Volkswagen Golf GTI review

If you asked 10 people to name a hot hatch, we reckon at least eight of them would come back with this car – the Volkswagen Golf GTI – as the answer.

It's an icon of the genre, and has been blending everyday practicality with a healthy dose of driving excitement for nearly 50 years. But the eighth-generation (Mk8) Golf GTI never quite hit the sweet spot. Sure, it was fun to drive, but it also suffered from some frustrating quirks – namely a fiddly infotainment system and an interior that fell below VW’s usual standards for quality.

Enter the mid-life refresh, the GTI Mk8.5. Following in the tyre tracks of the updated VW Golf, this facelift brings a new touchscreen, a smarter interior, and a 19bhp bump to the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, which now pushes out 261bhp. There’s also the sharper, more focused GTI Clubsport version, with even more power and torque, and a lower ride height to back it up.

The hot hatch class has taken a bit of a hit lately, with rivals dropping like flies, but for Golf GTI money there's still the Ford Focus ST and Skoda Octavia vRS. If you’re willing to stretch the budget, there are more hardcore options – think Honda Civic Type R, Toyota GR Yaris, Mercedes-AMG A45 S or even VW’s own Golf R.

So does the VW Golf GTI still hold the crown, or have newer, fresher hot-hatch rivals stolen its thunder? Let’s find out...

The previous VW Golf GTI marked the end of the manual gearbox era and, sadly, that hasn’t changed here. Still, the seven-speed dual-clutch DSG automatic does a fine job of keeping things smooth in daily driving.

When the mood strikes, you can take matters into your own hands with the paddles mounted behind the wheel. It’s only during low-speed manoeuvres that the DSG occasionally shows a bit of hesitation.

Under the bonnet, the Golf GTI packs a 261bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre engine – a welcome 20bhp bump over its predecessor. That’s reflected in its 5.9-second sprint to 62mph, making it a close match for the Ford Focus ST. Yet despite its added punch, it still can’t quite live with the Honda Civic Type R or Toyota GR Yaris in a straight line (they do the dash in 5.4 and 5.2 seconds respectively).

If it’s sheer pace you're after, the VW Golf R makes a stronger case. With 316bhp at its disposal, it crushes those rivals, dispatching 62mph in a blistering 4.7 seconds, all while retaining the same smooth flexibility as the GTI. Off the line, even the mighty Type R struggles to keep up.

When the road starts to twist, the Golf GTI remains a confidence-inspiring companion. Sure, the Type R, with its sticky tyres, limited-slip differential and more aggressive suspension set-up, will leave the GTI in its wake, but there’s no shortage of grip here.

The handling is well-balanced and progressive, and for those seeking more playfulness, the optional adaptive suspension allows you to fine-tune the rear’s behaviour to your liking using the infotainment screen.

It’s not a demanding car to hustle, whether you’re pressing on or taking it easy. With adaptive suspension fitted, the ride is as pliable as you could wish for – far softer and quieter than most of the Golf GTI’s more hardcore rivals when you’re cruising. The standard GTI, however, isn’t aimed at track-day regulars or drivers chasing old-school hot-hatch thrills – it’s a much more grown-up proposition.

So what should you do if you want a fun hot hatch but you find the Civic Type R to be a bit too yobbish? The answer is the Clubsport. It's the sharpest, most focused version of the GTI, and its numbers are even more enticing. The engine has been tweaked to deliver 296bhp – 35bhp more than the regular GTI – dropping the 0-62mph time to a brisk 5.6 seconds.

On the road, the Clubsport feels markedly more potent. With tweaks to the adaptive suspension and electronic front differential, you can use more of the power more of the time. Switch stability control to Sport, bury your right foot mid-corner, and feel the diff tug you through – it’s a properly engaging system.

And although the ride is firmer than in the regular GTI, the upside is that it's better damped, which means the suspension movements are more controlled. In Nürburgring mode – a more forgiving alternative to Race – you can really attack twisty, undulating roads with confidence. We wouldn’t be surprised if the lighter, front-driven Clubsport is every bit as fast as the Golf R in almost all conditions.

And the sound? It’s a bit of a mixed bag. The GTI offers a satisfyingly deep, gravelly growl that ramps up as you switch modes, but unlike the raw mechanical howl of the Civic Type R, the GTI’s exhaust note feels more artificial, almost digital. The optional Akrapovic exhaust system – also found on the Golf R – is a tempting extra for added aural theatre.

“I'd argue that the Golf GTI Clubsport is the sweet spot in the fast Golf range. It feels much quicker than the regular GTI but is more delicate and involving than the R.” – Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor

The driver’s seat in the VW Golf GTI is bolstered to hug you in place during quick cornering. It can be adjusted for height and lumbar support, and there’s plenty of reach adjustment to the steering wheel. We also love that the pedals are placed ideally in line with the wheel and seat.

The Golf GTI’s large windows and relatively slim windscreen pillars make it easy to see straight ahead and to the side. The rear pillars are fairly chunky, but given that all GTIs get front and rear parking sensors, and a rear-view camera as standard, you shouldn’t find slotting into a tight parking space too stressful.

