Volkswagen Golf GTI (05-08) - Review

The interior is well trimmed and inviting - especially at night when the instruments are illuminated by soothing blue backlighting. There's a generous amount of room for the front passenger, while the rear comfortably accommodates two (three at a push). The front sports seats give good support and are adjustable while the retro chequered seat fabric (just like the original GTI) is standard, although other colours are available. Thanks to the impressive ride quality the Golf is comfortable, even on uneven surfaces while road and wind noise are minimal.

The Golf GTI manages to fuse affordable performance with everyday practicality - making it a realistic choice for family buyers. Even the three-door is easy to get in-and-out-of and has adequate legroom but as you'd expect the five-door is a better option if the rear seats are in regular use. There's a decent size boot and split folding rear seats while cabin stowage is plentiful with large door pockets and twin cupholders.

Thanks to plenty of adjustment in the driver's seat and steering column it's easy to find the perfect driving position in the GTI and the quality of the interior is superb. The blue backlit controls and dials give a premium feel to the cabin and all the switchgear works with robust precision. The flat-bottomed three-spoke steering wheel (complete with GTI badging) adds to the sporty feel as do the aluminium pedals. It may not have the special feel of some hot hatches but there's an understated air of quality about the Golf's cabin that few cars can match. The Pirelli special edition model feature unique seats complete with a tyre tread pattern plus yellow stitching on the steering wheel and gear lever.