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They say that the only constant in this universe is change. Well, if you’re:-
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a) Running a business ..
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b) With lots of competitors out for your blood ..
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c) Who happens to have a product that literally defines a particular segment of the market …
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Then you’d better be darn sure that change is a big positive. Pretty tall order for the folks at Wolfsburg, Germany to recreate, reinvent and redefine something that they’ve already done so well. Particularly in the Golf GTI which literally expound the three alphabets that makes it THE hatchback to own or yearn for. And with the new GTI, not only does it have to be perceived as better than its predecessor in all aspects, it finds its territory being invaded by a slew of young upstarts of which none of them has the long lineage. Can it hold up as the reigning champion in the hot hatch segment? Or has it gone soft and took out too much of the edge in their quest to appeal to more (and lesser trained) drivers? Let’s find out.
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Design
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40 years is a long time for a production model and it has been that long since the first Golf GTI Mk I rolled off the production plant. Since then, we’ve seen 6 incarnations and now, the 7th graces us on our shores. While the Mk VI GTI has a couple of distinctive exterior difference when compared to its smaller 1.4litre TSI sibling, it isn’t as aggressively themed as the new Mk VII vs its 1.4litre non-GTI variant.
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The Mk VII GTI, staying true to the GTI design has a red stripe on its grille and is extended into the headlamps. The front bumper incorporates three black sills that is also found in the Mk VI but now cuts the front fog lamps into three. The honeycomb air intake grilles are retained and, like the red stripe is extended to the entire width of the grille instead of just the center in the Mk VI.
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Gone are the rotary-phone Detriots and Denver wheels and in its place, you get ‘Austin’ alloy wheels. Depending on whether you go for the 5-door ‘Advanced’ GTI or 3-door ‘Pure’ version, you’ll get 17″ rims wrapped in 224/45 rubber for the later and 225/40/R18 for the former (as tested and shown here). Measuring 4,268mm in length, 1,799mm in width and 1,442mm in height with a wheelbase of 2,631mm, it has grown longer, wider and lower with dimensions similar to the 1.4litre TSI MK VII vs VI (as reviewed HERE). In terms of interior space, any perception of improvement is marginal despite a 53mm improvement of wheelbase length. Not that you would call the Golf a small tight car to begin with; there’s ample, comfortable space for adults to sit behind.
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At the back, the rear spoiler and twin-tailpipes gives it away as the more power Golf that you’d be better off not messing around with.
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And in case you’ve missed it, there’s GTI badges all round the car (4 in total); something you’ll only find at the front and the rear in the MK VI.
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Performance
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Sporting a third generation EA888 2.0litre TSI 4-cylinder turbocharged engine with BlueMotion technology that produces 220PS @ 4,500-6,200rpm and 350Nm @1,500-4,400rpm, the GTI propels from zero to hundred kph in 6.5 seconds with the 6-speed direct shift DSG gearbox. Here’s how it looks like in real life:-
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Golf MK VII GTI 0-100kph acceleration
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The tested car here comes with optional Performance Pack which adds 10PS to the engine output and will shorten the 0-100kph times by 0.1 seconds.
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With so much torque available right from the start, it is easy to see the traction control blinking aggressively if you decide to stomp the accelerator at every traffic stop. Moderate your right foot and you’ll find the GTI pliant and comfortable enough to drive on a daily basis with the promise of almost limitless power ready at your disposal. It may not be a Golf R but it feels darn well close enough for the GTI. Maxed out, the GTI will hit a staggering 244kph – more than enough to dust off most, if not all other non-supercar vehicles (well, the Ford Focus ST can do 248kph but seriously, at that speed, it’s more a matter of guts or common sense rather than the actual abilities of the cars)
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Ride and Handling
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In terms of suspension, it’s very much the same front wheel drive, rear multilink configuration but add in a lighter MQB platform, a stiffer chassis, a torquer engine and the Advanced electronic differential lock XDS+ which applies targeted brake intervention on the inner wheel and increases torque on the outer wheel when cornering, the new GTI absolutely glides through winding roads, much better than the MK VI. The steering feel conveys such sure-footedness, at no point do you feel anxious when tackling such roads at high speeds.
