Textual content by Tom Appel
2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI SE
Specs
Class: Sporty/Efficiency Automobile
Nation of Manufacture: Germany
Miles pushed: 143
| CG Report Card | |
|---|---|
| Room and Consolation | B |
| Energy and Efficiency | B+ |
| Match and End | B |
| Gasoline Economic system | B |
| Worth | B |
| Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus different automobiles in the identical class. Worth grade is for particular trim degree evaluated, and should not mirror Client Information’s impressions of all the mannequin lineup. | |
| Huge & Tall Consolation | |
| Huge Man | A |
| Tall Man | B+ |
| Huge & Tall consolation rankings are for entrance seats solely. “Huge” ranking primarily based on male tester weighing roughly 350 kilos, “Tall” ranking primarily based on 6’6″-tall male tester. | |
| Drivetrain | |
| Engine Specs | 241-horsepower, 2.0-liter |
| Engine Kind | Turbocharged 4-cylinder |
| Transmission | Automated |
| Drive Wheels | Entrance-wheel drive |
Noticed gasoline financial system: 23.7 mpg
Driving combine: 65% metropolis, 35% freeway
EPA-estimated gasoline financial system: 24/32/27 (mpg metropolis/freeway/mixed)
Gasoline sort: Common fuel
Base value: $37,420 (not together with $1225 vacation spot cost)
Choices on check car: Mats ($190)
Value as examined: $38,835
Audio-System Model
N/A
Audio-System High quality
Poor Honest Good Very-Good Glorious
Professionals and Cons
The good: A pleasure to drive
The nice: Roomy front-row, composed and comfy experience, makes use of regular-grade fuel
The not so good: A bit expensive, no manual-transmission possibility
Assessment
Don’t blame Volkswagen, however the Golf GTI has placed on slightly weight. Since its U.S. introduction in 1983, the GTI has gained greater than 1000 kilos. One would assume that packing an additional half ton of mass onto a automotive would essentially diminish its efficiency, however we’re comfortable to report that merely shouldn’t be the case.
Weight Achieve
And in equity, each car in the marketplace in the present day, if its lineage goes again that far, taxes the scales with extra mass. The Ford Mustang, for instance, weighed in at about 2700 kilos in 1983, in the present day the lightest of Ford’s legendary pony automobiles is available in at 3600 kilos.
Blame security tools comparable to side-impact safety and rollover safety for the load acquire, in addition to consumer-demand options together with customary air-con and automated transmission. Wait, you didn’t know in regards to the automated? Right here’s the deal…
2025 Replace
Freshened for the 2025 Mannequin 12 months, the Golf GTI, together with its steroid-abusing large brother the Golf R, the Golf’s have been handled to various design tweaks, in addition to one main mechanical replace.
Among the many styling adjustments are a revised entrance finish together with a brand new bumper and grille design together with a light-up VW brand, and grille-wide LED gentle bar. Cabin revisions included a bigger touchscreen, and fewer haptic controls.
Automated Solely
However the large information for critical driving fanatics is the disappearance of the 6-speed guide transmission. Volkswagen representatives cite the complexities of emissions-certifying manual-transmission automobiles together with falling demand for the self-shifters.
There’s a silver lining to this complete automatic-transmission-only drama, and that’s that VW’s 7-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) is an absolute honey of a transmission.
Costs and Trim Ranges
For 2025, the Golf GTI is obtainable in three trim ranges:
- S ($33,670)
- SE ($38,645)
- Autobahn ($42,105)
For a whole evaluation of the 2025 Golf R, click on right here.
Autobahn fashions characteristic bigger wheels and tires and adaptive suspension amongst various different options, most of that are beauty.
Engines
All GTIs come geared up with a 241-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged 4 mated to the aforementioned 7-speed dual-clutch automated transmission. All GTIs are front-wheel drive and run on regular-grade gasoline.
Observe that the GTI goes largely unchanged for the 2026 mannequin 12 months.
Check Automobile
Client Information lately spent every week behind the wheel of a 2025 Golf GTI SE in Kings Crimson Metallic. All informed, our check automotive got here to $38,835, together with the vacation spot cost.
Cabin Appointments
Beginning inside, the GTI cabins is tidy, businesslike, and seemingly properly screwed collectively. There’s slightly extra exhausting plastic lining the GTI inside than we’d prefer to see in any car at this value, however total, we just like the business-like look.
Room and Consolation
The 4-door GTI presents loads of front-row seating house, and easy accessibility to the cabin through massive, wide-opening, entrance doorways. Visibility from the driving force’s seat is superb in all instructions. Rear seat house is sweet, supplied the particular person in entrance of you doesn’t alter their seat too far again.
Controls
The up to date controls work fairly properly, and we admire the transfer from haptic (non-moving) controls for many capabilities, particularly the local weather system. Steering-wheel controls stay haptic, nonetheless.
However, let’s get to the good things…
Journey and Dealing with
And that great things, excellent news actually, comes when the GTI is in movement. And at its core, regardless of all of the obtainable energy, the GTI is a tossable blast to drive with implausible steering, nice physique management, and agency, responsive brakes.
And, about that transmission…
Energy and Efficiency
Frankly, it’s glorious. The DSG automated intuitively picks right gears, and the shifts are agency, decisive, however by no means harsh. Coupled with the keen 241-horse engine, the automated makes absolutely the most of virtually each state of affairs, and sounds and feels good doing it.
Gasoline Economic system
And, not together with the month-to-month funds, all of the enjoyable comes largely guilt free. We noticed just below 24 mpg in routine check, together with some spirited on- and off-ramp workout routines. We’d anticipate even higher gasoline financial system in each day driving or on a protracted freeway journey.
Enjoyable to Drive
Possibly due to the ability, and the much-larger wheels and tires, the fashionable GTI feels rather less frisky than GTIs of yore, and maybe slightly extra, properly, critical. That mentioned the brand new Golf GTI nonetheless honors model custom with a chassis tuned to make drivers giggle, and sufficient energy to use that athleticism.
Worth
As a legacy mannequin with a protracted historical past of comfortable clients to appease, the Golf GTI is a big success. It’s enjoyable to drive, utterly sensible, and solely slightly costly. And whereas the R is empirically the higher performing Golf, we’re unsure we prefer it extra. The Golf R is a good and rewarding-to-drive efficiency machine, but it surely isn’t frisky, and the GTI is.
So positive, the GTI has packed on a number of kilos through the years, but it surely’s principally lean muscle. And should you’re purchasing for a each day driver that’s nearly as good to your soul as it’s to your commute, you should add the GTI to your test-drive checklist.
Hearken to the Automobile Stuff Podcast
2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI SE Photos
Click on under for enlarged pictures
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