Volkswagen Golf GTi Performance first drive review

You might ask "what's the diff?" that makes the Volkswagen Golf GTI Performance any better than standard version. And you'd be right...

From the car park, it takes a trainspotter - of which there are many considering the popularity of the German hot hatch in Australia - to pick the subtle styling changes, such as the bi-xenon headlamps and red brake calipers hiding behind unique 19-inch alloy wheels.

But from behind the wheel, there is a noticeable step-up in the way it drives. And while most buyers will be attracted to the fact it produces more power - with its 2.0-litre turbo charged four cylinder tweaked to generate 169kW - it has nothing to do with it. In fact the extra 7kW is so marginal that you barely notice it's there, particularly considering there is no improvement in maximum torque, which remains at 350Nm spread across a broad band of revs between 1500-4600rpm (the 169kW of peak power then takes over from 4700-6200rpm).

It is all about the way it delivers it to the ground, thanks to a new electronically controlled differential that, in sync with company's XDL system that brakes the inside wheel, virtually eliminates traditional front-wheel-drive traits such as understeer (the front wheels sliding wide) when pushed hard through a corner and torque steer, where the steering wheel tugs in your hand under heavy acceleration.

Using a multi-plate clutch arrangement, the diff can transfer up to 100 per cent of the engine's torque to the wheel with the most traction, promoting sharper turn-in and increasing cornering grip.

It proved to be a star of the car on some of the twistiest roads in the Dandenong Ranges outside of Melbourne, where we drove it for the first time in Australia this week.

In places where the stability control could get busy in the standard Golf GTI, the GTI Performance model sliced through the corners with such clarity that it almost masked its front-drive underpinnings.

That neutral stance and high level of grip makes it so easy to drive quickly. But, on the flip side, it also means it lacks some of the flair and driver engagement that give its rivals, such as Renault Megane RS and Ford Focus ST, such unique characters.

The Golf GTI Performance does have a few distinct personalities of its own, though. Using the multi function Drive Mode Select system, which alters the adaptive suspension settings, the weighting of the electric steering and the shift points for the six-speed dual clutch automatic - the only transmission available on the GTI Performance - can be altered. It is best left in the default Normal setting for everyday use, where it has a sweet balance between a purposeful ride with good steering feel and comfortable shifts from the gearbox.

It feels a bit doughy in the Eco setting as the softer suspension relinquishes some of its sharpness, the steering is a little light and the gearbox shifts early to tap into the low rev pulling power to reduce fuel consumption. And, unless you're hitting the race track or a section of smooth back country blacktop, the Sport setting is a little too harsh for Australia's patchwork roads, particularly on the larger 19-inch alloys with low profile tyres.

The bigger brakes offer a noticeable improvement in stopping power, as well as pedal feel and are less prone to fade during enthusiastic driving.

From every other aspect, the new Golf GTI Performance carries all the benchmarks the standard GTI is renown for, such as its overall efficiency, top-notch build quality, great ergonomics, space and vision and a generous list of standard equipment that includes sat-nav, reversing camera, dual zone climate control and safety features such as seven airbags, five-star crash rating and fatigue warning.

At $48,490 plus on-road and dealer costs (the price has increased $500 since Volkswagen announced it late last year), it is perched near the pinnacle of the front-drive hot hatch segment. And while there are cheaper, faster and more more engaging cars climbing the same mountain, the Performance variant takes the GTI higher into rarified air when it comes to all-round brilliance.