Just a few hours after the new updated Volkswagen Golf GTI – aka 8.5 GTI – dropped in Mzansi, and it’s already got the streets buzzing like a Friday night braai! From the kasi corners in Soweto where the bass thumps loud enough to rattle your bones, to the winding coastal highways down in Cape Town where the cold ocean spray hits your face, no other hot hatch has stolen hearts quite like the GTI over the years. With over 2.3 million units sold worldwide, here in Mzansi it’s not just a car; it’s a vibe, a legend, the undisputed king of the hot hatch game. And now the latest chapter has hit the street: that 2.0-litre turbo TSI engine cranked up from the previous 180kW to a proper 195kW of fire.
I had a chance to pilot it around Gauteng and North West areas, in mixed driving conditions that included urban and twisty roads. It is said to blast from 0 – 100km/h in just5.9 seconds – quick enough to leave most staring at your taillights at the robots. With 370Nm of torque kicking in low and that slick 7-speed DSG shifting like butter, it’s got that near-instant shove without feeling like it’s trying too hard. The electronic front-axle diff lock and progressive steering keep it glued to the road, dodging potholes or carving up twisties like it’s on rails. Volkswagen tweaked the running gear for even more precise, dynamic feel, even though it has somewhat lost some of its Mk7 GTI edge. One can feel the extra 40kg+ weight gain from the Mk7 due to the extra new features.
Disappointingly the legendary “vrrrrrrr pha!” crackle and pop from the dual exhaust tailpipes is also substantially muted now.
Outside, it’s still looking fierce though. Those new LED Plus headlights (full IQ.Matrix setup) slice through the dark with that illuminated grille strip and VW logo glow, for premium drama. Rolling on 19-inch alloys, black honeycomb lower front grille screaming performance, it’s got that aggressive yet classy stance. Park it next to an older GTI and you’ll see how the legend evolved without losing its soul.
Inside, the 32.8cm infotainment touch screen on the updated MIB4 system is smooth, intuitive – no more accidental changing of menus like the early Mk8 days. Volkswagen has listened to feedback and brought back actual buttons where needed, and the GTI is all the better for it. The Digital Cockpit gives you customisable gauges for speed, sat nav, or even lap times if you happen to go on a racing track. Adaptive cruise control, and the panoramic sunroof come standard, which will throw some speedsters out as they look out for those white units with blue lights and no sunroof. The Adaptive Chassis Control (DCC) with Driving Profiles lets you flick between modes: Eco for sipping fuel on the long haul, Comfort to soak up those cracking Mzansi roads, and Sport for when the twisties call. Individual mode if you want to mix it up.
That price point will raise a lot of eyebrows. I mean at R908 000, the Golf GTI is now almost a million. That basically means the updated new Golf R will slide past that mark when it finally arrives. So GTI is no longer the hot hatch we gew up on. It’s grown, like us. Yes, the performance is still strong, but you feel more power cruiser than fiery hatch now.
Volkswagen Golf GTI Price
GTI – R908 000
