Hot hatch wannabe
VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GTE
£35,960
FOR A company car bargain with GTI levels of power AGAINST You only have that power for 30 miles. Use it wisely
Volkswagen is marketing the plug-in hybrid Golf GTE as a hot hatch, but one that claims fuel consumption in the hundreds of miles per gallon. We’ve got ourselves an identity crisis.
Let’s deal with that hot hatch claim first. The GTE deploys a 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 148bhp and has 184lb ft of torque. The combustion engine is connected to a slick six-speed DSG gearbox and an electric motor, and when both come on song it manages peaks of 242bhp and 295lb ft of torque.
That power figure is exactly the same as the 2.0-litre turbo MkVIII Golf GTI – with which the GTE also shares a styling package – so it’s far from sluggish in a straight line. The problem is that the PHEV never comes alive as a hot hatch should. It grips well and there’s a nice weight to the steering, but it won’t cock a wheel, pop from the exhaust or put a proper smile on your face.
There’s another issue too. The WLTP claim is 39.7 miles of electric range, but in reality you’ll deplete that in 25 miles. Once the battery is flat, you’re left with a sluggish four-pot hatch that weighs over 1,600kg. There’s nothing hot about that.
Forget the sporting pretensions and the GTE makes much more sense. A full charge of the 13kWh battery takes five hours from a three-pin socket and you can then save electricity to use later in a journey. It’s got grown-up motorway manners and the switch between petrol and electric drive is seamless.
In reality, this is your next company car. Low emissions mean you’ll pay 10 per cent BIK tax compared to a GTI’s 37 per cent.
We’ve not been the biggest fans of any MkVIII Golf yet – the button-free Innovision cockpit remains tricky to navigate – but the GTE scores a respectable six for its smart looks, strong tech offering and smooth powertrain. Plug-ins have got a way to go yet before they become the favoured hot hatch recipe.