Top 10 Memorable and Not-So-Memorable Vehicles I Reviewed in 2021

9 — Volkswagen Golf GTI and R

It wasn’t easy, they told us, but the folks at Volkswagen Canada managed to get their hands on a few units of the 2022 Golf GTI and R, freshly arrived in the country, for a press event in mid-November. It was a great opportunity to see how the company has made these classics evolve.

Unsurprisingly, there was no disappointment behind the wheel; the drive is faultless in both cases. I did note a lot of technology on board and too many touch controls for my taste. And sadly, the feeling among those Volkswagen folks is that these may be the last gasoline-powered editions with manual transmissions we’ll see. Yes, I know, the planet. But you'll agree with me that the fun won't be the same with all-electric Golfs, however powerful they may be in the future. We'll see.