Skip to main content

All You’ll Ever Need in 2022 Is a Volkswagen Golf GTI

Volkswagen Golf GTI Review
Joel Patel/The Manual

Compromise is a major part of being an automotive enthusiast. If all of us had our way, we’d be driving around in convertible Ferraris. Alas, we certainly don’t live in a perfect world. Outside of fantasies, four main aspects influence every automotive purchase: price, performance, reliability, and comfort. These points are intertwined. Get something cheap, and performance, reliability, and comfort may suffer. With an exotic, you’re getting incredible performance, but you’re certainly going to pay for it, and reliability, along with comfort, are areas that will take a back seat.

Recommended Videos

Finding a happy medium between the four factors is crucial and as enthusiasts, we tend to try to get the most out of performance, while keeping pricing down, with reliability and comfort going out the door. That doesn’t have to be the case, though, because there’s a vehicle out there that represents the best compromise for the real world – the Volkswagen Golf GTI.

Taking all four points into account, there simply isn’t a better vehicle than the Golf GTI on sale. Enthusiasts believe the Mazda MX-5 Miata is the answer to all of life’s automotive questions, but that isn’t the case. It’s actually the Golf GTI.

Performance? With a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that pumps out 228 horsepower, the little hatchback is certainly peppy. Comfortable seating for four adults plus a massive cargo area? Check. VW may not have the same track record as Toyota in the reliability arena, but you certainly won’t be paying radical prices to keep the vehicle running on the road. Lastly, there’s the price. The GTI S starts at a reasonable $29,515 (including destination) if you get the manual and tops out at $38,215 if you get the Autobahn with the automatic gearbox. Go with the base GTI S and you’re getting a steal of a car. When it comes to the four commandments, the GTI manages to hit all of the right notes.

Whether you’re running errands around town or tearing up a windy road, the GTI impresses in ways few others do. The powertrain, for one, is just so refined and has the range of Matthew McConaughey. Around the city, the low-end torque and punchiness mean you’re zipping around without much effort or drama. Out on the open highway, the engine has plenty of oomph to pass truckers without having to stab the throttle with ferocity.

More impressive than the engine is the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. While the six-speed is undoubtedly the gearbox to get, the automatic makes a strong case for itself. It’s one of the best dual-clutch transmissions in an affordable car on the market. Quick, smooth, and seemingly one step ahead of the plan, the automatic transmission brings all of the positives of a dual-clutch unit without any of the negatives. Furthermore, there’s no buyer’s remorse with the automatic.

Volkswagen Golf GTI Review
Joel Patel/The Manual

The Autobahn trim we tested was fitted with VW’s DCC adaptive chassis control system, which is a fancy way of saying that the suspension includes adaptive dampers. While only available on the Autobahn trim, the system is well worth the funds. With the setup, you can have your burger your way. Soft and pillowy on the highway, stiff yet compliant on a windy road. The adaptive suspension system further helps the GTI’s duality.

Find yourself on a good road, set the GTI into its “Sport” setting, and you’re sure to wind up with a smile on your face. The quick steering doesn’t provide that much feedback, but the lively chassis, strong brakes, and exquisite powertrain make that one niggle easy to overlook. Any road, whether it’s that one windy road that you know like the back of your hand or an unexpectedly sharp exit ramp, and every drive, becomes enjoyable behind the wheel of a GTI.

The GTI certainly isn’t the quickest, grippiest, or the most powerful hatchback available, but its true party piece is how well it does the boring, mundane things. No one enjoys going to Costco and the majority of people don’t want some gaudy, boy-racer machine that gets every cop’s attention. Fun when you want it to be, but more importantly, quiet, comfortable, and versatile when you need something grown-up, the GTI is eerily close to perfection.

If it weren’t for the drab interior, awkwardly high seating position, and lack of feedback from the steering wheel, the GTI would put up a strong fight as being the best car for every person. Even non-enthusiasts will find it difficult to fault the GTI. Looking for a vehicle that can really do it all? You’ve got your answer with the GTI.

Joel Patel
Former Freelance Writer
Joel Patel is a former contributor for The Manual. His work has also been featured on Autoweek, Digital Trends, Autoblog…
Next-gen EV bike from Infinite Machine
Infinite Machine's new EV bike
next gen ev bike from infinite machine olto ride photo 14

Infinite Machine is excited to introduce the Olto, their latest ride that makes your journeys easier and more fun, and adds a new option to the booming EV market. Building on what they learned from the P1, the Olto is designed to go wherever you do, especially in bike lanes. With a solid 40 miles of range, this vehicle can hit speeds of 20 mph in bike lanes and zoom up to 33 mph off-road. It’s got a trick hot-swappable battery that slides right in, plus magnetic foldable pedals, so it works well whether you're cruising through the city or hitting the trails.

What’s great about the Olto is that it gives you options: you can pedal when you want, or just kick back and use the throttle. It’s made from tough, weatherproof aluminum, so it can hang outside without any worries—perfect for city living.
Riding in Comfort

Read more
The Genesis G80 shows us why we should save the sedan
You forget just how good a sedan can be
Front 3/4 View of a Genesis G80

The rise of the SUV has caused a lot of casualties. First, the station wagon went, then the minivan, and even the trusty sedan that dominated the highways for decades has pretty much died off in its wake. Aside from a couple of GM efforts, American manufacturers have essentially ditched the platform. This is partially due to the success of SUVs and trucks and partially due to some poorly written emissions legislation. So if you want a sedan in 2025, you may have to look towards Europe or Asia. I recently had the pleasure of driving the Genesis G80, a luxury sedan from Hyundai's premium brand, and it reminded me just how good those vehicles can be.

Just as people take the first bite of a good meal with their eyes, your first impression of a vehicle is likely looks-based. Compared to modern SUVs, which are generic for the most part, the G80 really stands out. There's a lot going on, but it manages to look both sleek and powerful at the same time. In the fenders, and up front, you see some notes of a muscle car. The grille is large and distinctly Asian, though many manufacturers have recently adopted that large, rounded style. As you follow the lines backwards, though, you see some sportiness push through. Compared to the usual box on wheels you see on the road, this looks like a lot of fun.
You forget how well a performance sedan handles

Read more
Louis Vuitton bespoke Trophy Trunk and signage celebrate the 2025 Montreal Grand Prix
Louis Vuitton extends a 125-year plus racing tradition
Louis Vuitton trophy case for the 2025 Montreal Grand Prix.

Continuing a traditional association with automobile racing that began in 1897, Louis Vuitton presented a bespoke Louis Vuitton Trophy Trunk that held the 2025 Montreal Grand Prix winner's trophy presented to the victor of the competition, Mercedes driver George Russell. This trophy trunk was not the first this year; it also created a unique Louis Vuitton Trophy Trunk for the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix.

Louis Vuitton also introduced new signage at the Montreal Grand Prix that features the atelier's focus on vibrant culture, velocity, and heat. Louis Vuitton's association with Formula 1 racing this year aligns with a company tradition, encapsulated in the slogan "Victory Travels in Louis Vuitton."
Why create a bespoke trunk for the Montreal Grand Prix

Read more