Volkswagen Golf GTI (2013-2020) Review

• April 2013 The current-generation VW Golf GTI goes on sale. A Performance option adds 10hp and offers more precise cornering, thanks to a limited slip differential.
• May 2016 A high-performance limited edition version, the VW Golf GTI Clubsport S, goes on sale to celebrate 40 years of the VW Golf. Only 400 are built worldwide.
• April 2017 An updated version of the Golf GTI goes on sale, with a little more power, a minor redesign and better interior technology
• May 2017 A Performance option for the Golf GTI is launched, with 15hp more power, better brakes and improved cornering with its limited slip differential.
• January 2019 TCR version released.

2.0 TSI

At first glance the Golf GTI seems to match performance with a reasonable fuel economy of almost 45mpg. However, that’s the official mpg figure. You can expect around 33mpg.

That discrepancy isn’t unusual - the test used to generate the official figures is notoriously unreliable - but does mean that the Golf could cost more to run than you expected.

GTI Performance cars have an extra 15hp and marginally worse fuel economy, but you’re unlikely to notice much of a difference.

Progress is swift, with a surprising amount of pace gathering the moment the right foot is buried to the floor, and like the classic hot hatch that it is, power is delivered to the front wheels, as opposed to all-four as favoured by some rivals.

In fact, the performance on tap here is more than enough to give some dedicated sports cars a run for their money but the engine is flexible enough to serve as an excellent daily drive.

So when you just want to relax, it’s quiet and smooth on motorway journeys. That may bother drivers who want speed and noise wherever they drive, but it’s not that sort of car. The engine note feels a little muted, even when the drive mode selection switch is flicked to its most aggressive 'Sport' setting, but it does make it very easy to live with.

TCR cars use the same engine, but tuned to develop 286bhp. 0-62mph comes up in 5.6 seconds. The TCR sits 5mm closer to the ground, and the steering is also sharper than regular GTI cars.

GTI

Just one trim level is available here but because this is one of the more expensive models in the Golf range, the current car comes generously equipped as standard.

The exterior receives the 'GTI styling pack', which adds new shape front and rear bumpers, large 18-inch alloy wheels, a rear spoiler and the honeycomb grille with GTI badging. Bright LED headlights are also a standard feature, while tinted glass is added for the rear windows.

Inside, there is tartan ‘Jacara’ cloth upholstery, heated seats and piano black inserts on the dashboard that helps raise the interior to a more premium level over lesser Golfs.

New for the updated version is a 12.3in screen behind the steering wheel that replaces analogue dials. Because it is purely digital, it can be customised to give a variety of read-outs, including navigational directions and infotainment information.

Adaptive Cruise Control is standard in post-2017 cars, while the large 8in dashboard touchscreen, offers ultra-clear 3D mapping of European roads, as well as digital radio and the ability to connect a smartphone for online app access.

Dubbed Car-Net, this service enables users to use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto software for simple control of apps on their smartphone, as well as use some of Volkswagen's own apps, which can do things like pull in a local weather report or advise on fuel prices in the area.

Customers can specify the GTI to an even higher standard by adding things like an optional leather interior and the new 9.2in dashboard screen called Discover Navigation Pro, which eliminates many physical buttons. You can also use gestures to control it (waving a hand in front of the screen to answer calls, for example) which is largely a gimmick.

The Lane Assist Plus pack, including Dynamic Light Assist is a worthwhile addition, despite its £1,225 price, as it includes a range of hi-tech equipment, including the intelligent headlights that can operate on main beam and screen out some of the light to avoid blinding other drivers - enabling you to see further. Traffic jam assist, which enables the car to accelerate, brake and steer in slow-moving traffic, is included too.

Despite Volkswagen recently hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons, it remains a builder of safe and reliable machines and the standard Golf is still the fourth best-selling car in the UK.

It’s reliable too, finishing 12 out of 75 in this year’s Auto Express Driver Power customer satisfaction survey with a high 94.6% reliability score.

Its 3-year warranty, which has a limit of 60,000 miles, is fairly standard across the industry now, and there’s an extensive UK dealer network should something go wrong.

The Golf GTI is a car that’s much in demand, and so you’ll pay a premium for it as a used car - just as you do for it when new.

Prices for the current model, which first appeared in 2013, are approaching £15,000, so you’ll pay less than £250 a month, based on representative finance quotes.

Pre-update cars came with less standard equipment - notably sat-nav - but the driving experience is barely different, which is what matters to most GTI buyers. It’s also worth looking for a model fitted with the Performance Pack, which has better brakes and a limited slip differential that maximises grip when cornering, increasing precision.