2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI 380 SE Review: Sending Off The Last Manual OG Hot Hatch In America

It’s a shame hatchbacks like the Volkswagen Golf have fallen out of favor in the wake of the unrelenting demand for SUVs. At least, here in America. It’s so unforgiving, demand for cars like the Golf tanked so badly that Volkswagen pulled the iconic model out of the North American market at the end of its previous seventh-generation version, or “Mark 7.” And that’s after the Golf’s nearly half-century-long presence, since the original model landed in America back in December 1974.

Thankfully, those still looking to get their hands on one of VW’s most iconic cars can still get one of greatest ones of them all: the Golf GTI. Although VW discontinued the standard Golf in North America, the want for the GTI remains strong and thus, the Wolfsburg-based automaker kept the spunky hot hatch stateside. The current Mk8 Golf GTI (pronounced “mark eight,” not “emm-kay-eight”) arrived back in 2020. But this year, Volkswagen gave North America, and only North America, the 380 commemorative edition. No, the “380” doesn’t denote that it now has 380 horsepower.

Rather, it pays tribute to the current Golf’s internal chassis code and, most of all, it marks the end of the road for the manual transmission option in the GTI, at least for us yanks. What a sad time to be alive, if you’re a three-pedal GTI lover.

2024 Volkswagen GTI First Impressions

As one of the few hatchbacks still available in the U.S. market, the GTI stays true to its traditional two-box formula. Unmistakably a Golf upon initial glance, the GTI still subtly hints at its sportier roots with more aggressive bodywork, dual polished exhaust tips, and large-diameter black-coated wheels. The latter are only available strictly for this final-year 380 model.

But like past GTIs, you really have to give the damn thing a good stare before you realize, it’s a GTI. That is, if you forgot the regular Golf left us over five years ago. But being able to fly under the radar has always been a signature GTI trait. Most people couldn’t tell the GTI from a standard Golf, unless they paid attention to the details, such as the red-trimmed grille, sportier alloys, and the GTI badges.

Our tester, with its Kings Red Metallic exterior, might not be as inconspicuous. But it’s still a shade or two away from “pull-me-over” red and far more seductive.

Exterior Dimensions

Driving Impressions And Performance

In a world once dominated by rear-wheel-drive cars with massive V-8s and six-cylinder engines, the GTI is one of the many cars that demonstrated practicality and sensibility didn’t have to come at the expense of fun and performance. Despite its modest packaging, it also showed that adding some minor upgrades, such as a sportier suspension and a slight bump in power, can yield great results. Especially if the platform has the potential to support it, and the Golf always has.

With the Golf GTI, it’s always been a shining example of the expert talent that Volkswagen’s chassis and suspension engineers truly possess. Light and quick on its feet like a Beetle, but comfortable and supple like a Passat, the Golf GTI always maintained its iconic identity as a picture-perfect example of how to blend sporty handling and everyday comfort in an affordable package. Few cars in the world today exemplify such an exquisite balance between the best of both worlds at a price point that doesn’t nuke the wallet and the current GTI continues to do exactly that.

Braking And Acceleration

The GTI’s 241 horses and 273 torques might not sound like a lot in today’s world of 600-horsepower-plus luxury sports cars. But because the GTI is about the size of a guinea pig, it doesn’t need much, tipping the scales at just a shade above 3,100 pounds. Thus, even with the six-speed manual, the GTI scoots to 60 MPH in just under six seconds with the automatic only getting there a few shades quicker.

Since Volkswagen launched its ubiquitous 2.0-liter TSI “EA888” back in 2007, an engine that powers nearly everything in the German auto giant’s portfolio to some degree, including some Porsches and Audis, the company’s really been able to wring out its potential. And the EA888 in the GTI, still to this day, makes an overwhelmingly compelling case for turbo-fours. No matter the revs or the gear, the GTI gets up and goes with far more urgency than its rather modest outputs on paper. It really is a peach of an engine.

And naturally, as a sports hatch bred for both the Autobahn and even a fun track day at the Nürburgring, the brakes are absolutely sublime. Even if they still exhibit the slight initial squishy pedal that VWs are known for.

• Acceleration 0-60 MPH: 5.9 Seconds (Est.)
• Top Speed: 130 MPH

Performance Specifications

2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI Fuel Economy

The Environmental Protection Agency rated the 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI with its six-speed manual, capable of achieving up to 23 miles per gallon in the city, 34 MPG on the highway, and up to 27 combined on average. Only the city figure jumps up one MPG to 24 with the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic and both transmissions boast up to 356 miles on a single tank.

In my week-long test with a mixture of rural and urban suburban traffic throughout Northern New Jersey, the GTI proved to be a frugal companion without any sacrifices in the fun department. According to the on-board computer, I averaged around 24 to 27 miles per gallon, with the number encroaching 29-30 on extended highway trips.

Interior Design And Comfort

The Volkswagen Golf was the compact crossover before compact crossover SUVs, combining the practical two-box body shape of a wagon with the proportions of a small car. And thus, being essentially a gussied-up Golf, the GTI is just as comfortable and practical. In traditional fashion, VW’s designers spruced up the insides with lovely Recaro front seats wrapped in the GTI’s iconic Scalepaper Plaid clothes and Vienna leather, a total throwback to GTI seats of yore.

