The Volkswagen Golf GTI always has been at the forefront of the “hot hatch” market.
In 1974, the first VW Golf was released as a replacement for the Beetle and has grown to become the second best-selling car in the world. The first Golf GTI came out in 1983 and was awarded Car of the Year — so this being the most recent variant has quite a pedigree to live up to.
The 2018 model year marks the launch of the Golf Mk 7.5, or the second half of the seventh generation. New for this year is a more powerful engine making 220 horsepower and 258 pounds of torque. The front facia is slightly updated and the headlights look more aggressive. I had the Autobahn trim package in my Golf, so I had everything from leather seats and a sliding sunroof, to Apple Carplay to play around with.
The GTI starts at $26,415 for the S trim model and goes up to the Autobahn trim which starts at $35,070 before options. The window sticker for my Golf GTI was $37,020 and had every option ticked off.
The interior feels very well put together, but that being said, you should expect this from a German engineered car. Everything is functional and there isn’t any unnecessary complicatedness. You also get some of the best fuel efficiency in the range at 25 city and 33 highway. The Golf is a great car for everyday driving so it stands to reason that the added sportiness can only make it better.
VW has squeezed another 10 horsepower out of the engine for the 2018 refresh. The previous year had only 210 horsepower but had the same torque. This may not seem like a lot compared to most of the SUVs and full-size sedans, but in a car that weighs only 3,000 pounds, it is more than enough to squeal the tires and have a great time.
The steering is tight and more than competent when it comes to spirited driving in Sport Mode. When in any of the congested areas in Miami, the steering is great for parking in places that may seem impossible in a larger car. What the Golf GTI gives up in physical size and presence it doesn’t lose in storage.
With 17.5 cubic feet of storage with the seats up and more than 50 with them down, this means that the Golf is a great car if you also want to move large boxes or a particularly extensive grocery run.
The Golf GTI is in direct competition with the Ford Focus ST, Honda Civic Hatchback, Hyundai Elantra Sport, and Subaru WRX.
While the GTI does have the highest quality interior and some of the best technology, it does start at the highest price before options for even the base model. You do get what you pay for in the Hot Hatch and Affordable Sport Sedan markets, and in the Golf GTI, you get a lot.
Grant Miller is the publisher of Miami’s Community Newspapers. He may be contacted by calling 305-662-2277 or via email at Grant@CommunityNewspapers.com.
