2007 Volkswagen GTI Road Test

I once owned one of the original VW GTI's made in the 70's; it was a great vehicle and absolutely heaps of fun! It's been credited with starting the

(Photo: Kevin ''Crash'' Corrigan)

whole hot hatch craze, and with sound reasoning. The original version had all the performance of a front-engine Porsche but in a much more basic package. A real, no muss, no fuss, down to earth thrill ride which was also practical as you could carry a week's groceries home in it too. Of course, times change and models move on, so how will the "new' GTI match up to its famed heritage?

Well, Volkswagen's new GTI is certainly a looker, especially from the front. I think that this is, without a doubt, the prettiest model so far. The Golf nameplates are gone and it is now to be known simply as "the GTI". To be honest, and it wasn't just the missing Golf badge, I found the rear of the vehicle somewhat plain. Then again, it's not what's on the outside that makes this vehicle what it is; it's the heart and soul of the car which really counts.

The interior is typical Volkswagen, extremely well put together and all business like. The front leather bucket seats are comfortable yet well

(Photo: Kevin ''Crash'' Corrigan)

bolstered and shaped to hold you firmly in place. Then we come to my favorite part of the interior, the steering wheel. I think that the boys at VW must have snuck down pit lane at the last Indy meet and stolen them off the race cars parked there. It's one of the best looking wheels that I have encountered and it makes you realize that you're in something a little bit special. This is also reinforced by the shape and feel of the gear knob. I take my hat off to VW as I think that this type of attention to detail is important. After all, when driving a car, what two things do you spend most of your time touching? Yeah ok, apart from your passenger's leg!

The new GTI is loaded with goodies, yes all the stuff which we have become accustomed to yet somehow, I didn't really want. You see, the original was totally void of "unnecessary extras". That just added weight and was frowned upon by the designers. It was a bit like "power windows sir, what's wrong with your arm"!!

Volkswagen hasn't gone overboard, but even so, with each model change the GTI appears to get heavier. It's still a quick car, but then again, a lot of

(Photo: Kevin ''Crash'' Corrigan)

companies sell quick cars nowadays. The six speed gearbox is excellent and very easy to become acclimatized to. The brakes are also impressive and hardly any effort is required to bring the vehicle to a halt. The suspension feels firm, yet gives a comfortable ride and the GTI handles corners like a dream. Wind noise is barely noticeable and even at hwy speeds and above, the car is stable and glued to the road.

Sounds like a great car to drive yes? Well it is, in fact it is one of the nicest vehicles that I have driven this year. It is a fast, extremely civilized car with near impeccable road manners.