Written by Ted Welford Updated: 10 September 2024

Overview

The Volkswagen Golf GTI has long been regarded as one of the best hot hatches. Its ability to combine everyday usability with driving thrills when the opportunity arises has made the GTI somewhat of an icon over its near-50-year production run.

But the previous eighth-generation Golf GTI never quite hit the spot. Launching in 2020, it still offered a fun driving experience but was let down by ergonomic issues, such as a frustrating infotainment system and an interior that never felt up to Volkswagen’s usual build quality standards.

That’s why the GTI is now getting a mid-life update, codenamed the ‘8.5’. It follows on from the recently-updated ‘standard’ Golf, and ushers in a new touchscreen, and various revisions to the cabin to try and improve it. As part of this process, the GTI also gets a 20hp power injection, with its 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine now putting out 265hp. Volkswagen also offers a more focused ‘Clubsport’ version, which gets more power and torque, and also sits lower to the ground.

The Golf GTI is increasingly facing less competition, with fewer family hatchbacks being sold these days, there are now not as many sportier hot hatches as well. Since the 2020 Golf GTI went on sale, you can no longer buy a Renault Megane RS or Hyundai i30 N, and while the Ford Focus ST remains on sale, its days are numbered.

One of its closest rivals is the Skoda Octavia vRS, while at the top of the front-wheel-drive hot hatch class sits the Honda Civic Type R, though it costs £10,000 more than the Golf GTI.

We’ve recently driven the new Golf GTI on a recent road trip to Germany to assess all key areas. Here’s how we test cars at Parkers.

So has the facelifted Golf GTI addressed the previous car’s weaknesses, and is it worth considering if you’re looking for a fun everyday car? Read on to find out, or click through to the verdict page if you’re pushed for time.

What’s it like inside?

The Golf GTI’s interior never felt as upmarket as previous examples, so Volkswagen has worked to address this with softer materials used throughout and a new touchscreen. It’s now what you’d expect it to be – well-finished, solid and generously equipped inside, with features such as heated seats now fitted as standard.

It has a comfortable and supportive driver’s seat, trimmed in the now-traditional tartan seat upholstery, which looks fantastic. Electric leather seats used to be optional, but now it’s just the tartan offered – as it should be on a GTI, in our opinion. We also find the Golf GTI’s seating position perfect, with the steering wheel and pedals ideally placed for a wide range of drivers. It’s a shame that you no longer get the goofball gear knob, though, with manual versions of the Golf GTI discontinued as part of this update.

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The new 12.9-inch touchscreen, which is fitted to every new Golf, is a big improvement, too. Early examples of the previous generation were riddled with software issues, which tarnished its reputation. This new screen is a big improvement, with new shortcut buttons and a faster response time. A quick swipe of the screen also takes you instantly to the most-used features, most notably turning off the sometimes-irritating lane keep assist. While the screen is a big improvement, we think it still handles too many controls. The slightly more conventional cabin of an Audi S3 makes it much easier to use.

We’re also glad Volkswagen has ditched the touch-sensitive controls on the previous Golf’s steering wheel, which could be quite tricky to use, and we’d often find that buttons would be pressed by accident. VW has listened to feedback and swapped back to traditional steering wheel buttons, and it’s a welcome improvement.

Comfort

Given it’s a high-performance hot hatch, the Golf GTI is actually very comfortable, with a firm, but well-damped ride that rarely jars the driver. We’d definitely specify it with adaptive dampers (known as DCC) which offer several drive modes that allow you to stiffen or soften the suspension to suit your mood.

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It handles motorways well, thanks to its low noise levels and refined engine (at cruising speeds), which goes a long way to making the GTI an excellent all-rounder for the family. Front passengers get a generous amount of room, and well-shaped seats that do their best to keep you comfortable on the longest of trips. Six footers will fit in the back, but will have more room to stretch out in the Cupra Leon or Skoda Octavia vRS.

Safety

Safety equipment on the Volkswagen Golf GTI reflects what’s available in the rest of the Golf range, including Volkswagen’s IQ LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, lane-keeping assist and blindspot monitoring.

Like all Golfs, the GTI scored a full five stars in the latest round of Euro NCAP tests, which puts it at the top of its class as it’s a result under the latest and toughest testing conditions.

• Read more about the Volkswagen Golf’s safety

What engines are available?

