2018 Volkswagen GTI S Review - The One-car Solution

Depending on how pedantic you feel like being, one can argue that the original Volkswagen GTI was not the first hot hatch. Alec Issigonis, with the revolutionary Mini, clearly inspired Volkswagen to move to the space-saving front-engine, front-drive, two-box form factor, even though the Austin/Morris original never had a true hatchback. No matter. Whatever the lineage, there’s no arguing that keeping mechanical bits in a separate box from the fleshy bits can yield impressive room from a small car.

My personal fleet reflects my typical suburban middle-class life — a minivan, a body-on-frame midsize SUV, and a midlife crisis disguising itself as a roadster-shaped shelf in the garage, not to mention the press car gravy train making frequent stops. And while my wife and I drive separately to our respective offices, pretty much all other times we are together in a single car.

I sometimes forget that many families throughout the world really don’t have a use for multiple vehicles — they need one that does everything. Hauling people, hauling stuff — one car does it all. That’s where the two-box solution shines. And if the driver likes driving, the minimal weight and compact dimension are a natural plus. So, the 2018 Volkswagen GTI is quite clearly shaping up to be a perfect one-car solution.

Like many enthusiasts with more time than cash, I’ll often peruse manufacturer websites for the configurators, looking for the best combination of features and price. Almost invariably, I end up at some significant multiplier of the base price, as the good stuff isn’t available on the bargain basement trim. Matthew Guy, I am not.

Except for this Ace of Base GTI S. The least expensive trim in the catalog is most certainly the one I’d buy with my own money. Higher trims offer a sunroof, LED headlamps, power driver’s seat, leather seats, keyless starting, and adaptive cruise control. While nice features, I don’t need them — and in the case of the seats, I want the lovely Clark Plaid cloth. Were I forced to select the top-trim Autobahn package, I’d seek out a wrecked S trim car and swap the leather for the cloth.

Back to the utility factor of the two-box form. Beyond my usual commute, I spent the weekend with the GTI shuttling two kids between softball, soccer, and cheerleading events. All of that sporting gear, plus camp chairs and coolers, fit easily in the 22.8 cubic foot cargo area without folding the seats.

The kids had plenty of legroom behind me, and — unusually — I had enough room to slide the front seat forward from the rearmost position comfortably. I’ll admit the power recline mechanism on an otherwise-manual seat is unusual, but the adjustments were simple to make. Take away the rest of the car, and I’d buy the GTI for the seats.

Thankfully, the rest of the car is just as brilliant. The six-speed manual transmission’s shifter is just a bit rubbery — the Mazda3 has a slightly better feel when shifting quickly — but the clutch action on this Volkswagen is linear, almost buttery smooth. As most cars I drive don’t have a clutch pedal, I’ll admit the first couple drives in a new-to-me manual will reveal a lack of left-foot/right-hand coordination with a stall or two. It never happened in the GTI.

The ride in the GTI is a touch firm for seriously pockmarked roads, which isn’t helped by the standard forty-series tires on 18-inch wheels. Otherwise, highway drives are calm and quiet, with bumps registering with a muted thump and controlled body motions. The electrically-assisted power steering has none of the vagueness typical of other EPS systems, with a direct feel and quick turn-in.

Drive this Volkswagen conservatively, upshifting at low revs with deliberate pedal and shifter action, and it’s a calm, quiet experience befitting the ideal city car. The basic infotainment system, with Bluetooth connectivity, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, works intuitively and sounds good enough for my ears. Only when you let the tachometer swing past straight-up noon does the hot-hatch nature reveal itself, with a menacing-yet-muted feline growl coming from deep within the car.

There’s 258 lb-ft of torque available at a low 1,500 rpm, so shifting isn’t strictly necessary when passing slower cars on the interstate. However, the sound can be addictive when you do drop a gear or two and you’re a child like me.

When you do break off the highway onto one of those roads laid out by the meander of a creekbed rather than the clinical shovel of a civil engineer, third gear is your friend in the GTI. Up and down ridges, around a mottled grey sycamore, and past the old bait shop, the roadholding is confidence-inspiring.

Indeed, while the GTI is clearly descended from hot hatches of old, there’s a bit of classic sports sedan deep within the soul of this truly great car. Composure over all road conditions is a hallmark of the iconic German sports sedans of old, and this VW delivers just like those legends.

Really, I’m convinced that everyone needs a Volkswagen GTI. It has the cargo room of a compact crossover, the driving manners of a good sports sedan, and the compact dimensions of a commuter. Plus the six-year, 72k-mile warranty eases the mind. Call me a jaded journalist, but it’s likely the one car I’d buy with my own (imaginary, remember, I’m a journalist) money.

[Images: © 2018 Chris Tonn/TTAC]