2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI Review and Test Drive
VW redesigns the standard-bearer of the hot-hatch segment for 2022.
Review QuickTakes:
In case you hadn't heard the news, Volkswagen has canceled the standard version of the Golf five-door hatchback, replacing it with the Volkswagen Taos, a small crossover SUV. That makes perfect sense because people want to buy SUVs and not cars.
However, two versions of the Golf remain available: the sport-tuned Golf GTI and the performance-oriented Golf R. Both get a complete redesign for 2022, making them eighth-generation examples of the Golf. The styling is familiar, adhering to the basic tenets that have guided Golf design since the 1970s. However, the new VW Golf GTI and Golf R boast thoroughly modern engineering and technology.
The subject of this review, the 2022 Golf GTI, is legendary for delivering a combination of performance, value, and utility. Many rivals have attempted to dethrone it since it first went on sale in 1983 as the Rabbit GTI; nearly 40 years later, it remains the standard by which all sport compact cars are measured.
For this 2022 VW Golf GTI review, I test-drove the Autobahn model in Southern California. It came with a manual transmission, extra-cost Pomelo Yellow paint, and dynamic wheel center caps that right themselves when the car is stopped, bringing the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) to $39,992, including the $1,095 destination charge. Volkswagen provided the vehicle for this Golf GTI review.
Christian Wardlaw
2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI Review: The Design
View a new 2022 Golf GTI at a rear angle, and you might wonder what changed aside from the wheel designs. However, spin to the front, and the modifications are more obvious. From the wide lower grille and X-pattern fog lights to the available LED illumination running the car's width from above each headlamp array, the new GTI makes its presence known.
If you've liked how previous GTIs look, chances are you'll like this new model, too. The GTI Autobahn test car wore a limited paint color; Volkswagen says each of its dealers will get one launch-year example of a GTI Autobahn dipped in Pomelo Yellow paint. It attracts attention to the redesigned car, which is the point. On the other hand, you may prefer one of the traditional hues like red, dark blue, as well as shades of white, black, silver, and gray.
Volkswagen says the eighth-generation GTI is the first one made "for the digital age," which is evident when you open the driver's door and get inside the car. Digital instrumentation and touch-sensing controls are the rules rather than the exceptions, and critics have not been kind to VW's approach.
Like other critics, I find the touch-sensing controls aggravating. For example, I accidentally activated the heated steering wheel on several occasions and sometimes received no response to input when using the steering wheel controls or the infotainment system's main menu shortcuts.
Christian Wardlaw
A smattering of control knobs and physical buttons is preferable to VW's approach in the new GTI. However, you can acclimate to the GTI's touch-sensing everything with time and practice.
Regarding comfort matters, standard equipment includes single-zone automatic climate control, heated front sport seats with cloth upholstery and traditional tartan plaid inserts, plus a golf ball-style manual transmission shift knob. All GTIs have red seat accents, a black headliner, honeycomb dashboard trim, and brushed stainless-steel pedals. The standard heated steering wheel features paddle shifters if you get the DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox dual-clutch automatic) transmission.
The GTI Autobahn test car had leather upholstery, a 12-way power-adjustable driver's seat, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a triple-zone climate control system, and a panoramic glass sunroof. The leather features a black and gray two-tone treatment with red accents.
In a GTI, you sit up high and enjoy a close, intimate relationship with the controls. Outward visibility is excellent, and the seats feature cushions that supply terrific long-distance comfort, plus substantial bolsters that hold you tight. The center armrest slides forward and raises to adjust for different drivers. Unfortunately, each time I braced my left leg while rounding a right-hand curve or corner, hard plastic on the door panel dug into my kneecap.
Christian Wardlaw
Rear seat room for taller adults is tight. Legroom is the main problem, but Volkswagen pads the front seatbacks so you can endure riding in the back for shorter trips. With the Autobahn trim, rear climate controls with air vents and heated rear seat cushions make riding in the back more appealing. A cargo area pass-through behind the center armrest creates room for long items like skis without kicking anyone out into the snow.
Interior storage space is adequate. Volkswagen lines the front and rear door panel bins with cloth material, while the charging pad and cupholders have rubber liners. These measures help to reduce noise, vibration, and harshness.
As for cargo space, Volkswagen reports 19.9 cubic feet of volume behind the back seat. However, unless you remove the cargo cover, lower the load floor panel, and then pack and stack to the roof with variably sized and shaped pieces of luggage, the usable volume is about half that figure. Fold the 60/40-split-folding rear seat down, and cargo space amounts to 34.5 cu-ft.
Christian Wardlaw
2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI Review: The Technology
If there's anything controversial about the new Golf GTI, it has to do with some aspects of the car's technology.
First, Volkswagen equips the GTI with Digital Cockpit Pro, a standard 10.25-inch instrumentation panel that you can customize in terms of theme, accent color, and data display. While some people might prefer traditional, round analog gauges, digital instrumentation is the future and is typically a superior solution.
