2011 Volkswagen GTI – A Sporty Hatchback

First Look

Don’t know about you people, but to us “statistics” is just another type of lie. And if you evaluate the 2011 Volkswagen GTI on the basis of the statistics available for the car it clearly is one of the least desirable sports hatchbacks available in the market in current times. But as we said earlier, “statistics” are just another type of lie and so is it. The truth here is that the Volkswagen GTI actually is a likely victor among the competition.

We would admit the fact that the 2011 Volkswagen GTI surely isn’t the fastest to reach the 60 mph mark among the competition. Now you would be asking how the VW GTI can be ranked so high in such a sport-oriented segment. The simple answer to this could be: refinement and drivability.

What’s New for 2011 Volkswagen GTI?

The 2011 Volkswagen GTI comes with simplified trim levels. But apart from this the GTI primarily remains unchanged.

Body Styling and Features

The high-performance compacted hatchback 2011 Volkswagen GTI is available in both the four-door and two-door body styles. The car is available in four trim levels, which are named spontaneously on the basis of the major features available for every trim levels, like base GTI, the GTI with Sunroof, GTI with Navigation and Sunroof and the last one being the GTI Autobahn.

The equipment list for the base VW GTI includes 18-inch alloy wheels, Foglights, a rear roof spoiler, launch control (having DSG only), heated outside mirrors, complete power accessories, a sport suspension, alloy pedals, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, steering wheel-mounted shift paddles (for DSG only), a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a trip computer, cruise control, heated front sport seats, air-conditioning, split-folding rear seats having a center pass-through, plaid cloth upholstery, an eight-speaker stereo having CD player, Bluetooth, satellite radio, iPod integration and auxiliary audio input.

Just as the name suggests the VW GTI with Sunroof trim comes with a sunroof, but at the same time you gets a leather-trimmed sport steering wheel having multifunction controls, stereo with touchscreen interface and an in-dash CD changer.

The GTI with Navigation and Sunroof comes with a touchscreen navigation system and adaptive xenon headlights.
The last and the range-topping GTI Autobahn complete the lineup with its keyless entry/ignition, leather seat inserts, and a premium Dynaudio sound system.

Under The Hood

The 2011 Volkswagen GTI has a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine pumping under its hood and generating maximum power of 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of maximum torque. The engine is mated with a standard six-speed manual transmission, which takes the power to its front-wheels. Though, there is an option of a six-speed dual-clutch automated manual (known DSG) transmission. The DSG transmission can easily be shifted manually through the paddles or shift lever given on the steering wheel, or it can also operate as a standard automatic.

In our sprint test the GTI sprinted from 0 to 60 mph in 7.3 seconds, which is around half a second slower than its competition.

Safety Equipments

The 2011 Volkswagen GTI’s safety equipments includes antilock disc brakes having brake assist, front-seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and stability control. The optional rear-seat airbags have been discontinued from the four-door.

Verdict

The numbers for 2011 Volkswagen GTI might not prove it the top dog in terms of performance, but the vehicle for sure is the one of the sportiest hatchback in the market.

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