2015 Volkswagen Golf GTI: fast and practical

The seventh-generation Volkswagen Golf GTI in tornado red

From the start, “On the Road” has always been a consumer-oriented motoring column. The average consumer is not only interested in the performance of a motor vehicle, but also in  its value for money, safety, comfort and design/styling.

Unlike the tech and tuner expert, the average consumer is not primarily concerned with high performance technical details such as limited slip differential, variable gearing, spring rates and yaw.

Trunk space increases when the back seat is folded. Note the early warning triangle neatly tucked into the lift gate.

That said, let us evaluate the seventh-generation 2015 Volkswagen Golf GTI as an average consumer would.  Is that like throwing pearls before swine (the GTI being the pearl and average consumers being swine)?

Not really. In Germany, its country of origin, the VW Golf began as a small low-cost family car, replacing the Beetle in 1974.  In 1975, Volkswagen rolled out the first Golf GTI, the original hot hatch whose horsepower and top speed increased gradually through the model years, to the utter delight of car enthusiasts.

PRACTICAL. But despite its reputation as a sport-tuned, race track-ready little car, the Golf GTI has remained practical as well as impressively fast. Practical in terms of more space for passengers and cargo than its compact hatchback rivals, such as the Mini Cooper S.

Even the back seat is GTI premium with Clark plaid material.

The seats with sporty plaid inserts are comfortable, well-bolstered and supportive.  The back seat can accommodate two adults, three would be a snug fit.  With ample headroom and legroom , the GTI would be pleasant and comfy to drive even on long trips.

Noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels are minimized by adequate damping.  Fit-and-finish quality is impeccable and build quality is solid, this being a German nameplate. The air-conditioning system is dual-zone automatic.

The back seat can be folded down to increase cargo space.  There is even a small covered recess in the inner panel of the tailgate for the Golf’s early warning device.

The Golf GTI’s new 2-liter TSI engine delivers 217 bhp and 350 Nm max torque.

DRIVEABLE. The Golf GTI is practical in terms of smooth driveability, making it perfectly suitable for the daily commute. The multifunction leather-wrapped steering wheel has paddle shifters and cruise control, among other driving conveniences ready at hand.

Push buttons and dials on the dashboard and center console, including an Engine Start/Stop button and a full-color infotainment touchscreen with sharp graphics enable you to easily manage the controls.

By simply pressing the Mode button beside the gearshift lever, you can choose either Normal, Sport Mode, Econ or Customize to adjust the throttle and steering according to driving conditions and your mood.

If you select Sport Mode and step on the gas, you hit 100 km per hour in only 6.3 seconds.

Sporty red stitching and stainless steel trim accentuate the GTI cockpit.

BURBLING. In Sport Mode, the six-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission shifts very quickly, predicts when you’ll want a downshift and delivers it right on time, simultaneously emitting burbling and popping sounds from the dual tailpipes.

The burbling and popping are like happy sounds, as if the car suddenly likes the way you are driving—which makes you want to drive faster in Sport Mode. But remember that you are driving on public roads, not the Clark International Speedway. The vaunted top speed is 248 kph.

The suspension is sport-tuned fore and aft with antiroll bars and coil springs, MacPherson struts in front and independent multilink at the rear.  The ride quality is firm but not harsh.

The 2015 Golf GTI is powered by Volkswagen’s newly developed 2-liter TSI (turbocharged stratified injection) engine producing 217 bhp at 4,500-6,200 revolutions per minute and max torque of 350 Newton-meters at 1,500-4,400 rpm.

PROGRESSIVE. It is the first front-wheel-drive car to be equipped with an electronically controlled differential lock in the front axle.  Progressive steering variably distributes the driving force between the front wheels, providing a torque factoring effect that allows the GTI to follow the racing line faster and drive quickly through bends with utmost stability.

Behind, a rear spoiler, combination taillights and twin tailpipes that emit burbling, popping sounds.

The GTI’s ability to enter and exit corners with amazing speed, smoothness and stability has become legendary and is carried over in spades in the 2015 model. The steering is properly weighted, highly responsive and precise.

The disc brakes with calipers on all four 18-inch alloy wheels are firm, not nose-diving or wiggling or wandering under full-ABS stops from 100 kph.

A motoring blog claims that the GTI is faster than the Subaru BRZ, Mazda MX-5 Miata and Genesis 2.0 T R-Spec.  It is second only to the Ford Mustang V6, but is quicker in a straight line than the Mustang and Miata and performs better and quicker around the figure 8 than all three.

QUICKER. The 2015 Golf GTI is quicker, stops shorter, pulls higher average g on the skid pad, and laps the figure 8 faster at a higher average g than the Mini. And it matches the Mini Hardtop John Cooper Works GP.

While the new Subaru WRX is faster on straights than the GTI, the Volks is still quicker around the figure 8, and matches the Subie on the skid pad.

Going back to the practicality of the 2015 Golf GTI, it is longer, wider and closer to the ground than the previous model, thereby enlarging cabin space and improving aerodynamic performance.

Its bland exterior styling effectively disguises its sports car driving dynamics except for the red calipers mounted on its disc brakes and the 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels shod with Potenza high-performance tires.

The cockpit looks premium with red overstitching, stainless steel pedals and scuff plates, GTI steering wheel with paddle shifters, GTI gearshift knob and interior ambient lighting.

SAFER. Driving with the family in a Golf GTI is safe, thanks to its numerous safety features including Electronic Stability Program, Anti-Slip Regulation, Electronic Differential Lock with XDS-Plus technology, engine drag torque control, electronic parking brake with auto hold, rear assist rear view camera with eight-channel park distance control, driver alert system, and seven airbags.

Volkswagen claims that the 2015 Golf GTI averages 12 kilometers per liter in combined city and highway driving. For a high-performance hatchback, that average is impressive if true.

Bottom line, the 2015 VW Golf GTI is adrenaline-pumping fast as well as comfortably practical. It is an efficient, sustainable hot hatch that deserves its P2.29-million retail price.