Volkswagen Golf GTI
BUYING GUIDE Hot version of the seventh-generation Golf builds on the standard car’s strengths with added performance and driver appeal In production 2013-2020 Price from £12,000 Our favourite 2.0 TSI Performance (242bhp) Strong performance Eager handlin
FEW CARS ACHIEVE iconic status and also define their own class, but the Volkswagen Golf GTI is one that has managed to do both. From its humble beginnings in 1976 as a sporty version of the Mk1 Golf, its all-round competence and broad appeal have won it the praise of motoring enthusiasts the world over.
The GTI recipe is straightforward: take the standard Golf family hatchback – solid, refined and comfortable – and turn up the wick, with more performance, sharper handling and visual tweaks to confirm its sporty nature.
This version, based on the seventhgeneration Golf, was launched in 2013 and is only now due be replaced by the new, Mk8 GTI later this year. You can have it as a three-door or five-door, and it was initially offered in two guises: the standard GTI, with a 217bhp 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine, and the GTI Performance, which got an extra 10bhp, a limited-slip differential and uprated brakes. Buyers could choose from a six-speed manual or sevenspeed DSG dual-clutch automatic gearbox.
Like the regular Golf, the GTI was facelifted in 2017, getting a power hike to 227bhp in standard form and 242bhp for the Performance. Last year, the standard GTI was discontinued and a hardcore 286bhp TCR (Touring Car Racing) version introduced.
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Although there are more powerful hot hatches, the Golf GTI strikes a happy balance between performance and usability. The smooth, flexible engine propels the standard GTI from 0-62mph in around 6.5sec in both manual and automatic forms, while the 242bhp Performance can do it in as little as 6.2sec.
With eager steering, masses of front-end grip and excellent body control, the GTI handles in a confidence-inspiring manner and is great fun on a back-road blast. Some rivals are more vigorous and responsive, but few ride as smoothly or are as quiet and easy to live with.
The GTI is also great to sit in, with a wide range of seat adjustment and an excellent driving position. As with any Golf, the interior feels solid, with plenty of soft-touch plastics and good-quality materials. Added to that are reminders of GTIS past, such as tartan seat cloth and a gearknob that resembles a golf ball.
There’s plenty of space up front, and a couple of rear seat passengers will have leg and head
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room to spare. Three abreast in the back is perfectly possible for short distances, too. Meanwhile, there’s a good-sized boot with a height-adjustable floor and a flat extended space when the rear seats are down.
HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?
Although it’s possible to buy a high-mileage example for slightly less, you’ll need around £12,000 to get behind the wheel of a Golf GTI of this generation in good condition. This will get you an early 2014 car with an average mileage for the year and a full service history. Up this to around £14,000 for a 2015 example and £15,000-£17,000 for a 2016 model. Spend from £20,000 on a post-facelift car.
Fuel economy is respectable, and there’s no penalty for going for the more powerful Performance version. As an example, the early GTI and Performance both return official (NEDC) figures of 47.1mpg in manual form, or 44.1mpg with an automatic ’box.
Road tax for cars first registered after April 2017 is a flat rate of £145 per year, while cars registered before that date will cost roughly the same, even though their figures are based on their CO2 emissions. Insurance groupings are comparatively low for the Golf GTI, ranging from 32 to 39, depending on power output.
Servicing costs are moderate next to those of rivals such as the Honda Civic Type R and Renault Mégane RS. Volkswagen also offers a number of servicing plans that can give you peace of mind about the cost of future maintenance.
WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR? 2014 2016 2018
were still affected. Timing chains have been known to snap prematurely; this can cause significant engine damage but is often mitigated by having the car serviced on time. The GTI can also suffer from high oil consumption, so it’s important to keep checking the oil level, even between services. If the level gets too low, it can cause damage to the engine and timing chain.
Faults with the navigation and entertainment system, as well as other electrical niggles, have been reported on some models, so it’s worth checking that all the electrics work as they should.
