German Car Zone

Be Fast, but Be Civilized About It


It's the civility you notice first. There is no drama here — no compromises that have to be made in order to enjoy the turbocharged performance. In fact, when VW first developed the 2010 Volkswagen GTI, it proved to be so quiet that the engineers had to develop an electronic "sound generator" to deliver the proper aural stimulation to the driver.

When the 2010 VW GTI debuts alongside the standard 2010 Volkswagen Golf (née Rabbit, as VW has decided to return to this car's traditional model name even for the U.S. market), it will be presented as a sophisticated German alternative to the Honda Civic Si and Mazda 3.

It will debut at the 2009 New York Auto Show and finally reach showrooms in October. The price of the two-door hatchback will start from around $24,000, while the four-door version will cost about $500 more.

The GTI Look
Volkswagen doesn't do revolution. If you're familiar with the six generations of the GTI (introduced in Europe as the GTi in 1976 and then in the U.S. as the GTI in 1983), you'll instantly recognize the latest incarnation. There are no surprises here, just a convincing overhaul of the latest Golf Mk 6 platform with the front valence, rocker sills and rear fenders made more pronounced to visually lower the car's appearance.

The red pinstripe in the front grille is a GTI signature, as are the twin exhaust tips, and now there's an exaggerated body molding at the back that VW is calling an aero diffuser. Cast-aluminum wheels were new in 1983, and these 18-inch examples recall the original design (it's kind of like looking at a telephone from the 1980s, isn't it?). They're a novelty item, and distinguish the GTI from its Golf sibling just as they did in the 1980s.

Based on the Mk 6 version of the Golf, the new 2010 Volkswagen GTI looks more athletic and engaging than the former Mk 5 version. It doesn't have the extroverted aero detailing of the Mazdaspeed 3 — it's too sophisticated for that — but it does have an undoubted presence. It also has an Everyman appeal that its rivals lack, as if it would have credibility at the test track even as it serves as a ride to town for drinks at someplace exclusive.

Sensible Design
The interior offers more of the same. The design of the fascia is conservative — perhaps too conservative — but it's difficult to criticize the quality. This German hot rod might cost more than its Japanese rivals, but inside it's easy to see why. The GTI feels like a luxury good, not trashy, disposable fashion.

Indeed, this European obsession with quality has created something of a dilemma for Volkswagen of America. In the United Kingdom, the Golf GTI (as it's known) will sell for the equivalent of $32,000, a price that would be untenable on this side of the pond. To reduce the cost for the U.S., some of the Euro-style trinkets have been removed. The climate control has been replaced with simple air-conditioning and the multifunction steering wheel has been ditched in favor of something more modest. But we do get cupholders.

As a result, the VW GTI that comes to the U.S. will look a little different from what you see here, but the main touch points will remain, such as the brilliant sport seats. So will the practicality, as there's room for five inside and a capacious trunk besides.


Full Story: Edmunds Inside Line - 2010 Volkswagen GTI First Drive


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