Volkswagen Golf GTI 2005 - Present

The Golf GTI is back, and back on form too. The car that really defined the ‘hot hatch' with it's launch in 1976 had become soft and flabby in it's last incarnation, but has trimmed down and is ready to challenge for it's place as the 'enfant terrible' of British motoring once again.

Now armed with a 200 bhp motor and the choice of two different gearboxes, the new GTI also has styling to set it apart from the rest of the Golf range. It's performance and handling are immense and extremely rewarding, almost offering the sort of feel and drive of the original models.

A walk round the car reveals a different nose to the standard Golf and twin pipes at the rear. The GTI logo is proudly displayed on the front of the car just in case anyone had missed the other clues. The car looks squat and muscular, with wheels that are clearly designed to hold onto the road at all times. When inside the car the front seats are extremely comfortable and supportive. They offer the sort of comfort that constantly reminds you that you're in a serious car. The back seats are comfortable too with the same firm edge that is supportive without being soporific. The leg and head room in the back will take three adults reasonably well but will be more comfortable for the two on the outside.

The boot space is a most welcome surprise as it's really big and makes the GTI quite a practical car. It's certainly practical enough to convince a spouse that you're not just trying to recapture something of your youth, honest. The controls are typically logical and natural and the dashboard lights are supplied in an attractive blue colour.

Anyway enough about practical issues, I'm sure that if you wanted you could fit a towbar. People don't buy the GTI because of it's boot space but for it's performance. This is what was missing from the last version of the car. It had become a sort of sanitised version of the small muscle car that drivers had fallen in love with. The new version is a great mix of throwback and progressive futuristic motor. The 2.0 powerplant will take the car to 60 mph in 7.2 seconds with the manual gearbox and 6.9 seconds for the DSG double clutch gearbox. The engine has next to no turbo lag and offers great levels of power throughout the rev range. As it generates great levels of torque from as low as 1800 revs you never feel without acres of pulling power.

The Golf's handling is simply sensational. It corners with supreme confidence even at insane speeds. It has great natural grip on the road and plenty of additional extras to take up any slack that may arise from your over exuberance. The stability control, brake assist and traction control should keep you on the tarmac if you get too carried away.

In the time since the last memorable Golf, the world, and especially the world of the hot hatch, has moved on. The Golf is no longer the top dog, even with it's latest revision, but is now at least in the hunt again and commanding peoples attention.

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