Car Review: 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI

At one time, the car that sold more copies than anything else in automotive history was the Volkswagen Beetle. And the car that directly knocked it off its lofty perch? None other than the Volkswagen Golf.

I always liked the Golf, and I’m sad to see its regular versions are now gone in Canada. It was the victim of most people preferring to buy a small sport-utility than a car with a hatch in back. But all is not lost: For those who like a car that’s practical and a lot of fun to drive, the Golf GTI is still here, and for 2022, it morphs into its eighth generation.

Its wheelbase stays the same, but it grows slightly larger overall. It gets a styling makeover, while remaining true to its traditional look and proportions. The engine gets a power boost, and the suspension is reworked for even better handling. The cabin also gets an overhaul, but unfortunately, the simple buttons and dials that you used to get have been replaced with an annoying system that requires you to tap or swipe for almost everything.

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2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI Performance Photo by Jil McIntosh

It comes in three trim levels, starting with the simply-named GTI at $31,495; the Autobahn at $34,995; and the Performance at $38,995. All those are for a six-speed manual, and add $1,400 if you want an automatic seven-speed direct-shift gearbox (DSG). I had the Performance with DSG and optional panoramic sunroof, at $41,645 before freight and taxes.

The Performance name doesn’t mean anything extra under the hood. All models come with a turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder that makes 241 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque. But that top trim adds dynamic chassis control with self-adjusting dampers, along with summer performance tires that had been seasonally swapped out on mine in favour of low-profile winter shoes.

Driving this car is fun on a bun. The power increase isn’t a huge leap – an extra 13 horsepower, plus 15 more lb-ft of torque – but it feels much quicker than before. The direct-shift transmission selects a gear and then immediately sets up the next one in preparation so it’s ready to go when it’s needed, and the shifts are quick and buttery-smooth.

The steering is equally smooth, immediately responsive, and very nicely weighted. All GTI models are front-wheel drive, and use an electronically-controlled limited-slip front differential that improves handling in curves and corners. The car corners flat; the Performance’s chassis control provides a smooth and composed ride on less-than-perfect pavement; the brakes are well-modulated and confident; and the whole package is a tight and very nimble unit.

All trims are well-equipped, while the Performance uniquely adds such features as heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats (and a heated steering wheel also on the other trims), Harmon Kardon stereo, head-up display, power driver’s seat with memory, automatic high-beam headlamps, adaptive cruise control with lane centring, 19-inch wheels, and leather upholstery — but that can be traded for a no-charge option of plaid cloth seats, and who in their right mind wouldn’t trade plain old leather for Volkswagen heritage-design plaid cloth seats?

2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI Performance Photo by Jil McIntosh

2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI Performance

2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI Performance Photo by Jil McIntosh

But the redesign, as mentioned, drops the previously simple controls, and stashes most of the functions into a centre screen that requires multi-step processes. Distracted driving is a major safety issue, and I’m not allowed to play with a mobile device behind the wheel, so why does this require the equivalent of swiping and tapping a phone?

Even when there is something resembling a button, it’s actually just a sensor behind a piece of flat plastic, even on the steering wheel controls, and you have to look to be sure you’re hitting the right spot. You touch to adjust the stereo volume, because there isn’t a knob; and you touch to adjust the temperature because there are no dials. These touch-spots are below the screen in a little plastic trough and they’re not lit up. The roads out my way aren’t always smooth, and so when reaching to tap an icon on the screen, I’d instinctively rest my hand below to steady it — right where those sensors are, so I’d inadvertently change the volume or the temperature.

The headlight switch is needlessly complicated. Most automakers give you a simple knob, or a switch at the end of the turn signal stalk. Nope. There’s another piece of shiny black plastic on the left-hand side of the dash, where you tap-tap-tap to switch between parking lights, headlights, or automatic operation. And the front and rear defrosters are tap-spots below that — not in the centre stack with the rest of the climate controls, where a passenger might also easily access them if the window fogs up.

Seriously, are there buyers who actually clamour for these types of controls? Or instead of equipping each trim with the appropriate number of buttons, are automakers saving cash by putting the same screen into all, and then stuffing more software into the costlier cars? As much as I love piloting this comfortable little car, that tap-and-swipe system, which doesn’t always respond well to winter-chilled or gloved fingertips, leaves me equally cold.

But if you can live with that system, the GTI is a wonderful little machine. It’s not the fire-breather than its 315-horsepower Golf R sibling is — and not as pricey as the R’s starting tag of $45,995 — but it’s a great blend of sporty handling with everyday-commute driveability. The Golf may be gone, but its hot-hatch version is still alive and very well.

Keyword: Car Review: 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI

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