On the whole, owners report favourably on the Golf GTI. In the most recent What Car? Reliability Survey, the standard Golf finished mid-table in the family car class. Most issues centred on non-engine electrics, but nearly all problems were fixed within a week and under warranty. Volkswagen ranked 16th out of 31 brands.
ONES WE FOUND
VW Golf GTI 2.0 TSI 5dr, 59,000 miles, £13,995
VW Golf GTI 2.0 TSI Performance 3dr, 37,000 miles, £15,950
VW Golf GTI 2.0 TSI 5dr, 19,000 miles, £20,995
Although the Golf GTI is a hoot to drive out on a country road, it will still have been subjected to the ravages of supermarket car parks and school runs, so check the car’s extremities for scuffs or dents. Look at those handsome alloy wheels for scrapes; they’re susceptible to kerbing, and repairs can be expensive.
Ongoing issues with the clutches and control unit in the optional automatic gearbox had largely been sorted by the time the Mk7 Golf went on sale, although a few early examples
WHICH ONE SHOULD I BUY?
Buy a standard Golf GTI and you’ll be riotously happy, but if you can find a manual 242bhp Performance, we’d go for that, provided the premium isn’t huge. It’s a tad quicker and more fun to punt down a winding road – and such things are important with a hot hatch.
WHILE THE VAUXHALL Agila cost more to buy when it was new than its closely related counterpart, the Suzuki Splash, there are more used examples of this Vauxhall for our budget, and that’s why it makes the list.
Aside from a slightly poorer list of safety equipment than the Splash (and a weird indicator noise), the Agila impresses, with decent driving dynamics, strong brakes and a willing 1.2-litre petrol engine.
WE FOUND 2010
Vauxhall Agila 1.2 Design, 74,651 miles, £1985
AS WITH THE Vauxhall Agila, the Ford Ka has a lot in common with another city car. In this case, it’s the popular Fiat 500. That car may have got the looks, but the Ka was the better of the two to drive, with sharper handling and a less bouncy ride. In fact, Fiat took the suspension settings of the Ka and applied them to the 500 from 2010 onwards.
We’d seek out a mid-range Zetec model if you can, because entry-level Studio trim is fairly spartan.
WE FOUND
Ford Ka 1.2 Zetec, 77,000 miles, £1995
2011
YOU MIGHT BE tempted to overlook the Kia Picanto on the grounds that it isn’t all that much fun to drive and it has a choppy ride that means it isn’t as comfortable as some rivals. But that would be a shame, because it has plenty of good things to o er, such as practicality, space and great value. Its dashboard, while a little drab, is solidly built and well laid out, making it easy to use, and with lots of low-mileage, full-history Picantos around, it shouldn’t be hard to nd a good one.
WE FOUND
Kia Picanto 1.1 Strike, 34,051 miles, £1990
2010
WHERE WOULD ANY top 10 list be without a shout out for the stylish one? The Fiat 500 scores highly for desirability, because its retro styling pays faithful homage to the classic original, without becoming a caricature of its former self.
Sadly, because of this car’s desirability, you’ll have to go for something slightly older and with more miles on it. Make sure you go for the zesty 1.2-litre engine and either Pop Star or Lounge trim levels to get niceties such as air conditioning.
WE FOUND
Fiat 500 1.2 Lounge, 84,000 miles, £1995
2008
PRACTICALITY AND comfort are areas in which the Renault Twingo stands out. The rear seats are relatively roomy and slide backwards and forwards to allow you to prioritise leg room or free up more space in the boot.
The interior plastics are a little on the cheap side and the Twingo isn’t the sharpest tool in the box to drive, but its so suspension gives a comfortable ride. If you’re interested in a turn of speed, there’s a GT model with a 99bhp 1.2-litre engine.
WE FOUND 2011
Renault Twingo 1.2 Dynamique, 41,000 miles, £1795