Volkswagen is back with their new 2021 Golf GTI. However, the vehicle will mostly be a carryover model without any significant changes. The 2021 model will be the last iteration of the 7th Generation which was introduced in 2015. The latest creation comes with a 2.0-liter Inline 4-cylinder turbocharged engine and offers a prosperous interior, intuitive infotainment, and better safety features. The 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI Price is expected to start at $29,590.
Expected to be launched in the end of 2020, its key competitors include Mazda 3 Hatchback, Honda Civic Si and Hyundai Veloster N. Here’s our take on the 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI that is soon going to be on sale in the market.
Vehicle images are guides only and may not reflect the model's exact specifications/features– exact specifications/features should be confirmed with the seller.
Ratings
Pricing And Features
8.3
Engine And Performance
9.1
Fuel Economy
9.9
Interior
8.7
Exterior
8.7
Safety
9.0
Competition
9.3
8.9
OVERALL RATING
Expert Review, Pricing Analysis and Buying Guide
8.9
Overall Rating
The Golf GTi is one of the most favoured cars of car enthusiasts all across the globe. The 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTi continues the same legacy. The 2021 version is expected to be the last iteration of the 7th generation. It will have a starting price of about $29,000 and will be offered with the iconic 2.0L Turbocharged Inline 4 cylinder engine. The GTi is fun to drive and easy to use as a daily driver.
The 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTi trades in direct punches with the likes of Mazda 3 Hatchback, Honda Civic Si and Hyundai Volstar N. Read our in-depth review and pricing analysis of the 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTi to get a clearer picture of how it is strategically placed in the U.S. market.
2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI Front View
2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI Rear View
8.3/10 Pricing and Features
9.1/10 Engine and Performance
9.9/10 Fuel Economy
8.7/10 Interior
8.7/10 Exterior
9.0/10 Safety
9.3/10 Competition
2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI Hatchback Pricing and Features
Volkswagen equips all GTI models with the latest tech and features like Panoramic moonroof, leather upholstery and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The prices of the 2021 Golf GTI starts at $29,590 for the base S trim and $32,195 for the SE trim.
Trims
Volkswagen Golf GTI S
Volkswagen Golf GTI SE
Volkswagen Golf GTI AutoBahn
MSRP (Manual)
$28,695
$32,665
$36,945
MSRP (Automatic)
$29,495
$33,465
$37,745
Key Features
Six-speaker audio system
Adds/Upgrades to GTI S
Adds/Upgrades to GTI SE
VW Car-Net App-Connect
18" 5-spoke two-tone machined alloy wheel
Electromechanical progressive power steering system
16" 5-spoke two-tone machined alloy wheel
8" touchscreen sound system
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
VAQ front limited-slip differential
Panoramic sunroof
Illuminated door sills and interior ambient lighting
Driving Mode Selection
Leather Seating Surfaces
High Beam Control
Heated front seats
The S trim is priced at $29,590 and comes with features such as a 6.5-inch touch screen, a six-speaker audio system, a USB-C port, and Bluetooth. W's Car-Net App-Connect also comes standard
The SE trim priced at $32,195 gets you a sunroof, proximity keyless entry, push-button start, an 8-inch touch screen, and a traditional USB port.
'Autobahn' trim level will be the top of the line version for the 2021 VW Golf GTi. With a base price of $36,945 for the M/T, it will host a long list of features like 12-Way power adjustable driver's seat, 60/40 rear split seats that add practicality, rear view camera and SiriusXM All Access with 3-month trial subscription for the added comfort and it also provides a good value for money.
2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI Hatchback Maintenance, Reliability and Warranty
The Volkswagen Golf GTI has gone through some generations of changes and with each model they provide us with more features, more power, and more reliability. Golf GTI is one of the most popular cars among people, and it has won many awards throughout its run na mely ‘World Car of the Year’ in 2009, and the Motortrend ‘Car of the Year’ award in 2015. These are just to name some. With the reliability score of 78 out of 100, it is considered to be a good performer with even a better reliability.
Reliability and Ownership Costs
The Golf GTI scored an overall score of 78 out of 100 in J.D.Power Report. With a decent score in reliability, the vehicle gets 88 out of 100 in the driving experience column. One can’t find any problem in the case of selling the vehicle as it retains good value in the market; it also has a good resale value with a score of 78 out of 100.
The average price for the 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTi across the U.S. comes out to be about $31,500. The prices of a vehicle differs from state to state majorly because of different sales taxes implied. The total cost of a vehicle also depends on factors such as geographical location and individual dealership discounts. On the other hand, people from the states of Montana, Oregon, Atlanta, New Hampshire and Delaware enjoy the best prices as the sales taxes are exempted from these states.
