Automarket Review

Volkswaten, with its fifth generation on GTI family, presents all the features of elegance and practical use on this model. Before there were Phaetons, before Passats were powered by W-8s, before engineers were distracted by electrically operated air vents and the intricacies of the W-12’s intake tract, Volkswagen happened on the formula for a lightweight, simple, practical sporty car, the GTI. It was quick, inexpensive, and roomy, handled splendidly, and looked well-built, and perhaps most important, it was definitely fun in a 55-mph world.

With time, the well-deserved GTI reputation softened as it went from being a truly special model in the lineup to a glorified trim package at the top of the Golf range. But the lean years weren’t without hope. The occasional VR6-powered rockets and the delightfully uncompromising 20th-anniversary special edition proved us there were still a few folks inside the company who knew what a GTI should be. So when we discovered that the fifth-generation GTI had resurrected the spirit of the first- and second-gen GTIs, we placed it on our 10Best list and added one to our long-term fleet.

Unfortunately for those who have owned a GTI, or any Volkswagen, for that matter, some of those flashbacks involve enigmatic pieces of goo-covered plastic sitting on the footwell and squeaks and rattles. In our car, the sunroof and a dash vent started making noise soon after the car was delivered. It’s a conundrum VW owners are quite familiar with: The interior materials might be first-rate, but does that matter if it sounds as if there were a baby tooth clattering around inside the dash? Volkswagen loyalists get used to these problems. Honda and Toyota fans would be appalled. To quell the racket, a new sliding-sunroof panel was ordered at our first service stop at 5000 miles; the dash rattle would magically heal itself whenever the GTI went in for service.

For the 2.0-liter turbo engine, Volkswagen suggests service stops at 5000 and 10,000 miles and, thereafter, every 10,000 miles. Its price is reasonable for many families.

In summary, GTI seems so much livelier than the old one, but the ride can be a bit jarring over pavement with lots of expansion joints. And it is probobly the best automatic car you can use in its class.

Enjoy your drive with Volkswagen GTI.