of reducing the impact of Britain’s potholes and bumps.

Performance, 0-60mph acceleration and top speed

Both the regular Volkswagen Golf GTI and the GTI Clubsport use the same ‘EA888’ 2.0-litre turbocharged engine. The regular GTI gained an uplift in power from 242bhp to 261bhp as part of its facelift, which means that the 0-62mph time now is just 5.9 seconds – undercutting the old car by 0.4 seconds. The GTI Clubsport is a lot more potent with 296bhp and 400Nm, reducing the 0-62mph sprint to 5.6 seconds. 

If you happen to find yourself on a derestricted autobahn, the GTI and GTI Clubsport can both be maxed out at a limited top speed of 155mph. The GTI Clubsport is available with a rather pricey £3,500 GTI Performance pack which not only includes unique alloy wheels and tyres, an Akrapovic exhaust system, but also a higher top speed of 168mph.

Town driving, visibility and parking

The Golf GTI is easy to drive during the boring daily grind, making it ideal everyday transport. The brakes are easy to modulate at low speeds, and the steering is light enough when parking to make slotting it into a difficult space easier than it would be in a Honda Civic Type R. There’s one gripe that’s fairly typical of DSG automatic transmissions, though, and that’s occasional jerkiness in stop/start traffic. It’s not the biggest frustration you’ll encounter, but some rivals do offer a smoother experience here.

Even with its standard suspension set-up, the Golf GTI has a more composed ride than the closest competition, though to get the best out of the standard GTI, we’d recommend spending an extra £720 for the aforementioned Adaptive Chassis Control. Aside from its extra power, the Clubsport also settles down in an identical way as the regular GTI when pottering around town.

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Country road driving and handling

Hot hatches should be more about what they’re like in the corners than how easy they are to park in town, and here the Golf GTI and GTI Clubsport remain as sophisticated as ever. We’d suggest avoiding the firmest suspension settings if you happen to have adaptive suspension, because this can make the Golf GTI feel a touch harsh on our typically imperfect B roads. 

Grip is superb on the front axle, which gives the driver huge confidence to lean heavily on the driven tyres into a corner. Yet with that agility comes a great deal of security, too. Even with a little trail braking towards an apex, the back end doesn’t feel obliged to lose its resolve – at least away from the higher speeds of a race track – and mid corner throttle lifts cause the nose to gently tuck in rather than upset the balance too much. Some will prefer their hot hatch to have a slightly more playful feel, but there’s plenty of fun for experienced drivers while remaining accessible to more general buyers. 

Some drivers will also be disappointed by the fact that there’s no six-speed manual gearbox like you’ll find in the Toyota GR Yaris. The Golf GTI is now auto-only, and while it’s a sharp and responsive dual-clutch system, it can’t match the feeling of interaction that you get from three pedals and a gear lever. 

Motorway driving and long-distance comfort

As you’d expect for such a versatile hot hatch, the Golf GTI is an excellent motorway cruiser. Long distances can be covered without the smallest hint of stress, and aside from a little more road noise from those low profile tyres, the GTI is no less refined than a base model Golf. In cars fitted with the adaptive suspension, choosing the comfort drive mode transforms the GTI into one of the most civilised hot hatches around for long drives, with a ride that cossets rather than fidgets incessantly like some of its firmer rivals.

“If you can’t be bothered instructing the gearbox when to shift, I found it becomes rather unwilling to change up in S mode, even when I was lifting off the throttle. Also around town the gearbox can be a bit jerky when moving off, and a fair amount of road noise makes it into the cabin at higher speeds.” - Ellis Hyde, news reporter.

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Running a powerful hot hatch like the Volkswagen Golf GTI certainly won’t deliver the low running costs of a small city car or supermini, although the GTI offers enough of a balance between performance and efficiency to make things a little more financially palatable than some hot hatches. 

The WLTP combined fuel economy figure of 39.8mpg should mean you’ll be able to travel in excess of 400 miles before needing to fill up. 

For those opting for the GTI Clubsport, it isn’t quite as economical as the regular GTI at 37.2mpg, but it isn’t that much thirstier that it couldn’t manage to cover a similar distance on a tank of fuel.

While these figures aren’t exactly those you’d find in a sensible hybrid, they are at least on par with other hot hatches, because the Cupra Leon 300 manages the same 37.2mpg.

Insurance groups

The Golf GTI is a desirable performance hatchback, but it sits in a reasonable group 31 for insurance. That’s a lot lower than the Toyota GR Yaris, which starts in group 43.

For those looking for cheaper insurance, the Cupra Leon 300 will likely cost a little bit less than the Golf, because this resides in group 30.

