Why the new Volkswagen Golf GTI is in a class of its own

The new model is polished, clever and more accessible than before – but is it the best hot hatch you can buy? We find out.

David McCowen

3 min read

June 21, 2021 - 6:40PM

Volkswagen’s new Golf GTI lets you play race engineer.

Many hot hatches have multi-mode suspension – usually with two or three choices for normal, sport or comfort driving.

The new Golf GTI has 15 settings spread across a wide bandwidth ranging from pillow-soft to rock-hard elements.

That speaks to the GTI’s nature as a car with broad appeal, it’s a hatch for the urban commute, country road trips and Sunday morning blast.

We sampled the new car on a racetrack and the open road and can report it feels more agile than before, with quicker steering and sharper turn-in.

Volkswagen’s Golf GTI is one of the best all-rounders you can buy.

It is also the first new GTI that does not deliver an increase in power, sending the same 180kW and 370Nm to the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch auto that delivers crisp changes without the pronounced exhaust crack of previous efforts.

It’s a little heavier than the old car, which is great news for young drivers as the new GTI limbos under the 130kW per tonne power-to-weight ratio used to determine whether cars are acceptable for provisional license holders in Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and NSW.

That will translate to rock-solid resale value.

The new GTI has a near-buttonless cabin with glossy capacitive-touch controls.

But it also results in a slightly tardy 0-100km/h time of 6.4 seconds – a full second slower than Hyundai’s significantly cheaper and more powerful i30N.

The Golf GTI isn’t a particularly fast car.

But it is brisk enough, thanks to flexible torque from the turbo motor coupled with a quick-shifting transmission that works well in drive, sport or manual modes.

A subtle body kit and sharp-looking alloys are part of the GTI’s appeal.

The new model’s remarkably comfortable ride is helped by 18-inch wheels with chubby tyres. Fast and accurate steering delivers predictable and confidence-inspiring handling on road and track. It’s a friendly car that won’t bite inexperienced drivers, something that cannot be said of all hot hatches.

Purists will miss the lack of a manual transmission option.

But enthusiasts might appreciate the new ability to completely deactivate stability control on a track, allowing more fun without the frustration of intrusive traction control.

Even if the new Golf asks you to tap and swipe through seven menus to turn it off.

The GTI is powered by a proven engine and transmission with less grunt than rivals.

Elsewhere, the new GTI will feel very familiar to existing owners

It doesn’t deviate much from the formula introduced with the fifth-generation model back in 2005, when a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine and dual-clutch auto contributed to a polished hatchback with a measured approach to performance.

Inside there were racy signature styling cues such as a flat-bottomed steering wheel with shift paddles, Tartan seats and subtle red highlights.

Those ingredients remain present in 2021, as the brand follows a proven recipe for success.

The Volkswagen Golf GTI retains its composure on bumpy roads.

Key changes for the eighth-generation Golf include a cabin layout that substitutes physical buttons with glossy capacitive-touch surfaces on the steering wheel and dash.

Adjusting the climate control or lane-keeping aids isn’t quite as frustrating as finding the stability control settings, as there are easy shortcuts.

Even so, the buttonless cabin feels like a backward step for usability.

The diminished familiarity and friendliness of its cabin will be a drawback for some customers.

New shock absorbers give the GTI a broad scope of adjustment.

Things have improved on the safety front though. The new model has all the bases covered, from auto emergency braking and adaptive cruise control to lane-keeping assistance and blind-spot monitoring.

A “travel assist” setting helps in heavy traffic or on motorways, braking, steering and accelerating automatically.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android auto are standard, as is three-zone climate control, satnav, mood lighting and other niceties.

Clever driver aids and a crisp auto gearbox work in the GTI’s favour.

But progress comes at a cost and the new GTI is far more expensive than its predecessor.

Priced from $53,100 plus on-roads (about $59,000 drive-away) it is a big hike from the outgoing car, which sold for $47,990 drive-away with a similar equipment level and the same engine.

Thrillseekers will be better served by the faster and sharper Golf R due early next year but on the whole, the new Golf GTI meets lofty expectations for a respected badge.

Volkswagen’s cabin changes won’t be welcomed by all customers.

VERDICT 4/5

The Golf GTI is not the cheapest, fastest or most exciting hot hatch on sale. But that was never Volkswagen’s intention, and the new model is a polished all-rounder that nails its brief.