the Bucket: GTI

Showing posts with label GTI. Show all posts

Saturday, July 11, 2026

Bucket Seat: Volkswagen Golf Mk 8.5 GTI

The Volkswagen Golf GTI is more than just another hot hatch, especially here in South Africa. Over the years, the GTI has developed an almost cult-like following, becoming a legend on our streets and a car that remains instantly recognisable wherever it goes. With the arrival of the Golf Mk 8.5 GTI, Volkswagen hasn’t tried to reinvent the formula. Instead, it has taken what was already a very capable package and refined it with sharper styling, more power and improved technology.

DESIGN

At first glance, the changes to the Golf Mk 8.5 GTI may appear subtle, but spend some time looking at it and the enhancements become more noticeable. Volkswagen has sharpened up the design, giving the GTI a sleeker and slightly more aggressive appearance while still retaining the familiar Golf silhouette that has made the car so iconic. One of the standout additions is the new set of 19-inch Queenstown alloy wheels, which suit the character of the GTI perfectly. They give the car a more purposeful stance and add a premium edge to the overall design. The updated LED Matrix headlights also contribute to the sharper appearance, while the illuminated Volkswagen emblem at the front is a small but distinctive touch that gives the Mk 8.5 a more modern identity, particularly at night. I’ve always liked the fact that the GTI doesn’t need oversized wings, excessive vents or dramatic styling to make its presence known. The red GTI detailing, sporty bumpers and signature design elements are enough to distinguish it from the regular Golf, while still allowing it to retain that understated sophistication the GTI has always been known for. Overall, the design changes may not be revolutionary, but they work. The Golf Mk 8.5 GTI looks sharper, sleeker and more modern without losing the familiar character that has made the GTI so popular.

PERFORMANCE

This is where the biggest improvement can be felt. Volkswagen has increased the output of the familiar 2.0-litre turbocharged engine to 195 kW, while torque remains at a healthy 370 Nm. On paper, the increase in power may not seem dramatic, but behind the wheel, the Mk 8.5 GTI feels noticeably stronger and more eager to perform. Acceleration is quick and effortless, with plenty of torque available when you need it. Whether pulling away from a traffic light, overtaking on the highway or enjoying a more spirited drive on an open road, the GTI delivers its performance in a way that feels both accessible and usable. That has always been one of the strengths of the GTI: it is fast enough to be exciting without becoming difficult to live with every day. The handling also feels improved. The car feels more planted and grounded, particularly at higher speeds, giving you greater confidence behind the wheel. There is a sense of stability that makes the GTI feel incredibly composed, while still retaining the agility and responsiveness expected from a hot hatch. The steering is precise, the chassis feels well balanced and the car changes direction with confidence. It is equally comfortable cruising on the highway as it is attacking a series of corners. The GTI has always been about finding the balance between performance and everyday usability, and the Mk 8.5 continues to get that formula right.

COMFORT

Performance may be a major reason why people buy a GTI, but the Mk 8.5 also proves that a hot hatch doesn’t have to compromise on comfort. The sports seats provide excellent support and are comfortable enough for longer journeys, with both heating and cooling adding a level of luxury that makes a noticeable difference in everyday driving. In South Africa, especially during our warmer summer months, ventilated seats are certainly a feature that will be appreciated. The cabin has also received an important technology upgrade with a new,12.9-inch infotainment display, much better than the MK8 which screen was smaller than my mobile phone! The system gives the interior a more modern feel and includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, making smartphone connectivity simple and convenient. The larger screen is clearer and easier to use, addressing one of the areas where the previous Golf 8 could sometimes feel overly dependent on touch controls. A sunroof is also standard, adding to the premium feel of the cabin and making the interior feel lighter and more spacious. Combined with the quality of the materials, ambient lighting and familiar GTI touches throughout the cabin, it creates an environment that feels sporty without sacrificing refinement. There is also an impressive amount of technology and safety equipment on offer. Modern driver-assistance systems help make daily driving easier and safer, while features such as the LED Matrix lighting improve visibility at night. The GTI manages to combine performance, comfort, connectivity and safety into one very complete package. What I particularly like about the Golf GTI is that it remains a car you can genuinely use every day. It is comfortable in traffic, practical enough for everyday life and refined on longer journeys, but the moment the road opens up, it reminds you that you are driving something special.

