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For decades, the Volkswagen Golf GTI has been hailed as one of the best all-around vehicles on the market. The new 2022 Golf GTI (affectionately referred to by enthusiasts as the Mark VIII GTI) is even better than you remember it. In fact, it's the best, most powerful Golf GTI to ever come to American shores.
In a market stuffed with crossovers, SUVs, and trucks, the new GTI needed to stand out in all the right ways to attract enough buyers to justify its existence. Thankfully, the 16-time Car and Driver 10 Best winner is better than ever for 2022. It may just be the best daily driver on the market.
While the changes to the 2022 Golf GTI might appear subtle, the improvements are more than just surface level. The new Golf GTI is an excellent car, and you should check one out this weekend at Volkswagen SouthTowne.
Here are just a few of the ways the new Golf GTI is noteworthy and why you should drive one.
Enhanced performance and driving thrills
The Golf GTI is all about fun. The GTI's turbo four-cylinder now makes 241 horsepower (up 13 horsepower from the previous generation) and 273 pound-feet of torque (15 pound-feet more than the previous generation) — which is more than enough to have a good time. The new Golf GTI also offers an optional manual transmission.
The Volkswagen engineers didn't stop there, either. Goodies like an electronically controlled limited-slip differential, brake-based torque vectoring, and an expertly tuned chassis all add to a wonderfully joyful driving experience.
Unbeatable compact car practicality
The thing about the Golf GTI is it does everything exceptionally well. You can have a fun drive to work, the kids have plenty of room back seat, and everyone can enjoy a modern and luxurious interior.
In addition to its other innate practicality points, the Golf GTI is and always has been a hatchback. There are no beating hatchbacks for compact car practicality, and the Golf GTI proves that you can have the practicality of a smaller car with the cargo capability of a larger car.
Unique, luxurious, and comfortable interior
Inside the new Golf GTI, you'll find an artful blend of modern design and traditional callbacks to previous generations. Lovely plaid seats are retained, as they have been for decades, and the dash is one of the most modern dashes on the market.
Largely devoid of buttons, the Golf GTI is all about screens and configurable displays — a feature that puts the new Golf GTI head and shoulders above most of the competition.
The wheelbase has also grown by an inch since the last generation, which means even more room for occupants, especially those in the backseat.
New, stylish looks and aesthetics
While not the total makeover that some were expecting, the new Golf GTI is more of a graceful and modern evolution of the generations that came before. The exterior styling is highlighted by the new, lower, sleeker LED headlights, and large, gaping lower grille with patterned fog lights integrated inside.
It's a good look and gracefully takes the Golf GTI into the modern era of technology-laden vehicles.
The 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI is more powerful, better looking, and more luxurious and technologically advanced than any other Golf GTI that came before. The best part? It's still a blast to drive, no matter the driving scenario.
Volkswagen SouthTowne makes car buying as easy as 1-2-3. Shoppers can choose the new 2022 GTI or any new Volkswagen vehicles online or in-store from their VIP pipeline of incoming vehicles. Next, easily calculate lease or finance payments online at vwsouthtowne.com. All that's left to do is sign the final paperwork and drive home in your dream car. Check out all the new vehicles at Volkswagen Golf GTIs at Volkswagen Southtowne today.
