Review 2010 Volkswagen GTI: How can so few chromosomes make such a different animal?

EX-Volkswagen_GTI_2010_lfq-590
(Editor's Note: We here at TFLcar.com are thrilled to welcome John Matras to the team. John is not only a talented writer but also a very talented photographer.

For almost thirty years, award-winning author John Matras has written
about cars. He’s been in all the major car magazines, on the web and
written five books, and he’s even been translated into Estonian. His
website is carbuzzard.com, but you can find most of his recent reviews on Examiner.com as John is also the National Car Examiner.)

A very few chromosomes make the difference between two very
different species of animals. Likewise, there are very few parts that
change an ordinary 2010 Volkswagen Golf into a 2010 Volkswagen GTI,
enough so that although the Golf and the GTI share body, suspension
layout and other major elements–and from a far enough distance the two
look the same–Volkswagen doesn't refer to the GTI a high performance
version of the Golf. It's just "GTI".

Still, the bodies–both
two-door and four-door–are the same, so naturally the 2010 Volkswagen
GTI shares the styling remake of the 2010 Volkswagen Golf. Gone is the
giant vertical grille of last year's model in exchange for severely
swept-back headlight clusters connected by a narrow horizontal grille
element . The GTI, however, takes that a step back–make that several
giant steps back–by reviving the red pinstripe and black honeycomb
grille of the first Volkswagen GTI of the 1980s.

Compared to the
lesser Golf models, the Volkswagen GTI has black side skirts along the
rocker panels, and out back, the GTI gets the same new taillamps as the
Golf but adds a duckbill spoiler at the top of the hatch. The rear
bumper also differs from the Golf's with more of a diffuser, notched
for the GTI's dual exhaust with an outlet on either side of the car.

The
standard wheel for the 2009 Volkswagen GTI is 17 inches diameter, but
our road test GTI had the optional 18-inch rims. These are some of
coolest wheels on the market, with five large circles cut into a
polished face, made to look larger with black paint sections, the
circles appearing to extend into the tires themselves. It's a nifty
optical illusion.

SS_Volkswagen_GTI_2010_wheel Scroll down for more pictures of the 2010 Volkswagen GTI.

The
engine is the familiar Volkswagen/Audi turbocharged 2.0-liter, though
in the same state of tune as in the Audi A3. Would that it were the 2.0T from the Audi A5. In the GTI/A3, the two-liter direct-injection four
produces 200 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque, the latter with a very usable
spread from 1800 to 5000 rpm. Torque is where this engine really
shines, with a ready response across the rev range and devoid of turbo
lag as well.

It's good around town, where the VW GTI doesn't need
to rev its little turbocharged head off to keep up with traffic. It's
also good on the sports car road where one doesn't have to take up
residence at the upper end of the rev range. But the engine doesn't
seem to care about rpm, so load up the wife and kiddies and move right
in. It's as unstrained at redline as anywhere else on the tach.

The
2010 Volkswagen GTI is as relaxed about handling as it about revs. The
MacPherson strut/multi-link suspension smooths out road bumps and
wrinkles like East Anglia University makes inconvenient data go away,
yet it's still tenacious. For a front drive system it's remarkably
balanced on a winding road and happy with the driving speed dial set to
the quick cruise setting.

It's all happy from the driver's seat, too, which just happens to be well bolstered though not as aggressively as the Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Ralliart recently
tested. The flat-bottomed steering wheel is purportedly for extra leg
room but it's really there we think just because it looks very race car.

SS_Volkswagen_GTI_2010_engine2 The
2010 Volkswagen GTI is available with either a conventional six-speed
manual transmission, or like our road test GTI, s six-speed automatic
DSG gearbox with dual clutches. Electronically controlled, the DSG
trans can be left in Drive and it will tend to shifting gears all on
its own. We'll betcha the typical GTI driver will shift the DSG gearbox
manually, using either the console tip-shift shift lever or more
likely, the steering wheel-mounted shift paddles. In manual mode the
transmission won't shift on its own unless the driver pushes the
throttle pedal past a final detent. Then the transmission will shift on
its own right at red line. It's a choice we can believe in. Either way
the shifts are quick and the revs match speed for downshifts so well,
not just for VW, that it's becoming redundant just to mention it.

