Volkswagen Golf GTI 2018 Review
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2018 Volkswagen Golf GTI Review: The King of Hot Hatches
Prior to the sudden spike in SUV and crossover sales, people used to look in the direction of sedans and hatchbacks when on the lookout for a new addition to their garage. The Volkswagen Golf GTI remains a stellar offering even today, over 40 years after its inception. The 7th generation model flaunts a subtle facelift for 2018, along with a slight boost in power figures. Will it still be as good as the old one? Let’s find out.
Exterior
Subtle yet not to be mistaken with boring, the Volkswagen Golf GTI flaunts a honeycomb grille with a bright red line that not only underlines the grille but races into the LED headlamp clusters. Hidden beneath its 18-inch alloys are bright red calipers, while a rear spoiler aids in both aesthetic and performance departments.
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Interior
On the inside, red stitching and red accents are complemented by chrome inserts. A leather-wrapped steering wheel proudly displays bold GTI lettering as a constant reminder of the legend you’re seated in. Soft rubber forms the base of the dashboard while hard plastics are restricted to the lower half of the cabin.
The 12-way adjustable Vienna leather seats are perforated and supremely supportive, providing plenty of comfort when making full use of that sonorous engine. There is ample room in the back seats, allowing four people to travel in reasonable comfort. You also have decent practicality within the doors, the center console, and the glove compartment.
Drive
Under the hood, the Volkswagen Golf GTI 2018 features a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine that produces an impressive 230 horsepower and 350 Nm of torque in top trim. The engine delivers its power in a linear fashion while the brakes respond efficiently to commands. The 6-speed DSG gearbox, with its exciting snorts on upshifts and downshifts, allows this German hatchback to hit 100 km/h from a standstill in just over six seconds.
Part of the GTI’s skill set is its adaptability, effortlessly switching from a track-annihilating hot hatch to a comfortable city cruiser. When you put it into comfort mode, you will notice the reduced sound and how well the suspension adapts to absorb imperfections in the road. Safety features aren’t lacking, with parking sensors in the front and back, pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, and blind spot monitoring.
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Verdict
The Volkswagen Golf GTI 2018 looks sharp, fresh, and dynamic without being overblown. For an everyday car that offers plenty of fun, the GTI is the go-to option. In fact, for what it is and for the price it’s at, it’s quite easily the King of hot hatches.
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