2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI

So this is what storming the Autobahn at 250kmph must feel like. Pedal to the metal, the speedo needle was still climbing — until it topped out at an indicated 267kmph. I couldn’t hear much of the engine any more. Wind and road noise had taken over, drowning out the roar of the engine. And yet, the Volkswagen Golf GTI stayed rock solid. Planted. Unaffected by crosswinds. Funnily enough, the first (and only) time I drove on the Autobahn was in a Volkswagen Golf. More specifically, an e-Golf. Very different experience, I promise you. It was my first time in Germany, first time driving left-hand drive, heck, first time driving abroad. I was unsure of Autobahn etiquette so I refrained from going flat out in the fast lane. Wouldn’t want my weedy electric car in the crosshairs of a 911 Turbo on its 300kmph morning commute, would I? This GTI, though, is a very different animal. It was a proper hot hatch.

We weren’t in Germany this time around. Instead, a German icon was in India. The first time those three letters — G-T-I — were put on the nose of a Volkswagen in that order, it was on a Golf. And now, 50 years later, those three letters, on the nose of a Golf, are in India. We were testing it at the NATRAX high-speed track in Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh. A world-class proving ground with the largest high-speed test bowl in Asia. Closest we can get to the Autobahn in our country. This time, there was no threat of 911s flashing me in my mirrors, so flat out it was.

2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI engine and performance

We are familiar with the GTI sub-brand. The Polo GTI did make it to India. Not as iconic as the Golf, but in the same vein. And the big changes from standard car to the GTI? Mainly the engine and chassis. The engine here is a 2-litre TSI that puts out 261bhp and 370Nm. The engine is the EA888, the same one in the Kodiaq and Tiguan, but with performance cranked up to 11. Drive is delivered through a 7-speed DSG and yes, the Golf GTI Mk8.5 you see here, is exclusively front-wheel drive.

The GTI's 2-litre TSI engine is rev-happy, utterly refined and has oodles of power. -Shot by Avdhoot A Kolhe for Evo India

Foot on the brake, floor the gas, launch control program active. With the ESP in Sport, the wheels spin in first and second, but after that, you’ve fired yourself at the horizon. 0 to 100kmph comes up in a claimed 5.9 seconds, and you’re in the 200s not too much later. Even at these speeds — 160kmph, 180kmph, it has guts. Ask more from it at these speeds, and it will pin you back and accelerate all the way to its top speed. It's punchy, it’s aggressive, it loves to rev. It's smooth, revving out beautifully and never coming undone. There’s no manual on offer, and while the additional involvement would really appeal to a hardcore enthusiast, you can’t really fault VW’s DSG. Shifts are snappy and you always seem to be in the power band. Sounds good too! In sport mode, you've got this deep growl. Of course, a lot of it is piped in through the cabin — there’s actually a setting in the screen for how much piped-in noise you want — but the exhaust does genuinely pop on the overrun, which is quite entertaining. It's the right level of performance too. 260 horsepower is plenty for Indian roads.

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Fun fact: this Mk8.5 car launched in India is the most powerful version of the standard Golf GTI ever. Not counting the more extreme R and Clubsport models, of course. And while it is plenty entertaining, the real beauty of this drivetrain is that when you put it in to comfort mode, everything settles down. It's quiet, it's smooth, it shifts early and keeps the revs low, the exhaust quietens down. There is still a slight hint of a growl somewhere in the background reminding you that you're driving something a little bit naughty, but that's about it.

2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI chassis and dynamics

The engine is only one part of the GTI jigsaw puzzle, though. The Golf GTI was designed for corners. This chassis is obviously firmed up compared to a standard road car. First impressions of ride quality is that it is firm, but we’ve just gotten an initial impression over the curbs at a track. More detailed impressions will follow when we drive it on the road. But a firmer ride generally means sharper handling, and the GTI delivers. The steering is direct, the nose tucks in rapidly. You can really throw it in at speed, keep weight on the front end by staying on the brakes and lean on the grip at the front. The limits of understeer are very, very high. And yet, the car feels very friendly. It feels communicative. You can feel what's going on in all four corners — where the grip levels are, where the weight is. There is roll, but it is tidy. In fact, it gives you a sense of where the weight on the car is when it pitches, when it rolls and therefore how to drive it.

The stiffened chassis and direct steering feel work together to favour handling. -Shot by Avdhoot A Kolhe for Evo India

Now, this car doesn't have DCC or dynamic damping, which I think is a bummer. The DCC system transforms the way the Tiguan R Line drives compared to the Kodiaq — mind you, both share a platform. I think it would have been nice to have on the GTI in India. It may have bumped prices up by ₹1.5 lakh, but that would have been money well spent. And when you’re already going to be paying through your nose, might as well go full hog. What it does get though, is an electronically controlled locking differential. What that means is you can really be greedy with the throttle when you're exiting bends. The mechanism in the Golf GTI is interesting — a multi-plate clutch system that is controlled by the electronics. You can go into the menu and set it up for comfort and sport, but even in the more aggressive mode, it doesn’t really feel like its pulling the nose in towards the corner. It’s imperceptible, but it is there, working in the background to allow you to fire out of corners hard.

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The more I drive it, the more I can't help but smile. The poise, the balance, the way it reacts to steering inputs — the Golf feels so darty and nimble. We've gotten so used to driving big, heavy, athletic SUVs that when you get into a hot hatch, it's so refreshing. Engine, chassis, they come together to create real magic in the GTI.

2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI styling

Of course, there’s a sprinkling of cosmetic stuff to keep it looking hot, most of it harking back to the original from the ’70s. The red stripe on the nose is iconic, as is the GTI badge on the grille. There’s a smattering of badges on the flanks and rear as well. Interestingly, the grille lights up and so does the VW roundel on the nose. Cool stuff. The wheels are 18s, with big discs and red calipers behind them. And there’s no missing those twin pipes at the rear. The stance is lovely — it’s low, it’s wide and looks very purposeful on the road. It is also surprisingly large. At 4.28m long, it is nearly as long as a Hyundai Creta!

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2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI interior

That size means genuine space on the inside. Four doors and useable backseats means this will be infinitely more practical than the Polo GTI. The steering wheel is familiar from the Virtus — but with some GTI masala and ADAS functions added on. Too familiar, maybe — I wish they’d upgraded the paddles. They’re the same plasticky units that the Virtus gets. They are such an important tactile point for an enthusiast and there’s so much potential to do cool stuff — metal finish, maybe carbon, a more satisfying click, a larger paddle so reaching it is easier. Humph. It gets the big 13-inch screen, wireless phone charger and sunroof. But being a UK-spec car, it only gets heated seats and doesn’t get cooled ones. That said, the seats are fabric, which should help keeping them cool in the summer and they’ve got a cool retro tartan design on them to make up for the lack of ventilation.

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2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI price and verdict

The Golf GTI is priced at ₹52.99 lakh (ex-showroom). At that price, this Golf GTI is a little expensive, but you need to remember that it is a CBU and more importantly, it is a global icon that is now in India. It also happens to be an incredibly versatile machine. It has the handling chops, it has the performance, it has the comfort, it has the space and features on the inside. That versatility, the ability to be the one car to do it all, is really its biggest draw. If you’re keen on one, I’m going to have to disappoint you — all first batch cars of the Golf GTI have already been booked. The enthusiast community has come out strong for this one. What I can tell you is that if you are lucky enough to get an allocation for the GTI, you're going to have an incredible machine in your garage very, very soon.