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Golf GTI is What Car?'s hottest hatch

 

Golf GTI is What Car?'s hottest hatch

The new Golf GTI has come out top in What Car?’s hot hatch megatest, which pitted 10 of the hottest new hatches against each other.

The GTI fended off the charms of the powerful Ford Focus RS and the Honda Civic Type R. "How can you resist a car that that does everything you want of a hot hatch one minute yet has the dignity and gravitas to pass as a business car the next, and that’s built as though its creators lives depended on it,” said What Car?. “The Golf is the consummate GTI, the sports car in practical form – which is why hot hatches were created in the first place.”

What Car? was very impressed by the car's handling, “It rides like a dream – anywhere – even on the optional 18-inch wheels. Add the variable damping system and you can stiffen it for those roads that constantly change direction, then ease back into ‘Comfort’ mode for the motorway slog home.” Power was no problem either: the “engine pulls strongly from below 2000rpm and has a mighty mid-range, so there’s never any need to rev it hard.”

What Car? was equally impressed by the retro styling of the chequered seats and red on the grille and dashboard. In fact, only one thing was missing from the "GTI for all ages and all classes", according to What Car? – the golf ball gearlever grip.

The August issue of What Car? is out now.

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