VERDICT

In South Africa, the Volkswagen Golf GTI has a reputation that few other cars can match. It has become more than just a performance hatchback; it is part of our motoring culture. From one generation to the next, the GTI has remained a favourite among enthusiasts, and for many South Africans, it is still the ultimate combination of performance, practicality and street presence. The Golf Mk 8.5 GTI doesn’t dramatically change the formula, and it doesn’t need to. Instead, Volkswagen has refined it. The subtle styling enhancements make it look sharper and more modern, the increase to 195 kW gives it stronger performance, the handling feels more composed and the upgraded interior technology makes it a better car to live with every day. There are faster cars and there are certainly more dramatic-looking performance cars, but few manage to combine everything quite as well as the GTI. It can be your comfortable daily driver during the week and still provide plenty of excitement when the opportunity arises. For South Africans who have grown up admiring the GTI, the Mk 8.5 continues the legacy of a nameplate that has become a legend on our streets. It is more powerful, more refined and more technologically advanced, but importantly, it still feels like a GTI. And perhaps that is the greatest compliment you can give it. The Golf Mk 8.5 GTI has evolved, but it hasn’t forgotten what made South Africa fall in love with those three letters in the first place: GTI.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	2.0L Turbo Petrol
Gear Box	7-Speed DSG
Power	195kW
Torque	370Nm
0-100km/h	5.9 seconds
Price	R908,000

Thursday, December 2, 2021

Bucket Seat: VW Golf 8 GTI

The Golf GTI has for long been a South African favourite, earlier this year I wrote about the Golf 7.5 GTI TCR which funny enough was my first ever GTI that I've driven and boy was that some way to break my GTI virginity. A car that has been synonymous with Durban street culture, the badge has legendary status in this city and in the greater part of this country. It was a performance car in a body of a family hatch back but most importantly, it was affordable. It gave the everyday man a chance to have a car that equals performance of cars that were aimed at a higher pay grade but still had the practicality of being a family run around. The GTI fuses these two molds perfectly and hence it became such a cult figure not only in South Africa but around the globe. There are many special editions that follow in each of the generations but the normal GTI still sets standards for their competitors. Recently I had the opportunity to spend a week behind the wheel of the all new 8th generation of the GTI, here are my thoughts on the latest iteration of it.

DESIGN

We've seen a trend with modern car design of late, especially from the German's which have drastic change to the norm of what we've pictured a car must look like. While I applaud the creativity and boldness, the design has to make sense and have an appeal. This thing of "it will grow on you" is just another way of saying "you'll get used to it", that doesn't translate to you finding it attractive, it just means you've settled on it. With the Golf 8, VW have done a stunning job, when pictures were first released of it, the lines were clean and swooped beautifully along the car. The new soft and smooth design approach with curved lights up front, almost like wings, extends along the profile of the car and ties in perfectly at the rear. A bold move by VW was introducing a solid light bar between the headlamps only separated by the emblem. That along with the checkered style fog lamps give the VW Golf 8 GTI a distinct look in the dark. Most of the overall shape of the car still relates to a Golf and hatchback but the sporty touches that VW have added cannot be ignored. That large front honeycomb grille makes it apparent that this is a sports model, the subtle read touches around the body work give it that distinct GTI look. This particular model came with the optional rim choice of 19" Adelaide diamond turned mag-wheels which are great to look at but are a R12,000 extra. Moving onto the interior, VW have made massive strides on their cabin design, opting for the minimalistic approach with and increase of use in technology to navigate your way. Overall, the car is pleasing on the eye from both the outside and the inside.

PERFORMANCE

This is what you're hear for, while many have already slated the Golf 8 GTI for not living up to its name as the "Vrrpha". Also there is this other issue that its not particularly faster than its predecessor as they boast similar 0-100km/h times of 6.4 seconds. So what gives then? Surely a newer version of the car should be faster than the old one? Well lets look at the power unit, just like the 7.5 GTI, it has a 4 cylinder, 2.0L TSI homogeneous base engine that produces 180kW and 370Nm of torque. That is 11 more kW than the older one but the 7.5 GTI weighed in at 1312Kgs while the 8, while looking sleek and curvaceous has big bones which bring its weight up to 1463Kgs. I doubt all the power is lost just purely on weight issues but I'm sure with other electronic stuff as well but my point is the car is still fast. It's a road legal hatchback, not a rally car. There is no need for you to do 0-100km/h in less than 6 seconds on your way to work (okay maybe if you're really really late) but that only helps so much. What is important is how the engine behaves while driving, the car is equipped with VW's famous dual clutch, 7-speed DSG gearbox which works like a charm with the car. I hardly felt the need to override the automatic gearbox with the paddle shifts as the car is programmed to select the changes at crucial intervals to maximise the best out of the engine. The car doesn't have that throaty sound that we've gotten used to with the 7 and 7.5, the sound is much more subtle but it still sounds great in the cabin.