The Golf GTI and GTI Clubsport are powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, driving the front wheels with the help of a limited-slip differential to put its power down effectively. Previously, the standard GTI model came as standard with a six-speed manual gearbox, but this has now been discontinued because of limited demand. It means all GTIs, including the Clubsport which was only ever an auto, now use a seven-speed DSG automatic.

In standard GTI form, the engine produces 265hp and 370Nm of torque (pulling power), which is up 20hp on its predecessor. That said, performance figures remain identical to before, with 0-62mph dispatched in 5.9 seconds and it maxing out at 155mph.

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The Clubsport gets more power than the regular GTI, but remains the same as before with 300hp and 400Nm of torque, which drops the 62mph sprint time to 5.6 seconds. We’re yet to try the Clubsport since the latest update.

The quick-shifting seven-speed DSG gearbox remains smooth, with well-spaced ratios, and is responsive to inputs from the steering wheel paddles.

What’s it like to drive?

The Golf GTI’s performance is effective, rather than exciting, however. There’s plenty of torque and it never really struggles to maintain momentum but the slow-revving nature means it doesn’t feel particularly quick or eager to get going. Trying to pick up pace can sometimes feel like it’s harder work than expected.

Like all GTIs, it has a dual personality – on B-roads, it’s great fun feeding through the gears, but when you want to just make progress, it cruises reasonably quietly.

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This effectiveness applies to the sound it makes, too. You don’t hear anything from the two large exhausts inside the car – which is best sampled outside, where it makes a pleasing note – but instead relies on artificial engine sound piped through into the cabin. It’s quietest in Eco drive mode, and incrementally gets louder as you work through Comfort and into Sport.

Thankfully, it’s not too digitised a sound or particularly annoying even at its loudest, but it’s not particularly evocative. If opting for the GTI Clubsport, you might want to consider the ‘GTI Performance Package’, which brings an Akrapovic exhaust to liven things up a bit, You also get larger 19-inch alloy wheels, a bigger rear spoiler, a dedicated ‘drift’ driving mode and a raised 168mph top speed.

Handling

The Golf GTI continues to manage the balance between sporty handling and everyday comfort. Except now, you feel much more involved in the process. Not only does the steering feel heavier than the Skoda Octavia vRS, but you sense the limited-slip differential hooking up to provide huge grip for those front tyres. For those who found the previous generation a little lifeless to drive, this is far better than it used to be.

It has always been about effortless performance, some of us found the experience and driver controls to be a little detached. Thankfully, this generation is a step in the right direction without feeling aggressive. The Golf GTI still isn’t as playful as rival cars from Ford or Renault, but the way it actively gets stuck in and shows a fun side is enough to draw a smile now.

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Switching to Sport mode sharpens up the throttle and weights up the steering without being too heavy.

The firm, long-travel suspension deals with mid-corner bumps well while containing bodyroll, while the brakes are strong with a reassuring level of weighting from the pedal. The Octavia vRS remains the softer version to tackle really bumpy roads in comfort, while this Golf GTI has added an extra layer of fun that was missing before

Ownership costs and maintenance

Figures for the GTI’s fuel economy and CO2 emissions are 39.6mpg and 162g/km on the WLTP testing programme, while on the Clubsport, those numbers change to 37.4mpg and 171g/km CO2 emissions. If you’re looking for significantly better MPG and CO2, you’ll need to look at the Golf GTE plug-in hybrid.

Volkswagen offers Service and Maintenance Plans, too, which should take the sting out of servicing costs. The advantage of these is that they will protect you against any future increase in prices, and all work carried out comes with two years warranty and fitted by Volkswagen trained technicians.

What models and trims are available?

With Volkswagen no longer offering a manual GTI, it narrows the number of versions down. Prices for the Golf GTI start from £39,400, with the Clubsport available from £42,155. The standard GTI is best for everyday usability and occasional fun, with the Clubsport more of a focused package on performance, but at the slight expense of ride comfort.

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As standard the GTI is very well-equipped with 18-inch alloy wheels, Matrix LED headlights, heated front seats and the larege touchscreen we’ve already mentioned. With the Clubsport you’re mainly paying for its mechanical changes, including its extra performance, progressive steering and front differential lock.

Click to find out whether we think the Volkswagen Golf GTI is worth going for…