Skip advert
Advertisement

Volkswagen Golf 7 GTI review (2012-2020) – engine and transmission

The Golf GTI has the 2-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine found in many other VWs

Evo rating
  • Superbly rounded. Fast yet frugal, fun to drive yet shows no form of compromise on the road
  • Edgier, faster rivals more exciting to drive. Expensive.

The 2-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, familiar in other VW products, has been tweaked to comply with Euro 6 emissions regulations, thanks mostly to a redesign of the cylinder head. Exhaust gases are now cooled within the head before they depart to the turbocharger, and a dual-injection system has been introduced that combines multi-point injection with direct injection. Two-mode lift on the exhaust valves, stop-start, reduced internal friction and intelligent control of the cooling system (which can close off all circulation on warm-up) complete the picture. Torque is thickly spread throughout the rev range and rarely feels caught off guard or hampered by turbo lag.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The transmissions are also pure VW, which is no bad thing. The six-speed manual’s shift is light and unfussy, but is gratifyingly easy to use in the right way. Work the ’box fast and hard and it’s never in the way, and feels so well calibrated to the engine and chassis it’s almost like VW has been building hot hatchbacks for 40 years. The DSG is a little difficult, lacking the ultimate precision of the DSG, but it’s so nearly there we’d only lightly judge you for making the leap. But the manual is so good that we’d definitely suggest you stick to it, while it’s still around. 

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

TVR: Why we think it’s all over
TVR Griffith
Opinion

TVR: Why we think it’s all over

There’s barely a flicker of life when it comes to TVR and the ‘new’ Griffith. We can only fear the worst
17 Jul 2025
Save £30k on a new Range Rover and buy a Renault 5 with the savings!
Range Rover
News

Save £30k on a new Range Rover and buy a Renault 5 with the savings!

Discounts on new Range Rovers are so big you could buy a new Renault 5 with the money you save…
15 Jul 2025
​Best hot hatchbacks 2025 – affordable new performance cars
Best hot hatchbacks 2025
Best cars

​Best hot hatchbacks 2025 – affordable new performance cars

Contracted though the hot hatch market may be, there are still some great models out there, from the electric Alpine A290 to the five-cylinder Audi RS…
14 Jul 2025