A good car, spoiled?
FOR Clever new computers mean the handling’s more game for a laugh
AGAINST Gimmicky interior tech is way too clever for its own good
Golf, as the old saying goes, is “a good walk, spoiled”. The new Golf GTI is a very good car. And yet, by letting the interior design team go on a boozy night out with some horrendous tech-marketing hoo-rahs about 18 months ago, VW has come frightfully close to ruining it inside.
Yes, you get tartan. As standard, the GTI MkVIII’s bolstered seats are resplendent in the traditional plaid of Haus GTI, albeit a fairly monochrome one. The comfy one-piece chairs are more supportive than before. And yes, in the manual, there’s a dimpled, golf ball-aping gearknob. Phew. Those kitsch throwback touches are welcome in the MkVIII, because this interior is that rarest of all qualities for a Golf: a pain in the backside.
VW is heavily pushing it as ‘all digital.’ GTIs that are UK-bound house a pair of digital instrument displays: one behind the steering wheel and a main 10-inch infotainment touchscreen atop the air vents, housing the nav, smartphone interactivity and more menus than your kitchen drawer. Heated seats, aircon power – all in the screen. Why has VW gone to all the trouble of making the new GTI slide more in ESC Sport mode, and yet buried that on menu six in the bloody monitor? Good job the ride’s so composed.
The new steering wheel feels purposeful in your grasp, though you might grumble about the sculpted thumb hooks being a tad thick. It’s fussy too – we counted 19 buttons on our richly specced test car’s spokes, all of which are glossy plastic too, with haptic touch-sensitive feedback. They’re dreadful. Setting the cruise control or cycling though radio stations is now a right old chore. Please VW, put some proper buttons back in the GTI.
It’s ironic the interior is so wantonly try-hard, because the MkVIII GTI’s mechanical engineering is last night’s takeaway for tomorrow’s lunch. Y’see, the latest Golf MkVIII is based on the same MQB chassis foundations as the MkVII. This new GTI uses an evolution of the same EA888 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo engine. It has sprouted higher pressure fuel injectors, but still chucks out 242bhp. It’s still FWD, and there’s still a standard six-speed manual gearbox, or an optional seven-speed paddleshift DSG. Hardly Christmas, is it?
What is new is the GTI’s image. Grrrr. Doesn’t look like the politely spoken, well turned out older brother of the family any more, does it? The honeycomb grille is wider, and features dubious LED running lights set into the plastic pattern. There’s even an LED strip light that illuminates across the whole nose. Fussy rims, too. Out back, the twin tailpipes have been pushed further apart for a more planted stance, and the GTI badges are bigger. All of a sudden, a Focus ST or BMW M135i is a more subtle choice.
“THE GTI’S MECHANICAL ENGINEERING IS LAST NIGHT’S TAKEAWAY FOR TOMORROW’S LUNCH”
The new GTI attempts to justify all that swagger with brains. VW’s been working on a new computer which, of course, has a serious German name: VDM, or Vehicle Dynamics Manager. Basically, the GTI houses a sort of AI network that’ll monitor the engine revs, how much traction the tyres have, your steering angle, what gear you’re in, the electronic front differential and (if you’ve ticked the box) the optional adaptive suspension – all at the same time.
The result is easily the most capable GTI we’ve ever had, but it feels cheekier, not computer-controlled. Because there’s now a standard front diff and a sliding scale of suspension stiffness (which can be found in the touchscreen, p384), the engineers have toughened up the rear suspension and worked to eradicate understeer. I could’ve sworn the steering was faster, but it too is a carryover.
This time, when you aim the GTI into a bend the nose just bites harder. It’s more accurate and poised, but because it’s so trustworthy, it’s also more agile and game to muck about when provoked. Clever trick, that.
Is 242bhp enough? Sure, presuming you’re happy with a quick car, not a face rippler. It’s nice to be able to drive a modern fast car and be able to use full throttle for more than 0.5 seconds without starring on your local police force’s ‘Gotcha!’ Twitter feed. Mostly, you’ll surf the torque: a chunky 273lb ft is on tap from 1,600 revs right up to 4,300rpm. There’s a second of turbo lag in every gear, but then the GTI just hauls, without wheelspin.
One of the good GTIs, then? To drive, oh yes. Rivals won’t expect it to hang on in their mirrors this tenaciously. But they won’t have expected to out-Golf it for interior common sense either.