Are changes enough for GTI to reclaim Hatch King crown?
The Golf GTI has an incredible DNA. Volkswagen says it’s never changed. Still, the last GTI, Version Eight, disappointed us. Far from the analogue masterpiece that was the great original, the car that defined the hot hatch, the fast, agile and versatile hatchback hat became the model that underpinned an incredible genre, the last one proved nothing short of a digital disaster.
Volkswagen it’s pedigree full well. A Golf GTI, they say, is defined by powerful, clean design, iconic GTI logos and a red stripe on the grille. As much as it is by supreme performance and drivability. Yet the PR story went on to tell you that the GTI 8 had an all new digitised cabin and intelligent assistance systems to ‘catapult it into the future’.
Unfortunately, that car had spastic… er, sorry, haptic touch controls. Which meant that working your GTI was more like operating your smartphone. You swipe it to do it. So it was slash and swipe, over the steering controls, or on the dash, for every function from pumping up audio volume to setting cabin temperature.
The previous GTI’s logic defied it
Which was fine in practice. But then using your smartphone when you drive is banned. Because it demands too much driving concentration. So why was it suddenly fine to delve deep into GTI 8’s layers of cyber windows. To toggle a simple function that most other cars simply use a single button or knob to do?
Even worse, to eliminate that car’s Travel Assist package’s lane assistant, adaptive cruise control and autonomous emergency, which utterly ruined the car’s naturally brilliant handling, proved near impossible. It just wasn’t a GTI thing. None of it. So severe was global reaction, that VW boss Thomas Schäfer decreed that touch surfaces urgently be removed from all Volkswagen cars. Hallelujah!
Unfortunately, this GTI 8.5 was probably already way too far into its development to fully benefit the Schäfer ultimatum. So it’s only partly rid of its horrible erstwhile control foibles. Happily, the previous, terrible haptic stricken multifunction steering wheel is now best for teatime frisbee throwing at Wolfsburg. The new wheel is an absolute peach. With perfect little buttons to carry out every function.
Less haptic, GTI 8.5 is less spastic
Alas, if the button rich new Polo is anything to go by, this dash is an interim measure. Much of the terrible albeit now backlit slider control continues. At least the logic of the now larger, upgraded MIB412.9-inch touchscreen is much better. For instance, it’s now only a three stroke catastrophe to eliminate the nannies. Should just be one switch, Volkswagen. And if I turn it off, surely it should stay off. To the future, then.
To be fair, we can consider ourselves lucky we even have a Golf GTI after all, For a while the whole car was confined to the dump on that idiot alleged all-electric future. Now only the steering wheel is scrap as GTI and gasoline in general strikes back. VW is still a little confused about that. Yes, it has a future. But as an alternative. Electric cars were never the answer. Thankfully, the world is now wise to that…
So what about the rest of GTI Eight and a Half, then? Well it looks a little different for starters with an updated bumper and new honeycomb grille. A LED moustache links the redesigned LED Plus headlights. Separated in the middle by a cool lit and animated VW logo that glows in the dark. Add snazzy new taillights, fresh alloy wheel design options and some neat trim tweaks. So everyone knows this is the better one.
GTI is once again faster, more powerful too
Our white tester opened up into a magnificent grey and red trimmed cockpit. This one had deeply bolstered optional Premium Vienna leather Sports Bucket seats They bring integrated heating, ventilation and headrests. Fake carbonfibre dash trim brings a tech twist to soft-touch materials. Digital Cockpit Pro merges gauges, maps and media into several display styles. And 30-colour ambient lighting brings the lightshow inside, too.
With all that out the way, we’ve left the best for last. This latest Volkswagen Golf GTI also gets a healthily massaged version of the venerable HAG EA888 turbo 2-litre 4-pot lump. Now fifteen kilowatts up to 195 at the same 370 Nm, AG says GTI 8.5 will crush 100 km/h in under six seconds. Our VBox concurs. GTI 8.5 sped down our strip more than two tenths quicker than old Eight. Elasticity is significantly improved
Getting down to driving, finger the throbbing start-stop button to fire it up. It feels and sounds like a GTI. Maybe some will find it a little mute, but ride remains generally impressive and surprisingly soft and pliant in spite of a relatively hard and sometimes bouncy set-up. As noted it’s now a simpler task to actually make it into a GTI. Even if we strongly believe that should be even easier. Or in fact by default.
GTI 8.6 a great step back in the right direction
A significant step back in the right direction, this latest Volkswagen Golf GTI 8.5 deals with most of its predecessor’s dire digital demons to deliver a far better driving companion. There are still s few devils in there, which we sincerely hope Volkswagen will get to next time around.
But there’s certainly enough right in this one to allow it a sniff of that King of the Hatches crown once again. So here’s to the next GTI putting that right out of the question… — Michele Lupini
Images & testing: Giordano Lupini
ROAD TESTED: Volkswagen Golf GTI
Engine: 195 kW 370 Nm 2-litre turbo I4
Drive: 7-speed DC auto FWD
TESTED:
0-60 km/h 2.88 sec
0-100 km/h: 5.51 sec
0-120 km/h: 7.22 sec
0-160 km/h: 11.75 sec
400m: 13.6 sec @ 173 km/h
80-120 km/h: 3.20 sec
120-160 km/h: 4.53 sec
CLAIMED:
VMax: 250 km/h
Fuel: 7.1 l/100 km
CO2: 159 g/km
Range: 700 km
Warranty/Service: 3y 120K/5y 90K km
LIST PRICE: R908K
How does it shape up?
Check Auto's Test Records now!