COMFORT

As mentioned the interior is super stylish and modern with a very minimal dash that features and innovision cockpit. Measuring 10-inches, the virtual cockpit displays in landscape classic content like the rev counter, speedometer and mileage counter which can also be switched up to display other useful information about the car with more detail and in cool graphics. The classic style was still my choice as it had a very cool animation with the rev counter having this red outering that glowed when putting your foot down. The new steering wheel also received some tech updates such as intuitive touch buttons, for example, the volume keys didn't need a firm press but rather sliding your finger in either direction made it louder or softer. This controls are finished in high-gloss black to give it a stylish look. The center infotainment touch screen features most of the cars controls with drop down menus that activate via proximity depth sensors that know when your hand is near them. This can be tricky to operate with especially when driving and using mobile apps which this car does come built-in with. The YouTube Music bar is located at the bottom so if I want to select that, the climate control menu comes up which can be frustrating. There are a few button located near the AC vents but those again call up menus on the large infotainment screen. Overall I felt it was a cumbersome process that they can improve on. Another gripe I had was the sunroof controls which also had that "intuitive touch" thing to it, opening and closing the sliding roof was fine but tilting up proved to be a challenge as you had to get your finger exactly in the middle, doing that when you are at a standstill is fine, but try doing that while you are driving! The new sport seats are absolutely amazing and damn comfortable, fully electric too! The tri-colour combination makes it look super stylish as well. This is continued to the rear passenger seats as well. Front passenger and driver enjoy dual climate control as well as twin-USB C ports and an optional wireless charging dock. I did mention that the car came with mobile apps preloaded but it also featured wireless connectivity for Android Auto which I was fully in love with! The ambient lighting in the cabin was stunning at night and really set the mood for night driving. One thing that was hard to ignore was the new styled gear selector, the switch type one which seems to be a common change in the Group as we've seen it in the Porsche 911, then the Audi A3 and now the Golf. It takes some getting used to but it gives the center console a much cleaner look.

VERDICT

So the Golf 8 GTI, its more powerful but not faster or louder than the old one, is this a bad thing though? While many enjoyed the old one and rated its performance, why wont they just embrace this for having the same? Its clear Volkswagen were on a mission for this model, it wasn't all about making it fast and loud, it was about bringing the model up to date for what the youth of today look for in a car. It's futuristic and sleek, with enough tech to make any boffin get giddy. The car in-terms of his engineering works well and drives like a charm, not only is the ride extremely comfortable for a sports car, the steering and handling is superb, you can still feel the speed you're travelling at, its just not as throaty as you would expect it to be. Half the time that would be the annoyance to others so now you can rest in mind knowing that you can have fun without pissing off your neighborhood when you drive up and road the road. I still think this car will sell well locally, apart from it being the only model in the 8 range available locally, the diehard GTI fans will come to the party as well as those whom seemed on the edge but once they see what it has to offer other than the engine, it will convince many. Volkswagen SA also have managed an excellent base price for the car which many didn't expect and while that is the base price it is very competitive compared to what the others have on offer.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	2.0TSI
Gear Box	7-Speed DSG
Torque	370Nm
Power	180kW
Top Speed	250km
Price	R669,300*

*Base Price

Friday, January 18, 2019

Bucket Seat: Renault Megane RS Lux

Kicking off this years motoring reviews with something spicy with a French flair to it, late last year I got to spend time with Renault's feisty hot hatch, the Megane RS, my only complaint about it, is that the time I had with it went by too fast...in more than one way. The hot hatch has always been a firm favourite with the boy racers locally and abroad but in terms of market share locally, there was always that one which stood miles ahead of any in terms of sales and with good reason. the Golf GTI has written itself into SA folklore when it comes to this segment of the market and with the more powerful Golf R available, the VW brand is stronger than ever. So how does Renault's competition match up to the Golf? Can it unsettle the VW fanboys and more importantly, earn some street cred on the local car scene?