You’ll be able to see loads at night, thanks to adaptive matrix LED headlights coming as standard, allowing you to keep full beam on at all times without dazzling other drivers.

All good so far – but then we come to the GTI's usability. The dashboard has no physical buttons, just silly touch-sensitive controls to adjust the interior temperature and volume. They make small changes needlessly distracting on the move, and we much prefer the physical controls you get in the Honda Civic Type R, the Mercedes-AMG A45 and the Toyota GR Yaris. 

Luckily, VW has listened to its customers and brought back physical buttons on the steering wheel. They’re much less fiddly than the touch-sensitive ones they replace, removing the risk of changing settings accidentally.

Infotainment is displayed through a 12.9in touchscreen display on the dashboard. There are no physical controls so you have to depend on touch, but at least VW’s latest infotainment software has become more intuitive, with fewer menus and the ability to add custom shortcuts at the top of the screen.

You can also control the car’s systems by using the voice assistant, which gets help from AI tool Chat GPT, but we’ve had varied levels of success. Standard features also include DAB radio, Bluetooth, sat-nav, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring, and wireless phone-charging. 

The Golf GTI's interior quality is a slight bugbear. It's not up to the high standards set by previous GTIs, with a lot of cheaper-feeling plastics more liberally scattered about. True, it’s plusher than the Toyota GR Yaris but it doesn't feel as special as the Honda Civic Type R or Mercedes-AMG A35.

“Oddly, if you go for the more expensive Golf R, you still have to make do with fiddly touch-sensitive buttons on the steering wheel – the reason being that it was too expensive to develop a unique wheel for the R’s bespoke driving modes.” – Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor

There's loads of space in the front of the VW Golf GTI. The interior is broad so you sit with breathing room between you and your passenger, and there's more than enough head and leg room to accommodate someone tall.

In the rear, things are less generous. The latest VW Golf has dropped behind the leaders for rear-seat space, so the Audi S3, the Honda Civic Type R and the Mercedes-AMG A45 will offer rear passengers more space to lounge about in.

Mind you, the Golf GTI isn't as cramped as the Toyota GR Yaris, and you can still sit two tall adults in the back, but there's not a surplus of space – and even less if you want to squeeze a third person in the middle seat.

There's lots of storage space, with compartments and cupholders in the front for pretty much every need, plus a decent-sized glovebox and door bins to boot.

Speaking of which, the Golf GTI offers 374 litres of boot space. That's fine, but not mammoth by the standards of some hot hatches. It'll fit a pushchair but will struggle to fit a set of golf clubs lengthways. You can no longer buy a Golf GTI estate car new.

In our suitcase tally test, a VW Golf swallowed five carry-on suitcases under its parcel shelf – one less than the Mercedes A-Class and Honda Civic. You do get a height-adjustable boot floor for added flexibility, plus 60/40 split-folding rear seatbacks and a ski hatch, to create extra room when required.

“The magic of the Golf GTI is that it's as practical as any VW Golf. That said, if you want to take your dog along with you, I'm afraid there's no longer a GTI estate. Instead, you’ll need to find the extra cash for the Golf R estate.” – Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor

The previous-generation VW Golf GTI was very much positioned as an attainable hot hatch with a premium image. Volkswagen gave the more powerful, range-topping Golf R the responsibility of doing battle with more expensive 300bhp+ hot hatches including the Honda Civic Type R. 

Well, times have changed and while the Golf GTI is one of the cheapest hot hatches, with only the Ford Focus ST costing less, its price is only just below the GTI Clubsport and not much less than the Golf R – especially if you go down the PCP finance route.

The GTI will likely be slightly cheaper to run – officially managing 39.6mpg compared to around 35mpg for the Golf R. In fact, in the world of hot hatches the GTI is pretty efficient and will sip its fuel better than any rival. It’s also quite affordable to service and has a fairly slow predicted depreciation rate.

Equipment levels are pleasingly high. The GTI comes with 18in alloy wheels, twin exhausts, adaptive cruise control, three-zone air conditioning, heated sports front seats, power-folding door mirrors, privacy glass and keyless entry and start. Going for the GTI Clubsport adds unique styling, a front differential and a couple of other driver-focused features.

VW performed moderately well in the 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey, claiming 18th place out of 31 manufacturers, but that’s still below all of its rivals except Mercedes. You get a three-year warranty with the GTI, which is pretty standard.

In terms of safety kit, the Golf GTI gets automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assistance, a driver fatigue monitor, traffic-sign recognition and something called Car-to-X. That allows all cars fitted with the same feature – not just VWs – to share information on traffic conditions and hazards so you get an early warning. 

The VW Golf achieved a full five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, scoring well in all categories and pretty much matching the Honda Civic in all areas except protecting vulnerable road users.

“As hot hatches go, the Golf GTI should be pretty inexpensive to run thanks to its efficient engine. I’ve seen more than 35mpg on longer cruises.” – Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor

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