Words Abhay Verma | Photography Akshay Jadhav
The Volkswagen Golf GTI is a name that has been worshipped at the hot hatch altar across its generations. And finally, Volkswagen has brought the iconic nameplate to India! Now, the GTI sits below just the R in the world of Volkswagens, which is the top step. But the Golf R, which is the most powerful version of the Golf and equipped with an all-wheel drive system was launched only in 2002. The GTI though has been around since 1975 and celebrates its 50th anniversary this year! In that sense, the Golf GTI is easily the most iconic name in the world of hot hatches, even if the R is ‘hotter’.
Making matters further interesting was the fact that we were to drive the Golf GTI at the NATRAX. The NATRAX is home to Asia’s longest high-speed test track which is 11.3km long, and this meant we would be able to explore the 265PS and 370Nm hatchback’s full potential, in a controlled environment. As I laid my eyes on the car, in the very alluring-looking shade of grey you see on these pages, I couldn’t help but admire its long, low-slung stance. But while it may be a hatchback, the Golf GTI is large. In fact, at 4,289mm long, it’s just 41mm shorter than the Hyundai Creta, which should give you some perspective about its length. The sleek headlamps help the car look wide and this being the GTI version, a red line runs across its width at the front, through the headlamps and the grille.
The red line also has an LED strip running along with it from end to end, besides which the Volkswagen logo is illuminated too. Another distinctive design trait are the five hexagonal LED fog lamps at either end of the large honeycomb grille. The Golf GTI’s ground clearance is just 136mm, and it should thus be interesting to see how the car tackles speed breakers. It runs on 18-inch wheels shod with 225/40-section tyres and while the large wheel size affirms the car’s sporty intent, I felt the wheel design could have been better. Red brake calipers and black skirting under the doors add to its stance further. Move to the rear and you’re sure to appreciate the sharp-looking tail lamps, roof spoiler and dual exhausts. Overall, the design is clean and purposeful, and the Golf GTI looks and feel special, especially from close quarters.
The story isn’t very different inside either. You get a set of sports seats at the front with the GTI name is stitched into their Alcantara inserts above the Tartan upholstery. You do not get electric seat adjustment though – not that I’m complaining, but I know a lot of buyers will frown, given the car’s price! The cabin feels spacious given the car’s exterior dimensions, and the flat-bottomed steering wheel, with contrast stitching in red and red highlights helps in making the cockpit feel special. A 12.9-inch touchscreen takes centre stage on the dashboard and is angled towards the driver, though it comes in your line of sight if looking out towards the centre of the windscreen.
The driver’s display is a crisp-looking 10.25-inch unit with customisable themes and they all look good and also compliment the car’s hot hatch status. The grey hue of the interiors feels a little drab though, and I would have liked the use of brighter colours inside. Given the car’s size the second row is spacious, and so is the boot, with a volume of 380 litres. The Golf GTI is also high on technology and among the only hatchbacks in India to be equipped with Level 2 ADAS and seven airbags. You also get Matrix LED headlamps, a sunroof, 3-zone air-conditioning, wireless charging and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well on the features front. Volume and air-conditioning controls are a ‘touch slider’ below the touchscreen, similar to the Tiguan R-Line’s.
Coming to the heart of the matter, the 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine under the hood is the same EA288 2.0 TSI motor that also performs duty in the Tiguan R-Line and Skoda Kodiaq in India. The exhaust note is good, albeit slightly muted, and some of the sound is also let into the cabin via the car’s speakers! The Golf GTI’s biggest draw though is its engine performance. We managed to clock a speedometer-indicated top speed of 267kmph, easily the highest for a hatchback in India. But while initial acceleration is strong expectedly, enabling a 0-100kmph time of just about 6 seconds, the Golf GTI feels very quick to accelerate through the gears. The well-spaced ratios of the 7-speed DSG also endow the Golf with a long-legged feel.
Besides going full pelt on the high-speed track, we also drove the Golf GTI around the handling circuit at the NATRAX where the car showed its true colours as a hot hatch. It is a front wheel drive car but also gets a limited slip differential which works wonders around corners and helps in keeping understeer in check even when you mash the throttle. The wide tyres offer lots of grip even at the limit and help the car hold a line, adding to the joy of given the Golf GTI the stick, while the steering offers plenty of feel and feedback. Overall, this hot hatch loves going around corners, even though it is a little heavy, with a kerb weight of 1,454kg. The Golf also feels like a typical Volkswagen when driven calmly and should be excellent as a daily driver. On the same note, the suspension feels firm like we’ve come to expect of Volkswagens, but despite the underlying firmness I’m expecting the Golf GTI to offer a good ride quality on typical Indian roads.
My seat time in the Golf GTI at the NATRAX, be it sitting at its top speed, pedal to the metal, or pushing it around the corners of the handling circuit helped me understand what makes it so iconic. 50 years ago, Volkswagen’s engineers decided to turn the Golf, the humble Beetle’s spiritual successor, into a more engaging and fun to drive car and created the GTI. And over the past five decades the Golf GTI has become a global icon, thanks to its engine performance, sporty handling and fun factor. And the Mk 8.5 launched in India embodies those characteristics to the proverbial T. No wonder the 150 units allocated to India (it comes in via the CBU route) got sold out immediately – despite the asking price of Rs 53 lakh ex-showroom!