DESIGN

The Megane has always been a relatively stylish car which have always been amplified in the RS models but the new blood line in the Renault design is spectacular to say the least, they've taken the term "French flair" and upped it a few notches. The RS benefits from the great looks of the standard Megane but beefed up to make the looks match the performance that is under the hood. Flared wheel arches, a wide booty, air intakes and sculptured extractors make the the RS look intimidating and are functional, as they optimise airflow through the wheel arches. The front splitter reminiscent of an F1 cars front wing pays homage to their F1 heritage and the checkered flag styled fog lights add more dimension to an already stylish front, the 3D honeycomb pattern grill mesh has been reinterpreted by Renault Sport and looks ace. The Megane RS comes fitted with massive 19" Interlagos rims with low profile tyres and visible Brembo brake discs with coloured calipers. In my opinion, this is the hottest looking hot hatch in the market, the Sirius yellow which I had it is the perfect colour for it as well even though many would opt for the Tonic Orange.

PERFORMANCE

Lets cut to the chase, this is the thing that everyone wants to know, whats the engine like. Well to put it mildly, its brutal. Renault have done wonders with this 1.8L Turbo engine, as it derives 205kw and 390Nm of torque, much of this has been inspired by their F1 technology and it shows. As much as the engine is a beaut, the overall package that Renault have put together is stunning and how everything works in harmony is what a driver dreams of having in a car. I had the LUX variant of the RS which came with the EDC 6 speed Automatic Double Clutch gearbox, while purist might prefer the stick shift, I really didn't mind the auto, depending on the mode, the gear changes were on point and not drawn out. The RS comes with a limited slip diff fitted in the Cup (manual) version and has 4CONTROL on both, what is four control you might ask? Well in laymen terms, its rear steering, its the first time I've driven a car with it and all I can say is wow, with the beautiful notes the exhaust spits out when driving, I've never taken corners and bends more confidently in my life! And they've even fitting an RS Monitor data display to show you when the rear wheels are turning, along with many other applications loaded, such as tracking lap times, real time telemetry display of your driving and other features too.

COMFORT

Lets be honest here, no one is going to buy this car for comfort, the interior continues with the sport theme as it has a mixture of good quality plastic, carbon grey and accents of red. The LED mood lighting is impressive and similar to those of higher end German sedans, which change colour depending on the driving mode. The Alcantara sports seats are designed for maximum support with a snug fit and was pretty comfy, even for a big guy like me. The cockpit is very driver focused and the large display screen was easy enough to use. I did experience a lag with it every now and then but the driving dynamics of this car, its easily forgiven. The RS comes with dual zone climate control aircon so you can keep cool while tearing around the corners. The rear passengers have a decent amount of room and even have Alcantara bucket type seats. The overall ride quality is a bit hard and bumpy but with the hydraulic compression stops, the shocks absorbs the bad bumps better.

TECHNOLOGY

I go write an entire page about the technology used in the engine as I'm still left surprised by it's performance but lets touch on the other elements that help make this car so advanced in tech. 4CONTROL is mind bender when you first hear about it. The tech contributes to incisive steering and optimised road holding, making your cornering more precise, at lower speeds the system turns the rear wheel steering on which turn the wheels in the opposite direction of the front wheels, when you flick the car into Race model, all four wheels turn in the same direction in speeds over 60kph. The Renault RS app is the perfect instrument to see how the car is performing but also gives you real time analysis on your driving so you know when to switch things up. Renault says your driving talents deserve to be recognised, stored and analysed hence the on board telemetry system can give your stats and store them for you.

VERDICT

It's hard to fault this car and when you take everything into consideration, this is the best rand for rand hot hatch on the market. It's cheaper than a GTI, has performance figures that match the Golf R and is cheaper than both of them! The best part about it, is that there's still a Trophy version to come! There's a stigma in the local market when it comes to Renault's that need to be broken but with the success their other models have been experiencing in the market, it wont be long since this one would be recognised too. The biggest challenge Renault SA face is trying to convince those who are contemplating getting a hot hatch, to take a look at theirs instead of following the sheep. I guess that's also my job as well, so if you are in the market for something sporty with an oomph of flair, this is your car. Take it for a test drive and you'll see why I'm raving about this car, it's leagues ahead of its competition and deserves the recognition and street cred it's due.