Volkswagen Golf GTI review

This is the Volkswagen Golf GTI, the latest in a dynasty that has mastered the ‘superb all-rounder’ game throughout many generations.

So, is the Mark 8 VW Golf GTI still the annoying kid at school who’s good at everything? The initial signs are good; it looks like a regular Golf that’s making the most of its gym membership.

It has lowered suspension and a black grille with some cool LED daytime running lights, plus Matrix LED headlights. There are also lots of GTI badges about the place and a bunch of contrasting red stripes – just like the original Mk1 from the seventies. At the rear, there are LED lights and twin exhaust pipes that are, thankfully, real. Shame they sound a bit anaemic though.

Meanwhile, the interior of the new Mk8 Golf is all very minimalist and classy, with few buttons and fiddly details. The GTI has a sportier steering wheel with some bright red bits (as well as some annoying touch-sensitive buttons), plenty of sporty contrasting stitching, and sports seats with chequered trim.

Those sports seats hold you really well when you’re having fun driving along a twisty road, and they’re very comfortable on the motorway, but they’re pretty bulky when you’re sat in the rear, and so are difficult to see around.

An 8-inch infotainment system and a 10-inch digital driver’s display are both standard but you can pay extra to get a pair of 10-inch screens instead. Both displays come with GTI-specific graphics and you can customise the driver’s display using buttons on the steering wheel. You also have the option ability to control lots of the car’s features using voice commands – just as you can in the standard Golf.

However, the ventilation and audio systems are controlled using touch-sensitive ‘sliders’ below the infotainment screen, and these are much less successful. What’s wrong with buttons?

There’s also mood lighting with 30 customisable colours, and there’s even a funky start button that pulses red before you start the engine.

It's a successful formula - take the very good standard Golf and make it a look a bit cooler and drive a bit faster. The GTI-specific graphics for the infotainment system is a classy touch

Under the bonnet lies a 245hp turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, which also produces 370Nm of torque. It drives the front wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, although a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox is also available.

This gets the same shift-by-wire controls as the standard Golf, so you use a tiny switch to change gear instead of a big mechanical lever. Or you can use the paddles on the steering wheel – whichever you prefer.

The auto better suits the ‘all-rounder’ character of the GTI, because it allows you to feel like a racing driver one minute and then lets you sit back and leave everything alone the next.

The power output is the same as the Performance Pack version of the old Golf GTI, and allows the DSG-equipped car to complete the 0-62mph sprint in 6.2 seconds. Both manual and automatic models reach a top speed of 155mph. We used the launch control system and got pretty close to this, even though the slippery road hampered the GTI off the mark.

Just like the old Golf GTI, the Mk8 is front-wheel drive. It also gets independent suspension all-round, which should help it feel agile through the corners, and there’s an electronically controlled limited-slip differential to maximise traction out of corners.

You can also pay extra to have your GTI fitted with adaptive dampers. These let you stiffen everything up for hooning down country roads and soften the ride for cruising home on the motorway. The system works very well indeed.

You can personalise these settings through the infotainment system, too. So you can fine-tune your favourite setup and save it for later.

You can get the VW Golf GTI with an optional driver-assistance pack called Travel Assist. This beefs-up the standard Golf’s adaptive cruise control so it can accelerate, brake and steer for you at up to 130mph. This might be a God-send if you spend hours cruising up and down the autobahn, but in the UK the normal adaptive cruise control will probably do you just fine.

Space in the GTI is the same as in every other Golf, so there’s plenty of room for four adults (or five if they’re on speaking terms), and loads of room in the 381-litre boot, and there are all the usual hooks and lashing points to keep shopping where you want it to be. Yup, that’s the ‘all-rounder’ point being proved once more.

So the Golf GTI continues the tradition, by being really good at pretty much everything it does. The grandparents would be proud.

If this sounds like your next new car, take a look at our latest VW Golf GTI deals.