1 week Ago By Greg Williams
Article content As a newly licensed driver in Nottingham, England, Chris Skelton had his heart set on one car. It was 1988, he was 17, and what he really wanted to be driving was a Volkswagen Mk2 Golf GTI hot hatch. “Alas,” says Skelton, who now lives in Calgary, “it was out of my reach at that time and would be, for numerous reasons, for many years after.
” Volkswagen began producing the hatchback Golf in 1974. In Canada, the car was known as the Rabbit. By 1976, VW added some performance to the 4-cylinder hatchback and launched the sporty GTI version.
According to Volkswagen, the automaker initially planned to build 5,000 GTIs. From their website, “(No one) had anticipated the level of popularity of this Golf GTI with a top speed of 182 km/h and black wheel arch extensions, a black frame around the rear window, red edge around the radiator grille, tartan sports seats, golf ball gear knob and a sports steering wheel with a special design feature. The 5,000 units of the Golf GTI Mk1 eventually ended up as 461,690 units.
” In near-continuous production since, the eighth-generation GTI was launched in 2022. Skelton, who was driving a Jetta GLI at the time, placed an order for an Atlantic Blue GTI Autobahn with a 6-speed manual transmission. He patiently waited, but says, “As the months went by, the interest rates started to climb and when the lease rate went over eight per cent, my head took over decision making and I reluctantly cancelled my order.
” Skelton instead traded his Jetta for a Tiguan and watched the lease interest rates as they slowly came back down. “In the summer of 2024, production of the Mk8 was being wound down in anticipation of the refreshed model – the Mk8.5 – and incentives started to be advertised,” Skelton says.
“I drove both the GTI and the Golf R back-to-back and came away thinking that I would have just as much fun and save myself a considerable amount of money with the GTI. I started to look seriously at getting into one of the remaining vehicles available, and my first choice of colour was my original choice – Atlantic Blue.” However, in the time between cancelling his order and when he was looking again, the Atlantic Blue GTI was no longer available with the 6-speed manual.
Instead, it came equipped with the 7-speed DSG (Direct-Shift Gearbox). “And there were only two of those available in the whole of Alberta – one in Calgary and one in Red Deer. The one in Calgary was unable to be leased, but last summer, the sales manager at Red Deer Volkswagen found a way to allow me to lease their Atlantic Blue car.
” The 2024 Mk8 GTI, he says, was just as appealing as the Mk2 he long ago wanted to drive. “The Mk8 is an evolution of what has come before it, and the DNA remains unchanged – powerful engine, seating for four adults and practicality. I’ve been drawn to the GTI over the years as unlike some of its competitors it doesn’t rely on big spoilers, outrageous exhausts, flared wheel arches or body kits to announce its potency.
It is a more subtle, mature choice.” His GTI is mid-level Autobhan trim, and he likes it for the features he uses such as dynamic chassis control. He also saves when buying winter tires, as it rolls on 18-inch wheels instead of the 19-inch rims found on the higher-grade Performance trim Topping it off, the Autobahn is equipped with the iconic tartan seats, “and that was one of the things that I wanted for my car,” Skelton says.
And he’s enjoying the ride powered by its 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. “With 241-horsepower (and 273 lb-ft of torque) on tap, it has more than enough power for everyday driving,” he explains.
“And it has fantastic handling thanks to the minimal overhangs and the low centre of gravity. The thoughtful, deliberate aerodynamics including the slight slope of the roofline pushing the air over the rear spoiler, the sharp sculpted creases in the hood that push the wind to the side and over the contoured wing mirrors channeling it along the side of the car and the honeycomb grill that pushes the air underneath to the rear diffuser all help aid the fantastic handling.” Although the DSG transmission was not his choice, Skelton says after driving the car for the first time he found accepting the automatic was a compromise he could live with, and adds, “It is lighting fast, and with that extra gear available, gives better fuel economy.
” Inside the GTI, he’s just as happy. “It is a very comfortable place to sit as the bolstered (and heated) seats hug you as soon as you sit down,” he says of his car. “The controls, while having their detractors, I find to be responsive and well placed on the (heated) steering wheel.
The digital display in front of you is customizable and I found the traditional layout to be my preference.” He finds the centre stack and large display screen excellent and easy to use. “One of my favourite features,” he says, “is the rear-view camera, which is always clean as it is hidden under the VW emblem on the tailgate and is only exposed when the car is in reverse.
” Just a couple of weeks after taking ownership, however, there was a problem. “My car developed a very annoying noise coming from somewhere behind and above me whenever it went over a bump in the road,” he says. It took three visits to Northland VW in Calgary, but the fault was finally located when the headliner was removed.
The clips holding it to the roof had no foam rubber on them. “A simple fix was made, and it hasn’t recurred,” he says. With just over 10,000 km on the car, Skelton reports fuel economy is good, seeing 5.
7L/100km on some highway jaunts with the transmission in Sport mode and rolling on full winter rubber – a set of Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5s. His 30-kilometre commute nets him 6.3L/100km and around town, just below 10L/100km.
“For nearly 50 years,” he says, “the hot hatch GTI has been a favourite of those who enjoy driving, as the combination of power, comfort and practicality is hard to resist and that has been my experience so far.” CHRIS SKELTON’S VW GTI Mk8 PROS AND CONS “Pros and cons,” Skelton says, “that’s tough as it is so easy to live with.” PROS Understated and subtle Build and ride quality Full 241hp available using 87 octane fuel CONS No remote start function available WHAT OTHER VW GTI Mk8 OWNERS SAY Writing on Edmunds.
com in July 2023, one purchaser of a 2023 VW Mk8 GTI (Autobahn) who gave the car a 5-star rating said, “After years of owning a SUV, I really wanted a smaller and efficient car. I also wanted something fun, this car fits the bill to a tee. I looked at a lot of cars, including a Miata, GR86, WRX and Elantra N, but if I wanted a sunroof and premium audio without resorting to a leather interior the GTI was really the only option.
The car is seriously quick. It handles like it’s on rails. It’s also surprisingly quiet and comfortable.
I’m very happy with my purchase.” Another 5-star rating was given to the Mk8 GTI late in 2022, with an Edmunds.com poster saying of their Autobahn edition, “The criticism this car gets from journalists and supposed owners (mainly infotainment related) is massively overblown.
This is my second Golf GTI, the first being the MK6, and the improvements are massive. The new GTI drives MUCH sharper, with crisper steering, a much more rigid platform, and with the adaptive dampers, has a much broader bandwidth for driving dynamics. All the hate the car gets for the haptic switchgear and infotainment system is unfounded.
I love how clean the interior design is, and the infotainment system is super intuitive after a few uses. Android Auto works flawlessly and the system is quick to load with no lag. Also, the new GTI is both more powerful than older models, more fuel efficient, and gets full power on 87 octane.
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