Passenger & boot space
How it copes with people and clutter
There's loads of space in the front of the Volkswagen 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 a taller chap or lass – assuming they're not a contender to play Jaws in the next James Bond film.
In the rear, things are a little less generous. The latest VW Golf has dropped behind the leaders for rear seat space, so both the Ford Focus ST and Honda Civic Type R will offer your rear passengers more space to lounge about in. Mind you, the GTI isn't cramped, because 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 in the middle seat.