Both supportive and comfortable, along with an overall minimalistic interior appearance, the GTI remains a flying example for excellently executed modest appointments. It’s also still pleasantly quiet and civil, as GTIs always have been. But if we were to point out some obvious drawbacks, the choice of materials and overall fit and finish don’t seem as premium and Audi-like as older models.

Interior Dimensions

Technology And Ease Of Use

While the GTI makes an occasion out of its simple interior, its latest MIB infotainment system feels like a slight step back from the old versions. Sadly, any sort of physical knobs and buttons are no more for either the audio system or the HVAC and instead, are all managed by touch-sensitive controls. The latest menu system and hierarchy also did require a bit of learning time.

Some of our fellow industry colleagues also lambasted Volkswagen’s decision to replace physical buttons and rocker switches for touch-sensitive controls on the steering wheel for the cruise control and driver information display. But after getting acquainted and used to them, they weren’t all that bad. But whether they work well or not can still boil down to subjective feelings about them.

Cargo And Storage Space

With up to 34.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded down, and almost 20 cubes with the seats up, the Golf GTI remains a shining example as to why not everyone needs an SUV for practicality. Subcompact crossovers like American Golf’s replacement, the Taos SUV, are still larger. But if you still don’t need something as ponderous, yet need space for things, the Golf GTI still very much gets the job done, plus some.

2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI Vs. Its Competitors

As a compact hot hatchback, a dying species in North America due to everyone’s infatuation with SUVs, the Golf GTI is the last of its kind. Once a booming segment with players from Subaru, Ford, Mazda, and Toyota, only Toyota and Mazda remain. The Toyota GR Corolla serves as a close competitor to the GTI. However, the GR Corolla is much more powerful and faster in nearly every single metric, which makes it more of a competitor to the GTI’s faster and more premium sibling, the Golf R. While the Mazda3 with the Turbo is Hiroshima’s closest bet against the GTI, but its cost-cutting torsion beam suspension means it doesn’t nearly drive nor handle as well or exquisitely as the GTI.

How The Volkswagen Golf GTI Compares To The Mazda3 Turbo

As one of the few remaining hatchbacks available in North America, the Golf GTI’s closest rival is the Mazda3 specifically with its optional turbocharged four-banger. It’s the only direct competitor still available stateside with matching power and premium sporting intentions at nearly identical price points. Though the Mazda3 Turbo is just a few shades short of being a true hot hatchback as the turbo-four is only available with a six-speed automatic. Toyota still does offer the five-door Corolla. But the only performance-oriented version is the GR Corolla, which is more expensive, faster, and more powerful in nearly every metric, making it more of a competitor against the GTI’s even hotter sibling, the Golf R.

Performance

Both the Golf GTI and Mazda3 Turbo sport snail-fed gasoline four-cylinders. However, they’re different in a variety of ways. VW’s displaces 2.0-liters and the Mazda’s moves 2.5-liters and as expected, the Mazda produces slightly more power, to the tune of around an extra nine horses and a significantly greater 47 torques. As a result, the Mazda3 Turbo does scurry to 60 MPH a little quicker, but at the expensive of driver involvement and fun as it only comes with a six-speed automatic. The GTI is also more of a dedicated sports car whereas the Mazda is more of a premium hatchback that leans on the side near-luxury. The Mazda3 is also saddled by a cost-cutting torsion beam suspension, which drastically compromises its handling, compared to the GTI’s and even the previous generation Mazda3’s fully-independent multi-link arrangement.

Comfort

Both the GTI and Mazda3 Turbo are plenty comfortable. But if a comparison was made, the Mazda3 Turbo would likely take a few more positive attributes home as the more powerful engine is solely available with the two upper Carbon and Premium Plus trims. That loads up the Mazda with all the creature comforts and niceties.

Technology

Both offer the same level of technology, passive and active driver assist and safety gear, and comprehensive infotainment systems as many other vehicles on the market. But they obviously go about them all in their own manufacturer-bespoke ways. The GTI’s MIB infotainment and tech are slightly newer than the Mazda’s, the latter of which is a gradual evolution of the same system that’s been in every Mazda for the past decade.

Sending Off The Last-Ever Manual-Equipped Golf GTI

While the current eighth-gen Golf GTI has been with us for some time already, this commemorative final-year GTI 380 SE is quite bittersweet. Sweet, because it’s the ultimate Golf GTI and the car that VW always imagined it to be for the times, complete with a manual transmission. Bitter, because this 380 model represents one of the last of the manual-equipped GTIs moving forward.

Since the GTI has always been the driving enthusiasts’ special, taking away the manual transmission from a GTI is like taking a good German brew away from a biergarten. You’ll still have a great time with friends and some fresh brats to chow down on, but it just isn’t the same.

The eighth-gen GTI in its final year still starts at a very palatable $32,685 without VW’s $1,225 shipping charge. Climbing up to the SE adds creature comforts such as true keyless entry with push-button start, automatic dual-zone climate control, a 12-way power driver’s seat, and a power-sliding moon roof. But if you spring for the base S, you’re still getting the quintessential Golf GTI experience, which is already a lot of car to begin with. You almost don’t need to ask for anything more.

Just exercise caution, however, if you’re checking out the top-spec, fully-loaded GTI 380 Autobahn. By then, you’ll be cracking the $40,000 mark and treading into Audi A3 territory. The only difference is the Audi doesn’t come with three pedals. So, if you’re one of the few remaining fans of manual-equipped hot hatchbacks here in America, you better scoop one up before the three-pedal GTI is no more after 2024.