The Car Is About RM21
I attended the launch of the locally assembled (CKD) Volkswagen Jetta TSI yesterday. The car is about RM21,000 cheaper than the imported variant but still has 6 airbags, an audio system with Bluetooth, USB, Ipod, AUX with 6 speakers and a whole lot of family friendly features in a 4 door sedan body. The event was pretty unique in that VW Group brought in their design head of the Asian design studios to explain a little about Volkswagen's DNA and styling cues. Of course, ultimately, the Jetta is a C segment family sedan and with that, is bound by a certain set of design rules and criteria within the VW Group. It may be handsome looking but you can't let it look too Audi-like in case Audi customers or the blokes designing Audis feel 'threathened'. Of course, Volkswagen can go bonkers, like their XL1 car recently. This Jetta has to make the numbers for them to build cars which are a little mad at times.
I want to get this out of the way right now: I鈥檝e always had a soft spot for Volkswagens. There鈥檚 something about the way a German engine sounds and the styling of VWs that I鈥檝e always enjoyed. So when I was given the keys to the 2018 Volkswagen GTI, I was more than ready to hop behind the wheel. Based on a variation of VW鈥檚 storied Golf, the GTI was designed to give some more pep and performance to the German-built hatchback. The upgrade was first offered for the Golf in 1976 and has become a fixture of its lineup over the past 40 years. In doing so, VW helped give rise to the 鈥渉ot hatch鈥?movement, an idea that came from pairing the functionality of a hatchback with superior performance. It鈥檚 no question the GTI benefitted from being one of the first so-called hot hatches to enter the market.
It was a sales hit in the late 鈥?0s and it took other automakers years to catch up. By then, the GTI was synonymous with the combination of speed and practicality. Volkswagen wasn鈥檛 shy about slapping the GTI logo around the car. Given its long history, that鈥檚 a good thing. The 2018 model year continues the car鈥檚 long tradition of just being fun to drive. I was immediately enamored with the turbocharged 2.0-liter engine capable of 220 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque when fed premium fuel. Mine was equipped with the optional 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. I was a little bummed when I realized it wasn鈥檛 a stick shift, but the addition of paddle shifters more than made up for it. From the second I started the engine, I knew I鈥檇 like the drive. The exhaust note was pure and, when the engine was revved, it had a touch of the European rally car sound for which I鈥檇 hoped. Taking off from a dead stop was a blast, though there was a bit of the expected turbo lag. Once the engine starts to breathe, the GTI really starts to show off.
It easily accelerates past the speed limit 鈥?I mean in theory, of course 鈥?and eats up the road. The steering is tight and responsive. I drove it up a mountain and I felt I held the car back rather than vice versa. As is all the rage nowadays, the car can be put into different drive modes. I messed around with the Eco 鈥?boring, as expected 鈥?and Normal 鈥?fine 鈥?modes, which alter the steering and throttle response. But Sport mode is where most GTI drivers should leave their cars. It does affect the gas mileage, but flying down the freeway in fourth gear with the engine purring is enough to get the blood flowing in even the tamest of drivers. I typically can鈥檛 stand cars painted white, but Volkswagen鈥檚 White Silver Metallic had me rethinking my ways. The drive was made even better with the GTI鈥檚 stylish interior. If you would have told me about the Clark Plaid seat inserts beforehand, it would have ruined the surprise.
The entire cabin took cues from the seat pattern. The dominant color, by far, is black. However, the car has numerous silver and red accents that look well thought out and add a cohesiveness. The color scheme extended through the gauge cluster and infotainment system, which was a breeze to use. Most people I took for a ride also appreciated the door trim, which has a streak of red ambient lighting. The bucket seats put a big, supportive bow on the inside. They were bolstered excellently, though were not fully automatic or equipped with ventilators. Those are available on a higher trim level, but I really didn鈥檛 miss them. The GTI鈥檚 interior is a great blend of technology and the car鈥檚 roots. This photo is of a model equipped with a manual transmission, but the interior of the one I drove was very similar. Speaking of trim levels, the GTI offers three. I drove the lowest, S, which came with a good array of features for being the base; 18-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, heated seats and rain-sensing windshield wipers are standard. SE offers a panoramic sunroof, a push-button start and various safety features 鈥?such a blind spot monitoring, forward collision warning, brake assist and parking sensors 鈥?and a larger touchscreen. The top-of-the-line Autobahn trim offers all of the above in addition to an adaptive cruise control system, Fender audio, dual-zone climate control, power seats, various other safety features and an adaptive chassis control system. The 2018 edition of the Volkswagen GTI is another chapter of a long-running and successful line. Even at the lowest trim level, it鈥檚 adequately equipped and very stylish. The turbocharged engine speaks 鈥?sometimes loudly 鈥?for itself. The hot hatch is supposed to be a pairing of performance and practicality and VW nailed it.
