Volkswagen GOLF GTI
Volkswagens Golf GTI Has a Longstanding Reputation As The Definitive Hot Hatch. But Does That Mean Its the Definitive Article? June Neary Decides
So here it is. The latest
Volkswagen Golf GTI. This has always been in my mind the grown-up persons hot hatch too much so in fact in MK 2, 3 and 4 incarnations. Whereas the Mk1 version truly was the shopping rocket of its day, that cars predecessors were progressively dumbed down.
To the point where when our red MK5 GTI test car appeared in the carpark, my expectations werent high. I was in for a shock.
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Top Gear raved about this car, not only because it was fast but because it felt like a quality piece of kit. It didnt take me many miles behind the wheel to agree. Everything feels as it should in a £20,000 car. Which is just as well because this car costs a not insubstantial £19,995 in its most basic three-door form.
A full-length honeycomb grille, 17-inch alloy wheels, a roof spoiler and GTI badging differentiate this car from its humbler brethren. I recognised the fascia design from the £50,000 Phaeton luxury saloon (no bad thing), although the centre console is lifted from the Touran
mini-MPV. With the possible exception of its pricier
Volkswagen Group cousin, the
Audi A3, the cabin has the beating of anything out there as regards ambience. The interior features soft-feel slush-moulded plastics, high-quality switches, subtle use of chrome, fabric-covered A-pillars plus beautiful blue instrument backlighting.
This is where it counts of course. The engine powering the GTI is a turbocharged version of the 150bhp 2.0-litre FSI engine, fettled to produce a hefty 200PS around 198bhp in old money. Drive is directed to the front wheels in classic GTI style, and theres a six-speed manual as standard or the excellent DSG twin-clutch transmission available as an option.
Owners can expect to accomplish the sprint to 60mph in around 6.5 seconds in a DSG-equipped car and look forward to a top speed that knocks on the door of 150mph. A combined fuel economy figure of around 36mpg means that the Golf wont cost a fortune to run either. Although Id probably go back and reconsider the pearlescent paint and leather seats of my test car, Id have to keep the DSG gearbox.
The revolutionary Dynamic Shift Gearbox was first seen in the Audi TT 3.2 V6 coupe and is based around a sequential manual transmission but utilises an ingenious twin clutch system to ensure creamy smoothness. Engage first gear and the gearbox will pre-engage second gear in advance, the second clutch engaging as soon as you flick up to slot instantly into second gear. This means a seamless flow of power.
The electronics predict what gear youre about to engage, depending on whether youre accelerating or braking and the result is astonishing, making every other gearbox look distinctly clunky. The other option is to slip it into D and drive it like a normal automatic. Even in this mode its butter smooth and makes other attempts at sequential manual systems such as Ferraris F1, BMWs SMG and Alfa Romeos Selespeed appear distinctly clunky and yester-tech. The GTIs engine is a real work of art too.
Stand by for the technical bit. Fuel Stratified Injection is a system that apparently promises the twin benefits of more power and better economy. A high-pressure fuel line mounted on the side of the cylinder head, often dubbed common rail, injects fuel straight into the combustion chamber. The shape of the pistons and the clever working of a set of valves make the air tumble, thus creating more efficient combustion.
Its a lot of money certainly but at least this car now delivers in terms of power and handling. You paid not much less than this for the MK4 GTI and came away with a car that satisfied on neither of these fronts. Quality-wose, its the little touches that impress you most. Cup holders in the front and the rear, the self-dimming interior lights, the chrome tie-down hooks in the luggage area, the gas struts to hold up the bonnet, the special cover on the boot locking pin so you dont get things caught in it; I could go on but I wont save to say that this is a car that makes its competitors feel cheap.
If I could justify the upfront price and wanted a premium hot hatch, then yes. The Golf GTI is still the grown-up persons hot hatch but now, you dont need to lose your sense of fun to own one.
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