Driven: 2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI S
202 | car reviews | hot hatches | volkswagen
If one type of vehicle nails the balance between fun, performance, and everyday practicality, it’s the hot hatch. After a week with the 2025 VW Golf GTI, that belief is only reinforced. With its punchy turbo engine, sharp handling, and accessible price point, this latest iteration of this German icon proves it still delivers where it counts.
The Golf GTI is the more economical of the two models available here in the U.S., with the more costly Golf R besting it in power and offering all-wheel drive instead of front-wheel drive. But the GTI still has great looks, with a compact profile and dynamic pinwheel-style 18" alloy wheels pushed close to its corners. Red accents add to the sporty look, including on the brake calipers, along the top of the grille, and on the GTI badging.
We dig the look of the honeycomb lower grille and the way the fog lights peak out from behind its grid. The VW logo lights up at night, too. The GTI's 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine brings plenty of pep with 241 horsepower and 273 lb-ft. of torque. The engine is quite fuel efficient, too, providing a combined 27 MPG. For 2025, both the Golf GTI and R come exclusively with a 7-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission. If you want to row your gears, you'll have to buy a used Golf from a prior year.
Around the back, it's got a small roof spoiler over the hatch and dual exhaust tips, which produce a pleasantly throaty exhaust note with just a little crackle and pop under hard acceleration at lower gears. The taillights feature VW's signature LED lighting pattern, adding a modern edge to the familiar hatchback shape. A subtle diffuser integrated into the rear bumper gives the GTI a more planted, performance-oriented stance without being over the top.
Put your foot down on the gas, and the Golf springs to life with a 0-to-60 time of 5.4 seconds. We noticed no turbo lag, and torque steer is well-managed. The automatic holds gears well as you come into corners and offers speedy shifts. We did experience one replicable transmission quirk - backing out of a driveway and then switching into drive can be jerky. The independent suspension is tuned stiffly but isn't punishing and is perfectly fine for spirited daily driving. An adaptive suspension VW calls "Dynamic Chassis Control" is available as an option, but our vehicle didn't have that. The variable-ratio electro-mechanical power steering feels direct and maintains a good connection to the road. As expected from an FWD car, it's more likely to understeer than oversteer, but the limited-slip front diff lock and inside front wheel braking help to minimize this effect for sharp cornering.
Volkswagen's interior design team did great with the Golf GTI, keeping things clean and crisp. Long horizontal lines give the cabin a sense of added width, and the dashboard and center console are efficiently designed. There's a carbon-fiberesque metallic weave pattern across the dash, aluminum pedals, and a D-shaped sport steering wheel. The all-digital instrument cluster and 12.9-inch touchscreen are bright, sharp, and intuitive. Like other recent VWs, volume and temperature adjustments are touch-based, and we'd rather have tactile controls for these frequently used controls. The main gear shift has been reduced to a little nub in the center console, but there are paddle shifters for added driver engagement. One note for taller drivers - the steering wheel only tilts and does not telescope, which limits adjustability. We had to lower the driver's seat to the floor to have our knees clear under the wheel.
We've always liked VW's fabric seats - they're more stylish than most others. The GTI's grey sport seats feature a cool Scalepaper Plaid pattern with red accents. The seats offer good support and sturdy side bolsters covered with a soft microsuede material that repeats on the door panels. Both front seats are manually adjusted with power recline and are heated. The center console is small but efficient, with a compact storage bin and two cupholders. Up front, there's a wireless phone charging tray and dual USB-C data/charging ports. Another nice touch is the color-adjustable ambient lighting,
While rear-seat legroom is tight for taller passengers, it's a good spot for kids or adults with shorter legs. These seats are finished in the same quality materials as the ones in front, and second row passengers enjoy their own vents and two more USB-C charging ports.
For as fun as the Golf GTI is to drive, it's also quite pragmatic. Flip open its rear hatch, and there's 19.9 cubic feet of storage space. Fold the rear seats down, and that jumps to 34.5 cubic feet. While those aren't SUV numbers, they're significantly better than most sedans. For flexibility, the rear seats fold in a 60/40 split, and there's also a pass-through behind the center armrest for carrying longer items without giving up passenger space.
There's a lot to love about the 2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI, not the least of which is its price. In an era where the average U.S. car price is nearly $50,000, you'll be pleased to know that the Golf GTI S tested here has a base price of just $32,445. The only option ours was equipped with was a $190 set of floor mats. There are two other trims available - the GTI SE, priced at $37,420, which adds fancy Clubsport ArtVelours seats and a Harman Kardon audio system, and the tricked-out GTI Autobahn at $40,800, which gets 19" wheels, summer tires, adaptive damping, leather seats with ventilation, and heated second-row seats.
