Published:
15 October 2024In many people’s minds, a hot hatchback should still be a high-£20k prospect. Unfortunately, the Golf range opens at £27,420 these days, buying you a Life trim with 114bhp; a GTI commands £12,000 on top of that. It does at least come fairly well equipped, with keyless entry, adaptive cruise control, heated seats and matrix LED headlights all as standard. The Ford Focus ST is similarly priced, while the Honda Civic Type R, if you can get an allocation, now costs £50,050.
At a gentle cruise the GTI can be remarkably frugal: the combination of a modern petrol engine with relatively low weight and reduced drag will do that. The small, 50-litre fuel tank still limits cruising range, though. With more spirited driving in the mix, economy figures in the low 30s are more realistic.