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Opting to pay RM10,000 more than the regular selling price of the new GTI will get you the optional Tech Pack which (aside from giving you leather seats, electric driver seats and a slightly bumped up engine power gain) lets you have the Adaptive Chassis Control DCC with driving profile selection which is probably the main reason why you SHOULD pay that amount of money for it. The new DCC lets you select preset driving profiles or if you wish, you can personalize and save your own setting. Don’t feel like wanting to drive like your tail is on fire and having the engine in constant fuel-drinking ‘S’-mode but still want to keep body roll in check so that you can enjoy driving fast without burning a hole in your wallet for fuel? The set everything else to sport and maintain normal setting for the engine. The combination for individualization is amazing and flexible to the point where you can alter the driving characteristics to suit almost any driver for any road (well, except off-road, that is)
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What’s also different in the MK VII EA888 (aside from all the tech-speak in the engine itself) is it incorporates Engine Start/Stop which is coupled with regenerative braking provides an impressive combined fuel consumption of 6.4litres per 100km traveled.
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Cabin Convenience
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If you’ve driven the Golf 1.4litre TSI, then the cabin layout is no stranger to you. Fit and finish is top notch and it is driver oriented.
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Plush, satisfying leather wrapped steering with the GTI lettering, red stitches and paddle shifters behind. Life is always good holding this.
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The icons on the multi-function buttons are simplified and does make the steering look neater. But drivers may need to spend a little more time familiarizing themselves with the layout
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The readouts on the meters are clear with a plethora of information on the multi function display at the touch of your finger tips. Loved how the info is now arranged in a folder that flips forward or backwards as if you’re flipping through CDs in a rack
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Below the headlamp controls is another compartment where access cards and Smart Tags are best kept for easy access.
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The huge 5.8″ ‘Composition Media’ color touchscreen radio with USB and AUX-In support, SD card slot and Bluetooth is one of the better touchscreens found in stock vehicles. Quick and responsive, the display shows not only audio settings but other information as well such as vehicle status and if the Tech Pack option is ticked, is also used to control the Adaptive Chassis Control driving profile selection. Audio is played through a 8 speaker system in the 5-door Advanced variant
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Air conditioning controls are as intuitive and simple as it can be. The 3-door Pure variant however makes do with a manual control instead of the fully automatic 2-zone Climatronic system you find here.
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The new Golf MK VII now comes with hill-hold function, auto hold which engages parking brakes when stopped and does away with the handbrake which puts an end to handbrake turns but frees up space in the center.
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The glove compartment is more than adequate for you to dump CDs and other mobile paraphernalia, with the CD slot located in here.
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If the glove compartment has insufficient space, you can always use the center arm rest compartment which though not very wide but deep enough to swallow most small devices.
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Air conditioning vents for the rear passengers. Very important in our climate even if the cabin is small.
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Rear legroom and headroom is excellent, a strong reason why many regard the Golf as the best all-rounder hatchback for the young and the old.
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With 380litres of space when the rear seats are folded up, grocery shopping or luggage for outstation balik kampung trips is seldom an issue.
