Volkswagen Golf GTI – performance and 0-60
A strong, broad torque curve helps, with good performance on paper and on the road
The engine is flexible, pulling well below 3000rpm, and really hard beyond that. You really don’t need to put much effort into driving it quickly, something the GTI has always been good at. It would be nice to have a manual (or at least the option of one – it was discontinued near the end of the Mk8’s life), but the DSG ’box does suit the character of the car and swaps gears smoothly in the background.
Volkswagen quotes a top speed of 155mph, with the 0-62mph sprint dispatched in 5.9sec. This isn’t far off more powerful rivals, due largely to the fact this power is so easy to come by in the rev band. It’s a feeling that’s reflected in everyday driving, with torque plentiful in any gear accessed with minimal turbo lag.
The GTI is really quite handy for covering ground quickly. Not especially memorable or interactive, but impressive in how it digs in, finds grip and strolls on to the next corner with very little drama. You can brake late into turns and pitch the car in on the nose without it feeling nervous or unstable, the rear taking on a slight angle but never requiring much correction. Once the car is straight, bleed the throttle in earlier than normal to build boost pressure before the engine hits its stride and pulls you away. It’s very effective, and quite satisfying when you get it right. Lightly trimming the brakes into faster corners isn’t quite so easy (the pedal is light and grabby on initial application), but a gentle lift has the same effect of subtly energising the rear and setting you up for the exit.
GTI Clubsport models shave the 0-62mph time down to 5.6sec, taking a further 0.6sec off the base GTI. This is an impressive gain in isolation, but Hyundai’s lesser-powered i30 N as fitted with the dual-clutch transmission will do the same sprint in just 5.4sec – something that can be attributed to a more effective launch control function and shorter gearing on its eight-speed ’box (one up on the seven-speed DSG).
On the road, the Clubsport’s bigger outputs do compromise slightly in terms of response, but the differences are subtle. Yet ignore the on-paper figures for the moment and it’s worth remembering that the EA888 still is an inherently sweet engine, preferable to all main rivals. Its tenaciousness towards the red line is still apparent, and it has a responsive nature, even at very high revs.
In comparison, the Ford ST’s engine feels like it’s been pulled out of a truck (it sort of has), with a big block of torque in the mid-range capped by a laggy bottom end and breathless top. The Hyundai’s ‘Theta’ engine is better, with a more responsive lower rev band and brighter top end, but can’t disguise its origins in mid-size American market saloons, and doesn’t hit quite as hard as either the Ford or Volkswagen in the mid-range, either.