Second, the infotainment system is running next-generation MIB3 software behind a standard 8.25-inch touchscreen display that operates similar to the surface of a smartphone or tablet computer. Standard features include the ability to pair multiple devices to the car via Bluetooth; App-Connect technology that supports Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Mirror Link; Car-Net connected services; and a wireless charging pad.
Choose the SE or the Autobahn trim, and the MIB3 infotainment system comes with a larger 10-inch touchscreen and an expanded array of features and functions. They include wireless App-Connect, a Hotspot Wi-Fi service plan through Car-Net, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and a nine-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system.
According to Volkswagen, both the instrument panel and the infotainment system illuminate and load content when you open the GTI's door. That way, both are ready to go by the time you're seated, bucked up, and the engine is running. In addition, the standard 30-color ambient interior lighting governs the color theme for the digital gauges and infotainment screen, so be sure to adjust it to a color you like.
Christian Wardlaw
The standard Car-Net connected services platform includes a complimentary trial subscription to the Remote Access plan for five years. Using a smartphone app, you can remotely start the engine, operate the door locks, and find the car when you've forgotten where you parked it.
Car-Net also makes the GTI Amazon Alexa-compatible and provides Family Guardian services. With Family Guardian, parents can set alerts related to vehicle speed, curfew time, and geographic boundaries to keep tabs on young drivers from a remote location.
The Safe & Secure plan is available with all three GTI trim levels, but requires a subscription. It adds safety and anti-theft features, including an emergency assistance SOS button, automatic crash notification, and a stolen vehicle locator. The Car-Net Hotspot Wi-Fi plan is available only with the MIB3 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system in the SE and Autobahn trim levels. It adds 4G LTE service for up to four different devices.
With an active data plan, you can further upgrade with Plus Online Radio, Plus Speech, and Plus Navigation. Plus Online Radio provides access to global internet radio stations and streaming music services, while Plus Navigation adds traffic data, route information, map updates, and the ability to find available parking and gas stations. However, I think Plus Speech is the extra-cost feature you want because it allows you to operate the GTI's controls by voice.
Christian Wardlaw
In going digital, VW has removed traditional knobs and buttons from the new GTI. Instead, you get touch-sensing, haptic feedback panels with virtual buttons and slider controls. When you read unflattering reports about the GTI's latest technology, this is what's causing all the consternation.
As I mentioned, I agree that this new approach is undesirable, especially in a car that often demands absolute focus and concentration from its driver. However, once you acclimate to how things work, it's relatively easy to change the cabin temperature, adjust stereo volume, or access the infotainment menu you need.
The infotainment touchscreen user experience is more intuitive than the car's other controls, even though VW takes novel approaches and hides sub-menus from sight until the proximity-sensing surface brings them to light.
If you choose SE or Autobahn trim, you can elect to pay for the Car-Net Hotspot service and then upgrade further with a Plus Speech subscription plan. That feature will allow you to control many infotainment and climate functions using naturally spoken commands. However, the recurring costs don't come cheaply, and the technology did not prove infallible.
Christian Wardlaw
For example, Car-Net lost its internet connection at one point, rendering the voice assistant inoperable. So I asked Siri instead, and it found what I was looking for without any trouble. That experience suggests that you might wish to skip the embedded tech and the add-on subscriptions and just run everything through App-Connect, your smartphone, and its digital assistant.
Volkswagen equips every 2022 Golf GTI with IQ.Drive, a collection of driver-assist and collision avoidance safety features. They include Front Assist (forward-collision warning and automatic emergency braking), Active Side Assist (blind-spot monitoring), Lane Assist (lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist), rear cross-traffic alert with automatic braking, and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability.
Additionally, IQ.Drive includes Travel Assist and Emergency Assist. The Travel Assist feature gives the GTI a semi-autonomous highway driving system blending adaptive cruise control with lane-centering assist. It requires you to keep your hands on the steering wheel, but otherwise operates in a refined, transparent manner to ease long highway drives.
In GTI models with the DSG transmission, Emergency Assist can detect an unresponsive driver and automatically bring the car to a safe stop. Let go of the steering wheel, and Emergency Assist engages quickly. Do this while Travel Assist is active, and Emergency Assist waits a few moments before initiating action.
Christian Wardlaw
Autobahn trim also equips the GTI with Parking Steering Assistant and Light Assist (automatic high-beam headlights). The Parking Steering Assistant can help a driver find and steer into appropriately sized parallel or perpendicular parking spaces.
While using Travel Assist, another motorist cut into the gap in front of the GTI and promptly sped up. The VW reacted late and started braking just as the other vehicle dramatically increased its speed. Then, the GTI responded late to the rapid growth in the gap ahead and resumed the set speed at a relatively leisurely pace.
In another situation, when Travel Assist wasn't following a vehicle, the GTI's tech didn't appear to realize traffic ahead was rapidly slowing, requiring me to activate the brakes. Although to be fair to the technology, I did have it on the closest following distance to minimize the gap between the GTI and vehicles ahead.
