2019 Volkswagen Golf GTI
The VW Golf GTI is a perennial feature on our 10Best Cars list鈥攁long with the rest of its Golf family鈥攁nd it's as good as ever. The 2019 GTI is a practical car with real performance credibility at a price that would make plenty of dynamically inferior cars blush. But despite already having an ace in the hole, Volkswagen keeps upping the ante. This year, that means another minor horsepower bump for every version along with a now standard limited-slip differential and stronger brakes. We've been smitten with the GTI for years, and with Volkswagen's commitment to the continued refinement of this little hot hatch, we expect the bloom to stay on this rose for the foreseeable future. What's New for 2019? The base GTI requires you to turn a key to start the engine, which is so 2010, so we'd choose the SE model, which adds some luxury features versus lesser versions. We'd stick with the easygoing six-speed manual transmission, but Volkswagen's six-speed dual-clutch automatic is just as good, if not quite as engaging.
Standard features in our chosen model includes leather seating surfaces, keyless entry with push-button start, and an eight-speaker Fender premium audio system. Likes: Slick and rewarding-to-use manual transmission, quick-shifting automatic gearbox, graceful ride and sharp handling. The turbocharged four-cylinder that graces the GTI's engine bay is one of the greats. It doesn't offer overwhelming power but delivers instant response and solid acceleration practically anywhere in the rev range. The clutch pedal in models with the manual transmission is light, which means that shifting is never a chore. The optional dual-clutch automatic is one of our favorite non-manual transmissions. Its lightning-quick gearchanges and telepathic shift programming make it a perfect mate to the GTI's storied powertrain. The GTI is one of our favorite cars to drive鈥攚e'd happily pilot one every day. It is nimble and responsive and feels flat around corners despite its tall frame. Most important, the GTI is well coordinated and predictable, responding just as you'd want to your steering and throttle inputs. All of that grip and handling prowess would be useless if paired with numb steering.
Thankfully, Volkswagen has not surrendered us to that fate. The GTI reacts to steering inputs so quickly and accurately that you'll think the car is a sentient being. Its brakes are firm and progressive on the road and strong on the track. Fuel economy in the sport-compact class ranges from acceptable to outstanding, with the GTI claiming a solid spot in this segment based on EPA ratings. It outperformed expectations in our real-world testing, sweetening the deal even further. The last version we tested earned 36 mpg during our highway test, outperforming its EPA rating by 2 mpg. Likes: Heated front seats are standard, clean and intuitive touchscreen interface, copious cargo space. Dislikes: Upright seating position, slow touchscreen responses. Volkswagen interiors are simple and well-crafted as a rule, and the GTI's is no exception. Although its main focus is driving, shoppers can still outfit their hot hatch with a few luxury features.
Notable options include dual-zone automatic climate control and 12-way adjustable leather power seats, but the GTI is plenty comfortable in base guise. Four people can travel in reasonable comfort in any of them, but don't expect vast amounts of spread-out room in the rear seats. Every model in the GTI lineup is graced with a touchscreen that is simple to use but in our testing, it responded slowly to user inputs. The system uses a mix of touch and voice commands as well as several menu-based buttons and is about as easy to operate as the average smartphone. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, too, and make for simple device integration. Performance cars and sports coupes often lack useful storage space, but this segment blends practicality and execution in a package that asks few compromises of its owners. The entire Golf family enjoys large cargo holds, easy-to-fold seats, and useful in-cabin storage cubbies. Thanks to the nearly flat load floor, there's plenty of space for trips to the beach or modest runs to Ikea. The GTI earned perfect scores in its crash tests. A full complement of driver-assistance equipment is available. None of it is standard, however, which is the one thing holding the GTI back from perfection here.
