VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GTI MK8.5 REVIEW: THE MISUNDERSTOOD MISSLE

Most of us mistake performance to just straight line speed. But when you see a performance vehicle like the FL5 Type R, or the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, or the Golf GTi, performance is the tango that takes place between the powertrain, and chassis. Basically how much forward force the car can generate, and how easily you can direct the forward force to make the car go exactly where you want it to.

The Mk 8 Golf GTi was criticised for being too civilised, loosing the GTi-ness, loosing its edge. But after a 600km round trip over a weekend, we realised that its not ‘seasoned’ well. That, is not the fault of the car.

## Seasoning a car Anyone aged 35 and above knows what im talking about. Back then when you drive your dads car fast and park it at night, the next day the old man would sound you for driving the car too fast. Thats because when you drive a car fast several things happen. The carbon built up gets burned up, everything from air to fluids flow at a higher rate, causing the car to feel ‘light’ and ‘responsive’. This is more prominent in older carburettor cars where the change in how the engine ‘breathes’ will be more significant.

## Today’s cars react to your driving style If you keep revving the car in a straight line, the ECU’s parameters and TCU’s parameters especially will focus on optimising straight line speed. Everything gets skewered to one part of the performance only. On our back roads though, you need a more broarder response on more RPM points across more gears. This is why whenever we get test cars we take a day to ‘season’ it to our liking, and when that point takes place, the car completely changes in how it responds, and its true character comes out.

Which is why the true character of the MK8.5 GTi is

Very much a hot hatch. We will fight anyone that says otherwise, 90% of the time they might have not come close to what the car can really do. But participants of the drive event featuring this car saw first hand just how capable the Mk8.5 was. On the last leg of the drive the car stuck to the road responding to every command, even on semi wet roads it felt like it was running on absolute rails. Because at that point of the drive the car has been optimised for our back roads. Every throttle input, steering input, weight shift and braking never went to waste, it was there to slingshot you from turn to turn.

It has however learned some manners

Which means theres a lot more refinement when you’re not driving like you turned into the Ghost Rider. The ride is more comfortable, the sounds more muted, theres a zone that was previously less prominent. Which is not a bad thing cause when you’re shuttling clients or senior management during corporate lunches you dont want the car to project you like you’re a juvenile. But when you need it, its still very much a talented GTi.

Conclusion

As the cars output grows to 265PS and 370Nm, and the price grows from RM226,990, the Golf GTi is still a lovely package for those who want the duality of performance and prestige at a reasonably affordable package. If you feel a BYD Seal or Brabus #3 is allows you to access far superior straight line performance, good luck seeing a well driven Golf GTi tail lamps on our best drive roads. Wait, see if you can make the journey to the road and back home first.....