As a two-time Good 12 winner, the renovated Volkswagen GTI has a lot to live up to. In sixth-generation form, the new Golf GTI – no longer a Rabbit – is very similar to the outgoing car, the GTI MK5. VW USA will price the base GTI at $23,290, about $1,000 more than the Honda Civic Si. Basic 3-door prices in Canada start at $28,675.
Power stands still at 200-bhp and 207 lb-ft of torque. The VW 2.0L turbo is a wonderful engine; so consider this a “no harm done” situation. Transmissions remain as six speeds: a DSG or manual gearbox. Though the platform isn’t significantly alterred, there are changes. Those changes, however, are hard to spot.
Styling is updated, of course. And while the 2010 GTI looks better, the casual observer will be at pains to distinguish GTI MK5 from MK6. Is the 2010 Volkswagen Golf GTI good enough to bring about a third consecutive Good 12 victory on GoodCarBadCar.net? Change is expected in the automotive universe, and Volkswagen isn’t providing much with the new Golf GTI. Can potential consumers continue to be excited over the second most beautiful wheels in the world and 200 horsepower? Or should Volkswagen reconsider their decision to import the wicked sweet Scirocco? Of course, then there’s the Model Overlap problem VW finds in the UK….
This shouldn't be called the sixth-gen Golf. IT's nice and everything, but if it's not at all all-new, VW could save face by calling it MK5 v1.5 or something and rehashing it again in two or three years for an MK6. It's an expectations game, and the MK6, although decent, fails to live up to mine for $24000.