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Safety
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Safety wise, you won’t find the GTI wanting considering it comes with the following active and passive safety features:-
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- Driver and front passenger airbag with front passenger airbag deactivation
- Knee airbag on driver’s side
- Curtain airbag system for front and rear passenger
- Side airbags at the front (total 7 airbags)
- Electronic parking brake with auto hold function
- Electronic stability control ESC
- Multi-collision brake
- ABS
- Anti-theft alarm system
- Advanced electronic differential lock XDS+
- Child seat anchor for child seat system ISOFIX
- Flat tyre indicator
- Hill-hold control
- Safety-optimised front head restraints
- Rear fog light
- Park distance control PDC (front and rear) (omitted in the 3-door Pure variant)
- Rain sensors (omitted in the 3-door Pure variant)
- Space saving spare wheels (omitted in the 3-door Pure variant)
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Specifications
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Exterior
- Automatic headlight activation with ‘Leaving Home’ and manual ‘Coming Home’ function
- GTI rear spoiler
- Heat-insulating green tinted glass
- ‘Austin’ alloy wheels 7.5J x 18″, tyres 225/40 R18
- Bi-xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights (halogen headlights in the 3-door Pure variant)
- Dynamic headlight range adjustment with dynamic bending light (omitted in the 3-door Pure variant)
- Electrically foldable and adjustable exterior mirrors with environment lighting and curb view
- Frot LED fog light (omitted in the 3-door Pure variant)
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Interior
- 2 front LED reading lights and 2 rear LED reading lights
- ‘Checkered Black’ decorative inserts for dashboard and centre console
- Front LED footwell illumination
- Front seats with manual adjusment
- GTI leather gearshift knob
- GTI leather multi-function steering wheel with paddle shift
- GTI signature ‘Clark’ fabric seat upholstery
- Illuminated front scuff plates
- Interior ambient lighting
- Multi-function display ‘Premium’ with lap timer function
- Progressive steering
- Stainless steel pedals
- 5.8″ ‘Composition Media’ color touchscreen radio with USB and AUX-In support, SD card slot, Bluetooth (5″ ‘Composition Touch’ radio in the 3-door Pure variant)
- 8 speaker system (4 speaker system in the 3-door Pure variant)
- Auto-dimming interior rear view mirror (omitted in the 3-door Pure variant)
- ‘Climatronic’ air conditioning system with 2-zone temperature control (Climatic manual in the 3-door Pure variant)
- Cruise control with speed limiter (omitted in the 3-door Pure variant)
- Front centre armrest (omitted in the 3-door Pure variant)
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Ownership and Maintenance
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The new GTI is sold for the price of RM217,888 for the 5-door GTI Advanced and RM209,888 for the 3-door GTI Pure (price excludes insurance). Add RM10,000 for the Tech Pack and another RM3,000 for the 19-inch ‘Santiago’ alloys wrapped in 225/35 R19. Like all Volkswagen models sold here, the GTI comes with a 5-year unlimited mileage warranty.
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If you can afford to swim in the supra-RM200k pool, you’ll find lots of “fishes” to choose from. The Renault Megane RS has taken some market share by targeting more hardcore driver. However, the option of a stick shift may limit its appeal to a very specific group of buyers. The Ford Focus ST is coming and in all instances is an equal competitor to the GTI. Well, on paper, at least. Let’s face it, in terms of branding appeal and degree of iconic value, it is far from the GTI. Leftist individuals might find some excitement in the 256hp/380Nm Mazda 3 MPS but the amount of torque steer it has, while entertaining can be downright scary for regular drivers who gets occasional kicks thinking he/she’s an F1 driver. Then, there’s Volvo, BMW and Mercedes offering their own versions of hot hatches. The Swedish V40, which great isn’t perceived as much of a driver’s car. The Beemer 1-series handles brilliantly with it being the only rear-wheel drive offering but cabin features are minimal and rear passengers might find the lower roof line a little claustrophobic, not to mention an exterior styling that may not be everyone’s cup of tea. As for the Merc A250, it looks amazing but rear seat inclination is too straight for long distance rear passenger comfort plus a suspension that’s generally harsher.
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Therefore, is is no surprise that the Golf GTI gets the best all-rounder award for being the better hot hatch today. It offers the best balance of features and function that the larger audience would find hard to fault and gives a bigger margin of error for young/new drivers to improve their skill. The verdict rules that the new MK VII Golf GTI still very much deserves the top spot for being a car you won’t need to change anytime soon. If only it was cheaper ….
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