Car buyers, as well as many automakers, have been ditching sedans and hatchbacks for the better part of the last decade in favour of anything that looks like crossover. Fortunately, Volkswagen has not completely jumped on that plan and continued to offer us their hotter offerings in traditional formats — namely this 2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI and the closely related Jetta GLI. Both remain popular in the Canadian marketplace, and both receive a refresh for this year.
What’s new for 2025?
The current eighth-generation GTI has been around since 2022. Its styling is aging very well: the classic hatchback proportions are the right size for zipping around town. The redesigned front end is subtle, but modern and attractive, so we agree with VW’s conservative approach here. We also noticed the redesigned GTI badging on the front doors; it may be more distinctive, but we prefer the better-integrated design on the outgoing model.
Interior impressions
The 2025 GTI also sees a makeover inside. A new-and-improved 12.9-inch display sits atop the centre console; we like the vivid resolution and noticeably quicker responses from the new touchscreen. The most noteworthy changes inside are the controls: Volkswagen replaced the fussy touch-sensitive panels on the steering wheel with traditional physical buttons, and the touch sliders for the climate and volume controls below the screen now illuminate. Both are direct responses to customer feedback.
The rest of the GTI’s cabin is typical VW — straightforward and cleanly laid-out, with premium-feeling materials where they matter. The 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster is standard across all GTIs, which continues to impress us with its customizability. Our top-trim Autobahn tester features the eight-speaker Harmon Kardon surround sound system that greatly enhanced our experience living with it. We liked that the seats are heavily bolstered and very supportive, and the cloth material feels excellent. Space and visibility are both strong suits for the GTI, and and practicality is above-average thanks to its large 564-litre cargo hold plus an accommodating opening.
How does the updated GTI drive?
Powered by Volkswagen’s tried-and-true 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the GTI puts out 241 horsepower and 273 lb-ft. of torque. Both figures are unchanged from the outgoing model and the healthy torque figure means the GTI accelerates off the line with a surprising ferocity. On principle, we are sad to see the manual transmission is discontinued, but we actually don’t think drivers are missing out on much. The seven-speed dual-clutch automatic is just so lightning-fast and satisfying. Gear changes are seemingly instantaneous and manual shifting is particularly impressive — click and hold the downshift paddle, and the transmission will immediately kick down to the lowest gear possible. It is so swift and rewarding, we found ourselves did this every chance we could.
As with any front-wheel drive performance car, the GTI is inherently biased to understeer. But it communicates its limits well in advance, and there is good feedback from the steering. We are glad to see that the GTI has retained much of the fun factor that has made it the automotive icon that it has become for over four decades. There is also a lot of customization with the GTI’s driving characteristics in its Individual drive mode, including steering weight, multiple adaptive damper settings, powertrain response, and even how quickly it accelerates with adaptive cruise control engaged.
Is the 2025 GTI worth it?
The 2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI starts at $36,495, and this Autobahn-trim tester comes in at $40,995 as-tested. Even though it crosses the $40,000 mark, the GTI is still a relatively inexpensive choice as a well-rounded performance machine that continues to charm buyers and VW enthusiasts alike. It, along with its Jetta GLI sibling, proves the hot-small-car formula still works, and we expect it to continue its success to not make Volkswagen think twice about any deviation.