Tax

Unfortunately, the Golf GTI sneaks over the luxury car tax threshold, which results in an additional £425 annual surcharge over the standard VED road tax rate from years two to six after the car’s initial registration. Naturally, the pricier GTI Clubsport also falls foul of this.

The Golf GTI isn’t the best candidate as a company car, either, due to every model’s high emissions and resulting lack of tax savings. If you want a hot hatch as your company car but need something with lower emissions, the Cupra Leon is available in plug-in hybrid form and will be much more affordable to run for those paying Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) company car tax. For the biggest savings, though, you’ll need to look towards fully electric models like the Cupra Born.

Depreciation

Our market data predicts that all standard Mk8.5 GTIs should hold onto around 40 per cent of their original value after a typical three-year/36,000-mile ownership period, while the Clubsport manages 39 per cent. 

These figures are a little worse than the Skoda Octavia vRS, which is predicted to be worth 44 per cent over the same period.

To get an accurate valuation for a specific model, check out our free car valuation tool...

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Sticking with tradition, the current Volkswagen Golf GTI takes a familiar, evolutionary approach to its overall design, so don’t expect the flamboyant wings and grilles you’ll find on the more aggressive-looking Honda Civic Type R. 

On the styling front, there wasn’t much to complain about before, so not much has changed. The headlights have been upgraded to Matrix LED technology, which offers 15 per cent more range than the previous units on high beam. At the back, there are some revised tail light graphics, and in between, there are some new wheel design options. The GTI badge on the side, previously a fairly small graphic behind the front wheel arch, has been replaced with much larger lettering on the door.

Interior and dashboard design

It was the cabin that came under fire most strongly when the Mk8 arrived, and it’s here where Volkswagen has tried to do what it can to improve things for the Mk8.5. Many found that the touch-sensitive controls were fiddly to use, which has seen some ditched altogether for the refresh. For example, the steering wheel has reverted back to physical buttons on its spokes, and they’re far more intuitive to use than the previous touch-sensitive set-up. 

Some haven’t disappeared, however. The main volume control is still an awkward slider below the touchscreen, although at least it’s backlit now so it can be used in the dark. It’s a little more responsive than before, and now that the driver has access to proper volume-control buttons on the steering wheel, it’s less of a negative than it was previously. However, this slider, along with the ones on either side for the dual-zone temperature controls, is still positioned where you are likely to rest your hand when using the central touchscreen.

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Materials and build quality

While the interior of the Golf GTI is far less cluttered than before, we’re still not entirely sold on the quality of the finish despite the refresh. There are still enough subtle red highlights that are unique to the GTI, along with the ambient interior lighting and bespoke GTI graphics to the digital instrument cluster to let you know you’re in something more than a run-of-the-mill Golf.

However, the interior lacks the details of the Honda Civic Type R, with its steering wheel trimmed in Alcantara, its grippy lightweight sports front seats, and its genuine aluminium gear lever.

Infotainment, sat-nav and stereo

The GTI’s infotainment system is largely the same as the regular Golf, which means you get the larger 12.9-inch Discover touchscreen system that takes up prominent residence on top of the dashboard. There’s also an additional 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster called Virtual Cockpit. It’s the same as used on the regular Golf, but with bespoke GTI graphics. 

Compared with what went before, the revised infotainment screen has faster loading times, a simpler menu layout, plus the additional screen real estate allows for some functions to be on permanent display - such as the climate controls. We’d still prefer to have some physical controls, but that’s a big improvement over what went before, and allows for quick adjustments to be made without having to delve into a submenu. 

If you don’t fancy utilising the onboard navigation system, there’s always Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity that’ll enable you to run navigation and music streaming apps from your phone. Speaking of audio, a six-speaker audio system with a DAB radio is standard, but this can be upgraded to a 480-watt, nine-speaker Harman Kardon sound system for a reasonable £630.

“For all the stuff the Clubsport offers over the normal GTI, it also takes away the hot hatch’s signature tartan seat upholstery. Without that, the interior looks and feels rather mundane. The small, cheap-feeling plastic shift paddles behind the steering wheel don’t help, nor does the piano-black plastic on the centre console or the hard scratchy plastic lower down.” - Ellis Hyde, news reporter.

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The Volkswagen Golf GTI offers an appealing blend of performance and practicality - all wrapped up in a sophisticated package. Three-door models are no longer available, which will please those who need to travel in the rear seats. Overall, cabin space is a little bigger than in the previous model. Unlike the quicker Volkswagen Golf R, you can’t get either the GTI or GTI Clubsport in a more practical estate car bodystyle.

