Honey, I Shrunk The Hot Hatch! VW Confirms It Will Make An Up! GTI
The GTI name is synonymous with Volkswagen, and especially the Golf. Since the Mk1 in 1976, VW has been tuning hatchbacks to combine practical space and blistering performance. And now, after much speculation, Volkswagen has confirmed that the GTI badge will be donning the smallest model in the German brand's range - the Up! And, looking at the stats, it should be an absolute hoot. The hot hatch just got smaller: They do say the smaller the chilli the hotter it is. That could be the case for the new Volkswagen Up! While the smallest VW GTI model until now - the Lupo GTI that was on sale between 2001 and 2004 - was fitted with a larger capacity 1.6-litre engine, the Up! GTI is all about tuning. It uses the same tried-and-tested three-cylinder 1.0-litre unit that's available in the standard models, but the power output is upped with the addition of turbocharging. Its small size and power invite comparisons with the original Mark 1 Golf GTI - both weigh less than a tonne and have a 0-to-62mph time of around nine seconds.
Are these the worst looking cars ever sold? Can you find cheaper car insurance? Saying that, it's still down 12bhp on the long-discontinued performance Lupo. Three- and five-door models should be available from next year. The last time Volkswagen fitted the GTI badge to a diminutive model was back in 2001 when it launched the performance Lupo. GTI can't match the Lupo. Volkswagen hasn't stopped there - they've also firmed the suspension and lowered the ride by 15mm to make it more chuckable in the bends. That sort of performance and handing improvement in a car that can be squeezed into a gnat-sized parking space should result in plenty of smiles behind the wheel. It joins the GTI ranks alongside the eighth generation Golf as well as the Polo which sits between the 41-year-old originator and the latest GTI weapon. 鈥?Slide me 鈥?Positioned side-by-side, the Up! The other GTI in the existing VW range is the Polo, which will sit between the Up! GTI treatment as you would in a Golf - tartan cloth seats, red stitching on the steering wheel and gear knob and subtle GTI badges throughout. Another similarity - as with any GTI model in the range - is the tartan cloth interior, the red strip across the radiator grille and even a diminutive rear spoiler. While there is no confirmation as yet for when the Up! GTI will go on sale, rumour suggest it could be in showrooms from early next year. How much will it cost? With the most potent model currently priced at around 拢12,600, expect to pay a significant premium for the GTI emblem - something in the realms of 拢17,000.
You do need to get the Autobahn trim if you want to change suspension and dampers settings; the adaptive damping system comes only on that model. You also lose Comfort mode on the S and SE trims because they don't come with the adaptive dampers. Because it's a hatch, the 2018 Volkswagen Golf GTI is very practical. There's a two-level load floor in the cargo area, which helps when you have to carry bulky items. The standard 60/40 split-folding rear seats allow you to expand the 17.3-cubic-foot cargo area to a generous 53.7 cubic feet, giving the Golf GTI crossoverlike flexibility. In case you need to carry long items but have passengers, the GTI is one of a few hatchbacks with a ski pass-through. The GTI offers plenty of room for four passengers; five will fit on short trips, but whoever is relegated to the center position won't have that much room because of a large drivetrain hump.
Volkswagen's new multimedia system is one of the most user-friendly interfaces. It offers quick responses to inputs, clear graphics, and a logical layout. However, the use of touch-sensitive buttons means it's distracting to use on the move, forcing you to take your eyes off the road so that you don't accidentally press something else. Luckily, the voice command system is intuitive and allows you to change the music playing, make phone calls, and input navigation directions, negating the need to use the buttons while driving. The navigation unit features clear maps that are easy to read, but the plain graphics could use a little more color. Because our testers were both Autobahn models, they came equipped with the Fender premium audio system, which offers excellent sound quality and great tone and doesn't have an overwhelming amount of bass even in its highest setting. Sadly, it's only got one USB port, so if you're using Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, no one else can charge portable devices.
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are integrated beautifully and easily take over multimedia and navigation duties. With the recent addition of Google Assistant on Android Auto, you don't need to hold the voice command button to access voice command. Just say, "OK Google," and then tell it what you want to do. As with most integrations of Android Auto, you've got access to apps such as Google Maps, Waze, Spotify, Pandora, Google Play Music, and Stitcher. Voice to text functions allow you to send texts via voice commands simply by telling your Google Assistant to send a text to a specific person in your contact list and saying your message out loud. SE and Autobahn models come with a host of driver-assistance features such as adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, and blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic alert. Most of the time, the systems worked invisibly until the lane keeping got confused and thought the car was drifting to another lane even though the turn signals were on.
