ALT-1 2010 Vw Gti
I may have had to wait a couple of months to get it but the day finally came with all of the anticipation that a child feels on Christmas morning. It was the day a 2010 VW GTI 4-door with a six-speed manual transmission was delivered to me for a week of testing.
The 2010 VW GTI is beyond a shadow of a doubt the car I lust after most in the world and as I took the keys from the delivery driver’s hands I wondered if the car would live up to my astronomical expectations. Boy did it, and then some. I think lust has developed into a healthy respect, admiration and full bore love. Every day I had the car I was like a giddy schoolboy making up reasons to go places just so I could drive it.
That is the real beauty of the 2010 VW GTI. It takes what might ordinarily be the “chore” of driving from point A to point B and turns it into a real event. It makes a mundane aspect of your daily routine something to be cherished and enjoyed. It is the embodiment of four wheeled automotive joy. It is, to my way of thinking, the quickest route to car nirvana if ever such a place existed.
Exterior Styling
Although I have always loved the look of the VW GTI, the sixth generation 2010 edition is without question my favorite stylistically. It really harkens back to the simplicity of the original Rabbit GTI. There is no spurious design frippery and the headlight/taillight configuration in particular is very effective. It looks sporting without having to shout it from the rooftops (hello MazdaSpeed3).
I also love the racy red brake calipers, trademark honeycomb grille with red stripes, the standard 17 inch “telephone dial”-style alloy wheels and the dual chrome exhaust tips. If I were to design a hot hatch this is how it would look, in other words.
Interior Styling, Utility and Build Quality
When VW redesigned the GTI for the 2010 model year they really upped the quality ante in the segment with the new interior. Every inch is covered in durable feeling soft touch plastic and all of the bezels, knobs and air conditioning vents are surrounded by chrome trim. The overall effect is classy and expensive looking but never goes over the top. It feels good enough to be an Audi interior, quite frankly.
Although leather sport seats are an option my tester came with the plaid “Interlagos” seat fabric that is a throwback to the original 1970’s GTI. I absolutely adore these seats visually and they also serve the function of holding you firmly in place during more “spirited” driving maneuvers. All of the controls in the interior of the 2010 GTI are easy to understand, use and are well lit at night. It is amazing how difficult this last point is for automakers to get right.
The trunk in the 4 door GTI is 14.7 cubic feet and when you fold down the rear seats it turns this fun to drive hot hatch into a little moving van. The rear seat is also plenty spacious for two (three in a pinch) and this gives the GTI an amount of utility no similar performing sports car can match. The GTI, thanks to the brilliance of its interior design and execution, is a truly peerless all rounder.
Fuel Economy, Features and Value
The six-speed manual equipped 2010 VW GTI returns an impressive 21 city/31 highway giving it a decent cruising range thanks to its 14.5 gallon fuel tank. In a week of city, freeway and “spirited” mountain road driving the GTI returned about 26 miles per gallon. That is very good for a car with this much performance.
Although my tester only came with one option ($199 Bluetooth) you can also order a premium audio system, a sunroof, the aforementioned leather sport seats (as part of the Autobahn package), larger alloy wheels (the standard ones look awesome so no need), navigation and Bi-Xenon headlamps. I would recommend the more powerful headlamps, navigation, the sunroof and the Dynaudio system if I were optioning up the “perfect” GTI.
But the standard GTI comes very well equipped with climate control, power windows, power door locks and mirrors, keyless entry, a 6 CD touchscreen audio system with 8 speakers, a USB port for your iPod that works easily through the touchscreen audio interface, cruise control, steering wheel mounted audio controls, floormats and pretty much everything you really need.
At just a little over $23,000 the VW GTI is also a screaming bargain considering the performance and utility on offer. Pick every option and you can push the price over $30,000 but who cares when you are having this much fun? And you can always take heart knowing that the first three years of maintenance on a 2010 GTI are free. Yes, I said free.
Driving Impressions
From the moment you sit in the driver’s seat and grip the deliciously tactile flat bottomed, leather wrapped steering wheel you just know you are in for a special driving experience. The standard 2.0 liter turbocharged 4-cylinder pumps out 200 horsepower/207 lb. feet of torque and pumps out ferocious amounts of power all the way through the rev range. All of this in a front drive hatchback without any torque steer (hello Mini Cooper S and MazdaSpeed3).
The ride is compliant over bumps yet the suspension still helps you maintain heroic amounts of cornering grip on windy mountain roads. The steering feel is perfectly calibrated with plenty of feedback but no unnecessary nervousness that would require constant correction at freeway speeds.
The six-speed manual transmission has a light shift action and is a joy to use. The clutch is light enough even for stop and go freeway duty but does have a deliberate take-up point that requires some getting used to. If you can’t manage a self-shifter a DSG double clutch automatic is available as an option.
But no matter which transmission you opt for with your 2010 VW GTI, I challenge you to drive this car and not come back with a stupid grin on your face. It is great fun on real roads where real people drive. It may not have 400 horsepower but when can you ever really use that much power? The GTI is the thinking, rational person’s supercar.
How Dog and Kid Friendly is the VW GTI?
This hot hatch is surprisingly dog and kid friendly when you order the four door version. The interior is made up of extremely durable and easy to clean materials so you needn’t worry about your dog or offspring destroying the interior. If you do pick the two door version, however, it does become a less practical choice better suited to the single or dog-less. Lastly, if you do have a family the GTI does have a cargo bay large enough to pass the stroller/diaper bag test.
Final Thoughts
If you love driving but need a car that can accommodate your ever changing needs or active lifestyle then the 2010 VW GTI should be on your short list when shopping for a new car. It is without question the most fun to drive vehicle I have ever tested and I would recommend one to my closest friend. I have no more kind words, fawning prose or high praise left as I believe the 2010 VW GTI has used up my lifetime journalistic allotment. Ah, well, it was definitely worth it.
Vehicle Tested: 2010 VW GTI (4-Door)
Vehicle Provided by: VW of America
Base Price: $23,890
Price as Tested: $24,789 (including delivery)
Options on Tester: Bluetooth-($199)
Engine: 2.0 liter turbocharged 4-cylinder
Power: 200 horsepower/207 lb. feet of torque
Transmission: 6-speed manual (CVT double clutch automatic optional)
Economy: 21 city/31 highway
Cargo Volume: 14.7 cubic feet
Length: 165.8 inches
Curb Weight: 3,034 lbs.
0-60: 6.7 seconds (VW)
Warranty: 3 years/36,000 free maintenance
3 years/36,000 miles bumper to bumper
5 years/60,000 powertrain
Safety Ratings: (Government)
Front Impact: Four Stars (driver and passenger)
Side Impact: Five Stars (both sides)
Rollover Protection: Four Stars
