Past master
Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk5 reappraised
The quoted figures are 197bhp and 207lb ft but, in truth, it feels stronger than that
Elated motoring journalists heaped praise on the then-new Volkswagen Golf GTI back in 2005. They proclaimed in bold print that the once-proud name had risen from the ashes and that this GTI was a welcome change after years of lacklustre performance offerings from Wolfsburg.
Fast-forward 12 years and where has that praise got this GTI? Early Mk5s are available for less than £2000 and more presentable examples are only a little bit dearer at £50000-£7000 – a tiny amount, given its original £20,000 price.
Despite all those years, it still looks remarkably fresh. Golfs have always evolved slowly over time, so all the classic GTI design cues are there: small rear spoiler, deeper front bumper and that thin red line running around the grille.
Inside, there’s discreet GTI badging on the wheel and headrests and the seats have large side bolsters on them to keep one’s girth in place during fast corners but, on the whole, there is not much to differentiate it from any other Golf.
The clutch, gearlever and pedals are all easy to operate – perhaps a little too easy. It doesn’t even sound special when you start it up, because the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-pot settles to a muted hum at idle. It lacks drama, which is perfect for keeping your neighbours happy.
But what an engine this is. Raw stats just don’t do it justice: it’s the flexibility of this power unit that makes it so brilliant. It’s happy to potter along through small villages in fourth, and then as you pass those national speed limit signs, brush the pedal and you’re quickly up to 60mph. The quoted figures are 197bhp and 207lb ft but, in truth, it feels stronger than that. It isn’t bonkers fast like the latest Golf R is, but it can still whizz past traffic as if the car has been fired from a slingshot. It’s a fantastic leveller of the automotive hierarchy.
The handling is also spot on. Okay, a Renault Sport Mégane will monster it on track, but in the real world, the GTI’S almost as good and, what’s more, it’s supple enough to deal with ruts and undulations imperiously. You still notice them in a muted way, but they never upset the GTI’S high grip levels, not even the nastiest of mid-corner shocks.
The only point of contention might be the wheels. They’re 18in diamond-cut Monza wheels, and although they do look amazing – mostly because the car we’re driving is a pristine 2500-mile example from Volkswagen’s heritage fleet – the smaller, 17in versions create much less road roar and maintain the GTI’S excellent ride quality, all without compromising its handling. Yes, they will help to make the steering feel a little sharper, but not to the extent that most people will notice. Anyway, the steering is electro-mechanical and isn’t exactly brimming with feedback, even if it does weight up very progressively and very naturally upon turn-in.
Ultimately, the trick of the GTI is that it is just a normal hatchback: big boot, comfortable seats, highly practical. It just happens to have been engineered by enthusiasts so that, when nobody’s looking, it’ll devour a difficult B-road with such elan that it can embarrass many sports cars. It’s the sort of car that works for every occasion. Does that make it worthy of sitting up there in the pantheon of the best hot hatches ever? Absolutely.