The 2010 Volkswagen GTI isn't gasping for air fast but it's more comfortable and easy to drive at the limit that the Mazda Mazdaspeed3
or the Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Ralliart, both of which have more
pep but in the case of the Mazdaspeed3, at the cost of some smooth. The
Volkswagen GTI gains points on a rougher road and it's not quite so
frantic. The Volkswagen GTI will kick sand in the face of the
Mitsubishi Lancer GTS and its 152 horsepower, but the Lancer Ralliart,
with its 237 horsepower and all-wheel drive will eat the GTI's lunch
and wad up the brown paper bag it came in.

Still, unless flat-out
racing, those finer aspects–not to mention the relative costs–don't
matter all that much, particularly considering the balance and utter
sophistication of the 2010 Volkswagen GTI: The Volkswagen GTI wears its
strands of double helix well. It has the proper family DNA. Let's hear
it for the chromosomes. 

Illustration: 2010 Volkswagen GTI. Photo by John Matras.

Click HERE to view a slideshow of the newest GTI

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Img270john_matras_photo For almost thirty years, award-winning author John Matras has written
about cars. He’s been in all the major car magazines, on the web and
written five books, and he’s even been translated into Estonian. His
website is carbuzzard.com, but you can find most of his recent reviews on Examiner.com as John is also the National Car Examiner.


2010 Volkswagen GTI selected specifications, as tested
Layout Front engine/front-wheel drive, unitbody 5-seat 5-door hatchback
Engine 2.0L/200 hp DOHC direct-injecton 16-valve in-line four
Displacement, cc 1984
Compression ratio 9.6:1
Material, block / head cast iron / aluminum alloy
Fuel delivery direct fuel injection
Horsepower @ rpm 200 @ 5100 – 6000
Torque, lb-ft @ rpm 207 @ 1800 – 5000
Recommended fuel premium unleaded recommended for maximum performance
Transmission 6-speed manual automatic
Suspension, f / r MacPherson strut w/ lower A-arm / four-link w/ separate spring/shock
Steering, type rack-and-pinion elecrtric power steering
Turning circle, ft. 35.8
Brakes, type Front and rear disc brakes
Rotor diameter, in., f / r 12.3 / 11.26
Wheels, size,  type 18 x 7-in., aluminum
Tires, size, type 225/40R18 summer performance
Dimensions & capacities  
Length, in. 165.8
Width, in. 70.0
Height, in. 57.8
Wheelbase, in. 101.5
Ground clearance, in. 5.0
Curb weight, lbs 3,080
Cargo volume, cu. ft., min / max 15.3 / n.a.
Fuel tank, gal. 14.5
Trailer towing max, lb. n.a.
Performance  
0-60 mph, sec. 6.7
Top speed, mph 130 mph (electronically limited in U.S.)
Fuel econ., EPA city / hwy, mpg 24 / 32
Fuel econ., observed, mpg n.a.

2010 Volkswagen GTI four-door, features and prices
Base price  $24,089
Standard features:
keyless remote speed-sensitive automatic locking,power windows, power
outlet in trunk, touchscreen premium VIII AM/FM/6-disc CD
changer/MP3/Sirius satellite/MDI/aux 8-speaker audio, front/front
side/side curtain airbags, 8-way manually adjustable sport front seats
w/ lumbar and heat, leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel w/
tilt/telescope, driver/passenger extendable sun visor, leather shift
knob/handbrake, power windows, trip computer
 
Autobahn Package: leather seating, power sunroo  2,795
Transmission: 6-speed automatic DSG w/Tiptronic  1,100
Wheels: 18-inch "Detroit"  750
Tires: Summer performance  140
Bi-Xenon headlamps  700
RNS510 Navigation System:
6.5" high resolution touch-screen display, 30GB hard drive (20 GB
audio), audio CD (WMA and MP3) and video DVD playback, SD memory car
slot, center console 3.5 mm aux input, multimedia socket MEDIA-IN for
direct connection of USB flash drives, USB-certified MP3 players
 1,750
Rear side airbags 350
Floor mats: front/rear/trunk 224
Destination charge 750
Total $32,984