2021 (21) Volkswagen Golf 2.0 TSI GTI 5dr DSG

This smarter, faster version of the eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf GTI moves the hot hatch into another different era. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Review

The eighth generation version of the Volkswagen Golf GTI takes another step forward with this mid-term enhancement and with each update, it just becomes more polished. There's more power, a sharper look and a more connected interior. And a little of the original GTI DNA still remains.

Background

Before Volkswagen dreamed up the Golf GTI, there was no such thing as a 'hot hatchback'. Now the phrase has entered everyday parlance and virtually any manufacturer that has a hatchback also has a hot one - or a warm one at the very least. It was 1976 when the original version of this car was born and since then, through seven generations and with the help of countless imitators, it has brought performance, handling and fun to the masses on an unprecedented scale. The current Golf GTI is the mark eight and was first launched in 2019, before being updated in mid-2024 to create the car we're going to look at here. By rights, it should be the best yet.

Driving Experience

The big news for enthusiasts is that this GTI now gets a bit more power. The latest version of the Volkswagen Group's 2.0-litre TSI petrol turbo engine (EA888 LK3 evo4) puts out 265PS (20PS more than before) though with the same 370Nm of torque figure. It's now unfortunately conditional to have a paddleshift 7-speed DSG dual clutch paddleshift auto; manual Golf GTIs are no more. 62mph from rest takes 5.9s (0.3s faster than before) en route to 155mph (3mph faster). As before, there's also a faster GTI Clubsport model available, which uses the same engine but in uprated 300PS form, with 400Nm of torque. This has an electronically controlled front differential lock and an extra Nurburgring-developed 'Special' driving mode. Even the standard model is adept at getting power down through tight turns thanks to its XDS+ torque vectoring system. And it's around those corners that you'll notice the sharp variable ratio steering rack, with response tuned for incisive turn-in bite. Orchestrating all of these elements is a fast-acting 'Vehicle Dynamics Manager' set-up, which oversees just about every dynamic variable and then alters the drivetrain, suspension and steering to get the nose into and around each turn more quickly and safely. Body roll is brilliantly judged. And dry weather grip at speed through the turns seems almost endless. As before, we'd suggest that the extra-cost 'DCC' 'Dynamic Chassis Control' adaptive damping system is a must-have option; with it a keen owner could set up this GTI just as a race driver would set up his race car. With DCC, the required damping is calculated for each wheel and adjusted at the four shock absorbers within fractions of a second. As usual, the DCC set-up has 'Comfort', 'Eco', 'Sport' and 'Individual' settings.

Design and Build

There's no doubt that this is a seriously good looking car these days. This revised MK8 GTI model gets the updated Golf's angrier-looking front end, here featuring an illuminated Volkswagen logo and the brand's piercing IQ.LIGHT LED matrix headlights, which have a range of 500 metres. There are also redesigned tail light clusters and striking 18-inch 'Richmond' alloy wheels (up from the standard 17-inch rims fitted before). Inside, premium sports seats featuring the distinctive GTI check pattern, along with additional red decorative stitching, emphasise the fact that this interior is unmistakably a Golf GTI. There are a few minor updates to the 10.2-inch 'Digital Cockpit Pro' instrument display, which has GTI-specific graphics. And there's a better head-up display available. The steering wheel's different too, now restored with proper buttons, instead of the pre-facelift model's fiddly touch-sensitive ones. The awful touch slider below the infotainment screen has been retained, but it's now more responsive and (at last) is back-lit for easier night use. The original design's widely-criticised infotainment system has been thoroughly updated to what VW calls' MIB4' status, which means it gets quicker processing times, smarter menus and slicker graphics. For the GTI, it comes in its largest 12.9-inch form and now incorporates ChatGPT tech, which can be used to control navigation, 'phone and climate functions. The advantage here is that if Volkswagen's own voice activation set-up doesn't know the answer to a question you might be asking the car, it'll be relayed to the ChatGPT AI system - though the same VW voice will still give you the answer. Otherwise, things are much as with any other Golf, so you get great build quality, decent space for two adults on the rear bench and a class-competitive 380-litre boot.

Market and Model

You'll now need to think in terms of a budget getting on towards £39,000 or more for a Golf GTI. Once, that was the amount you'd have needed for the more potent Golf R, but things have moved on. To justify its asking price, this updated version of the MK8 Golf GTI has standard DSG auto transmission and arrives with quite a portfolio of optional semi-autonomous driving tech, including a 'Travel Assist' feature that allows the car to accelerate, steer and brake on motorways at speeds of up to 130mph. Standard equipment includes a 12.9-inch centre-dash infotainment screen with an operating interface that responds to the command 'Hey Volkswagen', followed by whatever you want to ask, aided by ChatGPT. This is the segment's most interactive voice control system. Also standard are IQ.LIGHT Matrix full-LED headlights, 18-inch 'Richmond' alloy wheels and keyless access. Plus multi-coloured ambient lighting, a rear view camera, a 10.2-inch 'Digital Cockpit Pro' instrument display, high beam assist, heated front seats, three-zone Climatronic air conditioning, rear privacy glass, adaptive cruise control, Lane Assist, Traffic Jam Assist and Emergency Assist. As before, there's a 'Travel Assist' feature that allows the car to accelerate, steer and brake on motorways at speeds of up to 130mph. Most owners will want to consider the option of adding DCC adaptive damping.

Cost of Ownership

There's no mild hybrid tech offered on this MK8 GTI model's 2.0-litre turbo engine but Volkswagen still claims that efficiency has improved. Let's get to the WLTP figures. In manual form, the car manages up to 39.6mpg on the combined cycle and up to 162g/km of CO2. As a DSG auto, the figures are exactly the same. The car's coasting function (available with DSG auto transmission) is always active helping with its efficiency figures. And the warranty? Well the standard package is three years and 60,000 miles. We can't see why Volkswagen couldn't extend that mileage limit to 100,000 miles, since that what you get on its mechanically very similar Caddy model. Doing that though, wouldn't give Volkswagen dealers so much of an opportunity to sell extended warranty packages. There's one for four years and 75,000 miles or, if you plan to see a bit more of the world in your Golf GTI, there's a five year / 90,000 mile package.

Summary

When the Golf GTI was first launched in 1976, Volkswagen wondered whether it would struggle to sell an early production run of 5,000 vehicles. Today, well over two million sales later, the issue is not whether this car will sell but who will buy it. After all, in recent generations, this model has mainly sold to folk who, if they were honest, would probably admit to having out-grown the shopping rocket genre it originally created. These people will really like the revised version of this eighth generation car. It needed to return a little to its roots - and add an old fashioned dose of fun into the mature mix. It has.