2015 Volkswagen Golf GTI

The all-new Golf GTI features a highly sophisticated EA888 2.0-liter turbocharged and direct-injection TSI engine that makes 210 horsepower and a healthy 258 lb.-ft. of torque, figures that are 10 hp and 51 lb.-ft. higher than in the previous-generation GTI model.

The Performance Package ups the ante with 220 horsepower. All 2015 Golf GTI models have a standard six-speed manual transmission or an optional six-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic that has a launch control feature.

This new-generation Golf GTI has grown in size yet dropped in weight by up to 82 pounds, despite a plethora of new and upscale features.

The 2015 car is wrapped in sheet metal that is totally modern yet equally unmistakable as a Volkswagen Golf GTI. The shape and design elements remain as defined as ever, with a distinctive C-pillar and roofline framing classic Golf GTI side windows.

The new look is further accentuated by the sharper headlight clusters and the bright-red horizontal graphic that runs through the optional Bi-Xenon headlights, as well as by the narrower grille, which now leads to a strong character line that travels along the side and all the way back to the taillight clusters, only breaking for the wheelarches.

A GTI-specific instrument cluster, sporty aluminum-look pedals, the unique shifter knob, and the flat-bottomed sport steering wheel also ensure differentiation from its less sporty siblings.

One of the most significant advances in the Golf GTI is the new touchscreen infotainment center. At 5.8 inches in size, the display utilizes a capacitive touch sensor (as in smartphone and the like tablet technology) rather than the more common resistive touchscreens that require pressure, enabling gesture controls like swiping and even pinch-zooming.