You can drive it slow, abide the speed limit, and even sit in traffic all day long. The GTI won't complain, or punish you by cramping your legs, or tiring you,

GTI's well-rounded nature makes it friendly to beginners, yet, still pleasing to seasoned veterans. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

but deep inside, you just know that it's itching to run. All it really wants is to be fed copious amounts of open road. And, on a sunny Sunday afternoon, the first day this year to break the ten degree Celsius mark, I gave it just that... and the GTI was complete bliss. With windows down, sunroof cracked open and classic Oasis on the stereo, the urban streets of downtown Toronto became the GTI's playground. Nipping through the gears, feathering the throttle, hearing those 225-width Continental tires chirp with enthusiasm... I can honestly say that I haven't had as much fun in a car in a very long time. In theory you could drive any one of its competitors through a set of hairpin corners and up long straights at dizzying speeds, and, surely enough, some of them would be faster, but none as rewarding to drive as the VW.

Because

Seats may look aggressive, but they're extremely comfortable. Plenty of room in back, even for taller folks. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

this is a modern-day Golf, the latest iteration of one of the worlds' best selling automobiles, it is inevitably more practical than ever. With hatchbacks, any negative criticism is normally directed towards the rear quarters, which are oftentimes neglected, but not so with the GTI. There's a surprising amount of legroom back there, and due to its tall greenhouse you won't find yourself wanting for extra headroom. Getting in and out is easy, although the forward canting seat from the previous car went the way of the do-do bird. There's also a reasonable sized trunk that can swallow several suitcases, and a whole lot more if you fold the split rear seatbacks down. For even more practicality, starting this summer you can add on a pair of doors to your GTI, turning it into a perfectly useful family hauler, and North America's first five-door GTI.

The more time I spent with the GTI, the more I appreciated the route that Volkswagen took

Withered not by luxury, electrical components or increased curb weight. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

when conjuring it up. You see, they could have gone out and made a lightweight stripper GTI like the original, or they could have done something similar to this, keeping the amenities, yet bottling the original's effervescent spirit. Although it has electric everything, a powerful MP3-CD stereo, more airbags than you can shake a stick at (eight, including curtain airbags and rear side airbags as standard), and xenon headlamps, these amenities haven't sucked the life out of the car at all, much in the same way that these features don't detract from a 3-Series or MINI's Cooper S. There's nothing in the rulebooks that says you can't have a well-equipped, well-built machine that isn't an absolutely cracking drive.

Finally, we get to the last point, the price. The GTI is no longer a 'cheap'

Not cheap, but the GTI is a bargain. My ideal one would be white, with 18-inch wheels, plaid seats and a sunroof. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

car; it's pricing puts it right inline with the average price of a Canadian car, but unlike the previous generations, which were also expensive, the new GTI is a bargain. To get a basic one without the fancy double-clutch paddle-shift gearbox, or the big wheels - all of which are unnecessary - will set you back just under thirty grand. But the GTI is worth every dollar, every last penny actually, even against more powerful, quicker, and faster rivals. What you get is a fantastic car, an absolutely fantastic car that picks up right where the last good GTI left off, and like those cars it's once again causing a stir.

The King of Hot Hatchbacks has returned. Long live the king.