The first thing I noticed once I made my way behind the wheel of the GTI and started the engine was the soundtrack that it generated. Goosing the throttle causes a rich rumble to penetrate into cabin. The 2.0T is very responsive right off the line. Turbo-lag is a thing of the past. The engines pulls neatly towards 6 500 redline but tends to run out of breath just north of 5 grand. The shifter is precise in its movements and requires little effort. The brake pedal is solid and extremely responsive. The general driving experience resembles that of the 1st and 2nd generation Volkswagen Golf and Jetta. The GTI is nimble and quick on its toes. It does not feels as bloated and bubbly as the almost forgettable 4th version of the GTI.

Standard safety features are all present as one would expect from a German car builders. I expect that the NHTSA and IIHS will rate the Golf and GTI quite highly.

I am going to go out on a limb here. I will pray and hope that since the Golf has been on European roads for over 2 years that most of the "bugs" have been worked out. This is crucial for Volkswagen. The new Golf and GTI will attract buyers into showrooms but will the makes reputation hurt them or are people willing to overlook the past and give them another try? One thing is certain though, the enthusiast will always buy and they will be well served by the new car.

A full test is in order and I hope to do it shortly. A base GTI retails for $29,375 and with options, will top out around $34,500 (prices do not include freight and preparation).

Competitors:
Honda Civic Si
Acura RSX Type-S
Chevrolet Cobalt SS SC
Saturn Ion Redline
Subaru Impreza WRX
Dodge Caliber SRT4
Mazdaspeed3