2008 Volkswagen GTI and GLI Road Test Review

As hard as it is to believe, given its iconic status, the development of the GTI was not official. It did not involve a product plan or track testing, but was merely a bunch of Volkswagen’s engineers tinkering with the Guigiaro-designed first-generation Golf of the mid ‘70s, known here as the Rabbit.

Besides its fuel-injected 1.6-liter 110 horsepower inline-four, which equated to a whopping 70 horsepower per liter (a lot in its day), the GTI was a fairly simple vehicle. Its suspension was beefed up with Bilstein shock absorbers, its ride height lowered by an inch, and it was fitted with wider wheels and tires to help it grip better around corners. It turned out that Volkswagen had a hit on its hands. People loved the way the GTI drove, the way it zipped around corners like a Mini Cooper and they adored the zesty acceleration and on-road performance, not to mention its decent fuel economy.

It is difficult to imagine how a car that that weighs 882 pounds more and is 15.7 inches longer could justifiably be called a GTI, not forgetting that it will comfortably and quietly cruise on the highway. It’s also a car with plenty of sound insulation, airbags and heated seats. And yet, the new GTI possesses that same fervent spirit for the road, with the sort of enthusiasm that I’d thought was gone for good after the third and fourth-generation cars. There was a return to driver enjoyment, just like the original. In the city or out in the open, the current GTI and its twin sedan sister, the GLI, sparkle.

Though they are considered two different models, the GLI and the GTI are practically identical. The only real difference between the two is that the GLI has a trunk, and it’s built in Puebla, Mexico instead of Wolfsburg, Germany as worldwide production of the Jetta is based in North America. But other than that, they’re the same, offered with the same wheel choices, interior trim and content. The GTI cannot be had in silver, whereas the GLI is available in silver and blue.

Built on the “A5” platform, the latest GTI rides on a longer wheelbase, and features a stiffer frame with a fully independent rear suspension system that is shared with practically every other Volkswagen on the market, from the Passat to the Tiguan (Touareg and City models excluded). Nevertheless, the GTI has its own unique feel. Its throttle and brakes have been calibrated to be more sensitive and intuitive to driver inputs, while its speed sensitive power steering possesses the same transition; it’s weighted more heavily and feels crisper. These alterations make the sporty Volkswagen feel more alert, like a true sports compact.

Part of what restored the GTI and GLI’s handling characteristics was the fitment of the 2.0T engine. This brilliant engine, which uses direct injection and turbochargers, allows similar outputs in power and torque to the old 2.8-liter VR6 in the third and fourth-generation cars, but with reduced fuel consumption and improved response. The four-cylinder unit also weighs considerably less than the VR6, improving overall weight distribution, which helps to reduce understeer and improve agility.

With 200 horsepower and a slick six-speed manual transmission (or optional six-speed DSG), the GTI and GLI will hit 60 mph in well under seven seconds, but you’d swear they were at least a second quicker from the driver’s seat due to the waspy sound of the exhaust tuning. The 2.0T is a remarkably linear engine, its peak torque arriving early, staying present through the rev range. This isn’t as exciting as the Civic Si, which demands that you chase the redline all the time, and there isn’t so much power that the steering is corrupted as in the Mazdaspeed3 or the Dodge Caliber SRT4, but they’re still wonderfully responsive to throttle input. Additionally, standard ESP stability control and an electronically controlled brake-lock differential ensures that the GTI and GLI aren’t overcome by wheel spin out of sharp bends.

As good as the 2.0T is, it is undeniable that most of its rivals have overtaken it in performance. The aforementioned SRT4 and Mazdaspeed3 as well as the new turbocharged Cobalt SS all put out in excess of 260 horsepower, while the Impreza WRX has been boosted for model year 2009 to be closer in line with the also new Lancer Ralliart. Only the Civic Si, Sentra SE-R and B200 Turbo hover at the 200 horsepower mark. Nevertheless, on a day-to-day basis the GTI and GLI’s engine is more than sufficient - it’s responsive, quiet and smooth. It also has enough torque to always raise a smile, as well as a comparatively small appetite for fuel. The EPA rates the GLI and GTI at 21 mpg in the city and 29 on the highway; I averaged 32 mpg over 600 miles behind the wheel of the GTI, and 28 mpg after a little over 400 miles behind the wheel of the GLI.

Best of all is how Volkswagen was able to incorporate elements of refinement, quality and style into the latest car. Its interior is still the best in class, the dash and door panels trimmed in soft touch plastics and high-quality leather, carrying over the premium feel of the previous car. It simply blows away its rivals in this department, with the exception of the much more costly BMW 1-Series, the B-Class and perhaps the style-conscious Volvo C30.

And where the old GTI and GLI were virtually identical in appearance to the standard Golf and Jetta, the new models are loaded with visual cues. Both models feature an anthracite headliner to match the darker interior color scheme, fabulous sports seats trimmed in either the famous Interlagos plaid or leather, a flat-bottomed steering wheel trimmed in perforated leather an a unique alloy gearshift lever. The instruments are also different; they’re standard-issue violet-blue in color, but with a narrow font type and chunky needles that give a sense of true performance.

Much the same can be said with regards to the interior. Both GTI and GLI feature the same black front grille trim, bi-xenon headlamps, honeycomb upper and lower grille inserts, and the all-important red piping around the grille. Red-painted calipers and twin offset exhaust pipes subtly speak of its performance upgrades. For this year, Volkswagen has brought over a new alloy wheel design for the entry level model that mimics the porthole style of the larger 18-inch wheels, a personal favorite. While the Platinum Gray GLI looked a little more subdued with its 17-inch wheels, I have to say that our Candy White GTI with its larger 18-inchers looked fantastic.

Most sport compacts these days are practical vehicles in general, and the GTI and GLI are no exception to this rule. The GTI is available in both three- and five-door body styles, and both feature a 14.1 cubic-foot cargo bay. The GLI offers a slightly larger trunk with 17.6 cubic feet of volume, due to its longer rear overhang. Both offer 60/40 folding seatbacks and a rear pass-thru for longer objects.

The starting sticker for the 3-door GTI is $22,800, while adding an extra two doors will cost an additional $500. The GLI starts at $24,300. Add on all the options and these two can get quite pricey, reaching well into the thirties.

Four years on, the GTI and its GLI sibling are still, in my opinion, the best compact performance cars on the market. They might not be the fastest, but they offer the best balance of performance, comfort, quality and refinement. The GTI and GLI represent Volkswagen’s return to form.