Love To Hate Or Hate To Love The Golf GTI: Why It’s Still An Icon

It seems like everyone either likes to hate on the Volkswagen Golf GTI, or is weirdly apologetic for owning one in the face of more exotic rivals. Here’s why it’s still the king of the hot hatch hill
Love To Hate Or Hate To Love The Golf GTI: Why It’s Still An Icon

We know you guys love the Golf GTI, judging by the popularity of this week’s pics showing the eighth-gen model basically undisguised, but few hot hatchbacks, if any, seem to attract more negative comments. ‘You should have bought an R.’ ‘You should have bought a Renault Sport Megane.’ ‘You could have bought an M3 for that price.’ The list of anti-Golf spam goes on. It’s not just that, either; it’s like a lot of owners end up justifying their choices slightly apologetically, as if they think they’ve done something daft.

People picking fault with the VW Golf GTI is pretty ironic, seeing as it’s the one hot hatchback which, day to day, seems to have no flaws worth mentioning. As long as it’s a five-door you’ve got a car that’s solid, agile, plenty fast enough, just about frugal enough if you know what you’re doing, spacious enough and easy to access replacement parts, upgrades and tuning for.

The Mk7 Golf GTI launched in 2014
The Mk7 Golf GTI launched in 2014

It won’t break your back if you use it to casually biff down roads that have more holes than a British parliamentary manifesto. It won’t disappoint if you head for mountain roads at 4am on a summer’s morning. It won’t turn any noses up if you arrive at an expensive hotel and hand the key to the valet. Nor will it attract too much of the wrong kind of attention in a dark car park (the Golf R, on the other hand, is one of the most stolen cars in the UK).

Honda motorbikes used to have the same ‘problem’ as the GTI. They were a bit too good; a bit too refined and a bit too usable. Brilliant, in other words, but lacking that edge that made riders think they were going to need a change of pants if they didn’t pay the machine more respect.

The Golf GTI is a car that doesn’t really frighten; has never really frightened in any of its seven official guises (plus myriad variations thereof), and that means plenty of people will always say you should have bought a ‘more exciting’ Civic Type R or a Renault Sport Megane. Both have been spectacularly good in their own ways at times, but as civilised dailies? Cars you could put your irritable elder relative in and pretend you’re not a yob? Nah.

The EA888 may technically be old, but it's still powerful and tunable
The EA888 may technically be old, but it's still powerful and tunable

The problem is the same from a different angle. You go on some forums and it’s almost like you feel you need to apologise for owning a Golf GTI. There’s always an element of qualification, like “I thought about a 135i, but…” or “I initially wanted a Megane 275, but…”. It’s like you’d be laughed at for wanting a Golf GTI above its rivals. It’s like there’s something - anything - wrong with choosing an outwardly more sensible option that still drives that well.

There’s always something on paper that makes you think that yes, other hot hatches even within the VW Group are faster and potentially cheaper, too. The culture around the GTI sows a seed of irrational doubt that you’ve somehow done the wrong thing, but the iconic Golf’s genius; its quality unmatched by any hot hatch other than the Golf R, is to remind its driver every time they drive it that no, they haven’t done the wrong thing. Whatever task you’re asking of it that day, it simply aces it. A life spent with a Golf GTI is a life spent forgetting what it’s like to be annoyed at your car half the time you’re in it. That is why it’s still the boss.

If you do want something harder, try a Clubsport S...
If you do want something harder, try a Clubsport S...

Never mind the power wars: 200-250bhp really is enough for the road. Skip past Haldex-based four-wheel drive: front-drive with VAQ playfulness is more engaging. Forget Nurburgring lap times: they don’t matter on rutted back-roads.

Most importantly, don’t ignore all the hate for the Golf GTI if you’re looking at buying a hot hatch. Embrace it, in fact, because only the very best real-world cars earn so much of it.

Comments

🎺🎺thank mr skeltal

I’m more a fan of the Focus ST. The lack of an estate variant and a manual transmission option makes the GTI not an option for me. Yes, the ST is an all in all less refined vehicle, but that’s something I’d be willing to live with.

11/30/2019 - 14:08 |
30 | 0

I did hear the MK8 Golf will get a estate version, but yeah, so far it does seem that a MK8 GTI estate is sadly less likely to happen, but hopefully there will still be a MK8 Golf R estate version. The new MK8 GTI will still have a manual. Not saying the Focus ST is a bad car, because I also like Focuses and Fiestas along with Golfs, but the GTI still also appeals to the enthusiasts.

11/30/2019 - 17:44 |
0 | 0
Niko Ala-Rämi 🇫🇮

For me it looks bad and I’d rather get mk7 bc it looks perfectly normal and good

11/30/2019 - 14:22 |
0 | 8
Cam Kennedy

Been looking at a GTI to replace my wrecked Xterra and this makes me feel great about that decision!

11/30/2019 - 21:11 |
6 | 0

Go for it, getting my mk6 4 years ago was the best car choice I made in a while!

12/02/2019 - 16:58 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

VW makes sure that the GTI is, perennially, the stodgy Rambler of the hot hatchbacks by making sure that the GTI is always underpowered, & overpriced.
Perhaps Audi would make sure that the GTI, always, finishes 1st, quite handily.

11/30/2019 - 22:58 |
2 | 10
Anonymous

I like the GTI but i prefer the Octavia same fun but more space and way cheaper

12/01/2019 - 10:45 |
0 | 0
REAL_sluggo

Show me the lot of wankers that dislike the Golf and I’ll show you the snowflake-millennials whom have NO appreciation for motoring life BEFORE the Hot Hatch: Dull and grey with the odd chance of a Vauxhall being “on-the-edge” of performance-minded motors… Those whom do not appreciate History are daft to repeat it

12/01/2019 - 18:13 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

I’ve ran 2 Golf GTi Performance Pack DSG’s ( soon to be 3) as demo cars and I absolutely loved them. 245PS more than quick enough, Comfy over distances, great around town, and the PP’s LSD makes it great through the corners. As a one car garage contender, few come close to it for value per £

12/02/2019 - 13:32 |
2 | 0
Wogmidget

Nothing wrong with a GTI, but for the money I’d rather have a Nissan 370Z (or better yet, a 2 year old Mustang)

12/03/2019 - 19:45 |
0 | 0

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