Overall, while the IQ.Drive safety features are effective, Travel Assist seems antithetical to the whole point of driving a GTI. You buy this car because it's fun. But using Travel Assist only adds boredom to the journey.
Christian Wardlaw
2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI Review: The Drive
Volkswagen equips the new 2022 GTI with the fourth-generation evolution of its capable EA888 engine family. In this car, the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine makes 241 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 273 lb-ft of torque starting at 1,750 rpm. Compared with the previous-generation Golf GTI, these figures represent gains of 13 horsepower and 15 lb-ft, but peak torque arrives 250 rpm later.
A six-speed manual gearbox is standard, with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with paddle shifters available as an option. Both transmissions put the power to the pavement through the GTI's front wheels.
To help tame the torque and maximize acceleration, the GTI includes a standard front cross-differential system (XDS) and a torque-sensing limited-slip differential (VAQ) to minimize any loss of traction and decrease understeer in corners.
Volkswagen also equips the car with Comfort, Normal, Sport, and Custom driving modes that adjust the steering weight and throttle response accordingly. With the DSG, the driving modes also modify shift behavior. With Autobahn trim, they alter the adaptive dampers' behavior as well. Drivers can also switch the traction and stability control systems to Sport or Off modes.
The new GTI's platform and architecture make greater use of ultra-high-strength steel, creating a more solid foundation that enhances the car's comfort and athleticism. In addition, engineers employed a strut-type front and a multi-link rear suspension design tuned for the best blend of ride and handling.
A progressive variable-ratio steering system is standard, with an added dynamic character when you select Autobahn trim. Volkswagen also fortifies the new GTI with 13.4-inch front and 12.2-inch rear vented brake discs with red-painted calipers. The automaker says the new electromechanical brakes supply faster response and improved precision when the driver modulates them.
My road test route took me on all the best twisty roads in the Santa Monica Mountains: Piuma, Latigo Canyon, Mulholland, and Deer Creek Canyon. After this driving experience, followed by a cruise on Pacific Coast Highway, crossing the rural farmland of Camarillo, and slogging back toward Los Angeles on the 101 freeway, I decided I loved the 2022 VW GTI.
Starting with the powertrain, the engine note is intoxicating, the clutch makes it easy to launch the car, and the manual gearbox shifts fluidly between gears. In Sport mode, the exhaust adds a subtle amount of snap, crackle, and pop when you're flicking the paddle shifters, entirely in keeping with the GTI's low-profile personality.
Christian Wardlaw
Driving up Latigo Canyon Road from the Malibu coastline, the GTI's XDS and VAQ proved their brilliance time and time again. This road has its lumpy and bumpy stretches, but even when I whipped the GTI around an uneven 110-degree hairpin turn, the wheels remained glued to the ground and pointed in the right direction. Based on my experience, XDS and VAQ are sensational technologies, effectively erasing the potentially adverse effects of the car's front-wheel-drive layout.
However, the adaptive damping suspension did not perform to my expectations. The positives include a comfortable ride in Comfort mode, a firm ride in Normal mode, and a downright stiff ride in Sport mode. However, far too much impact noise enters the cabin, leaving a driver with the impression that the new GTI's underpinnings are delicate and brittle.
Also, when traveling over a considerable bump on Malibu's Piuma Road, the front suspension reached its limit of travel with a bang, a rare occurrence on this road that did not happen in the previous-gen GTI. (Notably, the time I recall this happening previously was in a Ford Focus RS.)
Ultimately, I determined that Comfort or Normal mode is best unless you're on glass-smooth pavement like what you'll find on some stretches of Mulholland Highway and Deer Creek Canyon Road.
The suspension stiffness is welcome in these silky environments, and the GTI behaves like a slot car. Undoubtedly, the GTI Autobahn's larger 19-inch wheels and summer performance tires with generous limits of adhesion contributed to this sensation.
Furthermore, the GTI exhibited no brake fade even on the most demanding stretches of road, adding to a driver's confidence. The Autobahn's dynamic, progressive variable-ratio steering also impresses, and the steering wheel is perfectly sized and shaped to accommodate strict 10-and-2 drivers and shuffle-steerers alike.
Still, the new GTI doesn't produce the giggle-fest that the previous-gen model did. You can gather plenty of speed in this car, and it's a ton of fun, but the experience is not as visceral as I recall from driving the Mark 7. It never felt like it came alive in my hands. Plus, in addition to suspension impact sounds, too much road noise made its way into the cabin. Perhaps the Autobahn's standard summer tires are to blame.
With that said, I unquestionably loved driving the new 2022 VW GTI. As evidence, I averaged just 23.8 mpg over 130 miles. The car's official EPA fuel economy rating is 28 mpg. Oops.
Christian Wardlaw
Is the 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI a Good Car?
Yes, the new Volkswagen Golf GTI is a good car. It is a thrill to drive, offers decent utility, and is packed with modern technology. However, unless "fun-to-drive" is at the top of your list of things you want in your next vehicle, there are other options in the compact car segment.
