Volkswagen Golf GTI 2010 Review

Volkswagen Golf GTI

Road Test

Price Guide (recommended price before dealer and statutory charges): $42,990 (five-door, DSG)
Options fitted to test car (not included in above price): Leather $3300; Media Device Interface (Aux iPod/USB Socket) $270; Park Assist  $1400; Adaptive Chassis Control $1500; GPS (Satellite Navigation) RNS510 inc Dynaudio premium audio $3500
Crash rating: five star Euro NCAP
Fuel: 98RON petrol
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 7.6
CO2 emissions (g/km): 178
Also consider: Ford Focus XR5 Turbo, Mazda3 MPS, RenaultSport Megane Sport 225 Cup

Overall rating: 4.0/5.0
Engines and Drivetrain: 4.5/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 4.5/5.0
Safety: 4.5/5.0
Behind the wheel: 4.0/5.0
X-factor: 4.0/5.0

About our ratings

Australians love the Volkswagen Golf GTI. This hot hatch accounts for one in four of all Golfs sold locally -- one of the highest rates in the world (only Hong Kong is higher with a 50 per cent GTI ratio)... And so when a new model comes along it's a big deal. The only problem is: the new one doesn't look much different from the old one. Even the 17-inch telephone dial-style wheels are the same!

Of course, despite its familiar looks, we know that the Golf Mk 6 is an accomplished car. It's won awards all around the world even though it has been jokingly referred to as a Golf 5.5. That's because much of the latest Golf's core structure is carried over from the previous model. And the glass area, roof and door frames (but not the body skins) are the same as before.

But, significantly, what time and energy (and money) Volkswagen has saved on developing a new-from-the-ground-up car, it has spent on finessing the finer details of the Golf. So the new model is quieter, more refined and (slightly) better to drive than its predecessor.

Even though the new GTI has the same capacity turbocharged 2.0-litre engine as before and similar power and torque outputs, it is in fact an all-new engine, hence the reduction in fuel consumption.

Power delivery is smoother as it has a wider band of power and torque available. Acceleration times have been trimmed ever so slightly from new to old but, to be frank, it's acceleration on the move that's the biggest improver.

In terms of seats-of-the-pants feel, however, the new GTI feels, well, a lot like the old one. And that means it hugs corners without crushing your back. It's easy to drive when you want to dawdle, and comes alive when you press the accelerator.

There's now also an optional sports suspension set up for those who find the current model's handling a bit too tame (as I did).

The optional rear camera (hidden behind the VW badge on the rear hatch) and optional self-parking technology and optional premium sound system (if you love music, just do it -- the standard audio system is well below average) are all neat tricks -- but come at quite a cost. The five-door, DSG-equipped GTI we tested eclipsed $51,000 before on-road costs were added. Ouch.

There were only a few disappointments with the new GTI. Incredibly, wireless Bluetooth phone connection is optional on this World Car of the Year (you get it on a $15,000 Toyota Yaris nowadays) as is an iPod connection.

And the Golf GTI chief engineer told me some time ago that Australian versions of the new GTI would have an audio speaker hidden behind the dashboard to mimic a rorty engine (because he'd done too good a job of making it quiet). But I couldn't hear it. At least the exhaust still makes the brrrrppp noise between upshifts on the DSG model.

And the final criticism, which hardly seems worthy when you stop and think about it, is that there will no doubt be people like me who were expecting a big step up compared with the old one. But that would mean we're punishing this car because the previous model was so good.

Indeed, when the GTI was so good in the first place, I guess I can understand why it has been so difficult.

So any current GTI owners expecting a revelation with the new model may be slightly underwhelmed. But they should rest easy that the GTI is still the benchmark among its peers and by far the best hot hatch to live with day to day.

The only question remaining is whether the German built Golf 6 will have fewer niggling electrical faults than the South African-made Golf Mk5s. Our fingers are crossed.

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