The GTI includes plenty of useful touches that make driving, either on a busy urban route or a faster motorway journey, a little easier. Front and rear parking sensors are standard, along with automatic headlights and wipers, while on-board tech includes integrated sat-nav, adaptive cruise control and a host of driver assistance safety features.

Dimensions and size

The Mk8.5 Golf GTI measures 4,295mm in length, 1,789mm wide, and 1,471mm in height. In comparison, the Honda Civic Type R is longer and wider at 4,594mm and 1,890mm, but it’s not quite as high. It is possible to squeeze three people in the back of the Golf GTI, but if you’re after even more rear leg room and extra space in general, the Skoda Octavia vRS might be a better option.

Seats & passenger space

Much like the regular Golf, the Golf GTI has a great driving position that’s a pleasant place to sit, even on longer journeys, but the standard front sports seats trimmed in the iconic Tornado Red cloth get big side bolsters for more support during cornering. There’s a wide range of adjustment in both the front seat and the steering wheel, making it easy for most people to get comfortable. If you want electric front seats with driver’s side memory, you can get that as part of the Vienna leather option for just shy of £2,200.

There’s a large glovebox and sizable front door bins that are capable of handling a big water bottle. The latter is also carpeted to prevent items from rattling around while you’re driving. A wireless charging spot for your phone is provided as standard, and it’s angled forward to stop your phone from sliding out.

As far as space in the back goes, the Golf GTI provides the same amount of space in the back as the regular Golf, complete with small storage pockets on the back of the front seats for placing small items, such as a smartphone. 

For anyone transporting children in car seats, a pair of Isofix child seat mounting points are provided on the outer positions of the rear bench seat, and there’s even one for the front passenger seat. The hooks in the back are hidden behind some easily removable plastic tabs.

Boot space

The Golf GTI offers reasonable load space, with 381-litre boot with the rear seats up, and 1,237 litres with the standard 60/40 split rear seats folded. However, this is outshone by the 600-litre boot of the Octavia vRS, which should provide all the space you’ll likely need.

"Surprisingly, the Golf GTI is rated to tow a maximum of 1,600kg, and a towbar can be fitted for just shy of £800." - Alex Ingram, chief reviewer.

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According to the latest Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, the Volkswagen Golf was the 49th car out of 50 in the best cars to own rankings. It’s also worth noting that the Golf makes a regular appearance on the list of Britain’s best-selling cars, so it’s clearly striking some chords with buyers. The VW brand has a lot of work to do, because it scored a meagre 27th place out of 31 in the best manufacturer rankings.

Euro NCAP reassessed the Golf in 2025 under much more rigorous criteria than its original 2019 test to check if its five-star rating still applied. The independent safety organisation has ruled that the Golf (along with the GTI variant) still has a maximum five-star rating, and this is partly in thanks to the excellent level of on-board kit.

In the unfortunate event of a collision, there are front, side and curtain airbag systems in place to help prevent injury, while VW’s automatic post-collision braking function brings the vehicle to a stop to try and avert a secondary impact.

Other driver assistance features include driver fatigue detection and Lane-keeping assist with Road Edge Recognition, along with a Travel Assist system, which utilises camera and radar sensors to allow partially assisted driving, as long as the driver keeps their hands in contact with the steering wheel. The Side Assist and Rear traffic alert use radar technology to monitor approaching vehicles.

The Emergency Assist function intervenes if it detects no driver input: if the driver has no contact with the capacitive touch-sensitive steering wheel for 10 seconds, then the system activates visual and audible warnings along with a braking jolt. If there is still no response, the hazard lights are activated, and the vehicle is automatically slowed, steered into the left-hand lane and - traffic permitting - brought to a controlled stop.

• Best buy: Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport

With its sharper styling, adjustable suspension and increased performance, we think it’s worth investing the extra cash into the Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport. This model comes with a good amount of extra kit as well as performance, so it’s a convincing all-round package.

Volkswagen Golf GTI alternatives

Despite a number of hot hatches disappearing from price lists, you can still find a respectable representation of fast metal that doesn’t compromise on practicality. There’s the closely related Cupra Leon and Skoda Octavia vRS, or even the riotous Toyota GR Yaris - although that latter rival isn’t anywhere near as practical as the Golf GTI.

The more potent GTI Clubsport fits more in line with quicker hot hatches like the Audi S3 and BMW M135. For those wanting even more power, there’s also the four-wheel-drive Volkswagen Golf R, although it comes at a premium over the GTI Clubsport.

Deals on the Golf GTI and alternatives

Toyota GR Yaris

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Cupra Leon

New in-stock Cupra LeonCash £25,322Avg. savings £7,856

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