Volkswagen Golf GTI Wins Car of the Year - autoX Awards 2025

As a country, we can have varied opinions about a zillion things, but we can all agree that India is primarily a hatchback country. And before you utter the word ‘SUV’, let me tell you that the majority of the so-called compact SUVs we drive are nothing more than glorified and jacked-up hatchbacks. So, that argument goes right out the window.

Anyway, back to hatchbacks. Now, we have had some great hatchbacks over the years but never the greatest. Well, that changes now – because the Volkswagen Golf is finally here.

Also Read: Volkswagen Golf GTI to Return with Second Batch in India; Bookings to Begin by Year-End

Frankly, it was downright criminal for Volkswagen to have kept its best-selling model away from India for this long. Thankfully, they seem to have realised this, which is why they’ve redeemed themselves by finally bringing the Golf to us in the exciting GTI flavour. After spending a fair bit of time behind the wheel, all we can say is: ‘God bless them!’

The original Golf GTI was conceived to combine the practicality of a hatchback with the thrill of a sports car. Eight generations later, that formula has been perfected. Cutting straight to the chase, the Mk8.5 Golf GTI offers the ultimate hot-hatch experience for Indian petrolheads. It seats four adults comfortably, and with its 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine producing a hearty 261bhp and 370Nm, it can clock 267km/h without breaking a sweat. It can be your grocery-getter, but it can also put sports cars twice its price to shame – whether on the track or on your favourite hill road. And being a VW, a true People’s Car, it can also tackle India’s infamous roads and speed breakers with grace. What’s more, with its subdued design, you can also use it every day without drawing crowds, but that’s not to say it’s boring – not by a long chalk!

The GTI is an absolute blast, wherever you drive it. I can’t remember a single member of our jury who didn’t step out of it singing its praises after a few laps around the BIC. And that’s the beauty of the Golf GTI – it’s all the car you’ll ever need. On the track, its performance and handling are simply stellar. You can charge into corners at silly speeds, fluff your lines, and yet the GTI will find a way to thread the apexes together with uncanny precision. The front-end grip is absurdly good, and steering is as direct as your grandmother’s taunts, ensuring the front wheels remain where you want them to.

Then there’s Volkswagen’s famed Vorderachsquersperre – VAQ electronic limited-slip differential – which is a work of art. Push a regular FWD car to its limits, and you’ll find yourself fighting understeer. Push the GTI, and the VAQ tightens your line, finds grip where none exists, and shoots you out of corners with surgical composure. It’s a true driver’s delight, this thing!

Also Read: The Golf GTI Makes No Sense for India, BUT… | Review | autoX

At ₹53 lakh, the Golf GTI isn’t for everyone, and that’s a bit of a shame. But when you consider what it offers to serious driving enthusiasts – the performance, handling, heritage, aura, and everyday practicality – it all starts to make perfect sense. Plus, don’t forget that it’s a hatchback, which means it’s the perfect fit for all occasions. It’s fair to say that the Golf GTI isn’t just another car – it’s truly The God of Small Things.