Year
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Total
Tax Credit
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
Insurance
$1,375
$1,423
$1,473
$1,524
$1,578
$7,373
Maintenance
$92
$544
$614
$1,207
$1,859
$4,316
Repairs
$0
$0
$0
$409
$624
$1,033
Taxes & Fees
$2,252
$160
$144
$130
$130
$2,816
Financing
$1,917
$1,542
$1,141
$714
$259
$5,573
Depreciation
$9,226
$2,531
$2,069
$2,319
$2,025
$18,170
Fuel
$1,668
$1,718
$1,770
$1,823
$1,877
$8,856
True Cost to Own®
$16,530
$7,918
$7,211
$8,126
$8,352
$48,137
The true ownership cost for a Volkswagen Golf GTi, over a span of 5 years and 75,000 miles comes out to be around $48,137. The Golf GTi is one of the most loved hot hatchback around the globe as it packs in a great performance and is really easy to maintain. On an average, the total maintenance cost for the Golf GTi comes out to be around $4,316. There have been no recalls reported yet for the outgoing 2020 Volkswagen Golf GTi.
Warranty
The 2021 Golf GTI comes with a limited warranty of 4 years or 50,000 miles whichever comes first. Along with the limited warranty, Volkswagen also offers a powertrain warranty of 4 years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first. It also offers 24 hour roadside assistance for 5 years or unlimited miles.
Criteria
Period
Limited warranty
4 years/ 50,000 miles
Powertrain warranty
4 years/ 50,000 miles
24-hour roadside assistance
5 years/ unlimited miles
Volkswagen backs the Golf GTI with a decent basic warranty and the warranty covers Anti-Corrosion/Perforation, Powertrain coverage, Complimentary scheduled maintenance, and roadside assistance.
2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI Hatchback Buying Advice
The 2021 Golf GTI comes only in two trims, and both the trims share the same engine with the standard feature. The base S trim includes features like 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, adaptive LED headlights and ambient lighting. While the SE trim gets you a larger infotainment screen, along with a panoramic sunroof. To get access to better safety and convenience features one can opt for the Autobahn package. By just adding $4,000 one can upgrade from S trim to SE.
Is buying a used Volkswagen Golf GTI a good idea?
The Golf GTI retains its value quite well and it tends to lose around 12% of its value for the first three years. The maintenance cost of the car is also economical, which makes it a more preferable resale option. Overall considered, buying a used Volkswagen Golf GTi can prove to be quite beneficial for the people who don’t want to go for a new one.
The 2021 VW Golf GTI’s turbocharged engine provides sufficient power for city and highway driving and with its nimble handling, you can enjoy yourself on less crowded streets. In the manual model, the clutch pedal is easy to use, making shifting very smooth. Furthermore, if you want more performance from Golf GTI then you can opt for 7-speed Dual-clutch transmission.
2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI Speedup 0-60 MPH Just In 5.9 Sec.
The 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTi comes equipped with 13.4” rotors in the front and 12.2” rotors in the rear, which give the GTi great stopping capabilities. Also, the ventilated disc brakes offer high-performance stopping power and the Golf can slow down from 60-0 MPH in less than 120 ft.
The Volkswagen Golf GTI is one of the most efficient cars and it offers decent MPG figures, which is better than most of its rivals. However, the Honda Civic and Mazda 3 offer a bit more fuel economy figure
2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI Hatchback Interior
8.7/10
The 2021 Golf GTI’s interiors are simple and well crafted. It offers a decent headroom space of about 38 inches in both rows but lacks in terms of legroom with just 35.6 inches, which is short as compared to its rivals. Four people can easily seat comfortably. The vehicle’s steering wheel is particularly ergonomic and improves the driving dynamics of the car. The GTI’s front seats are wrapped in synthetic leather, or cloth depending on the trim you opt with a range of adjustment options and heated seats.
2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI Front Seat
The vehicle also has large cargo holds easy-to-fold seats with some storage cubbies. Furthermore, the six-way adjustable front seats with lumbar support offer next-level luxury to drivers. Along with the comfort, the 2021 Golf GTI comes equipped with an 8-inch infotainment system that makes the dashboard look advanced. The vehicle also offers an amazing cargo capacity of 23 cubic feet.
Model
2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI
2021 Mazda 3 Hatchback
2021 Honda Civic Si
2020 Hyundai Veloster N
Seating Capacity
5
5
5
4
First Row (Head/ Shoulder/ Leg) (in.)
38.4/ 55.9/ 41.2
37.5/ 55.7/ 42.3
37.6/ 56.9/ 42.3
38.1/ 56.0/ 42.6
Second Row (Head/ Shoulder/ Leg) (in.)
38.1/ 53.9/ 35.6
36.5/ 53.4/ 35.1
36.8/ 55.0/ 37.4
35.9/ 54.3/ 34.1
Cargo Capacity (cu. ft.)
23
20.1
14.7
20
Comparing it to its rivals, there is not much difference in terms of interior space. However, Golf GTI offers better space for the rear passengers. The vehicle also has the most cargo capacity, followed by Hyundai Veloster and Mazda 3.
How’s the 2021 Golf GTI’s infotainment system?
The infotainment system of the 2021 Golf GTI will remain similar to the current model. The infotainment system is enabled with an 8-inch touchscreen with special GTI specific graphics placed at the center of the dashboard. An in-built navigation system is assimilated with infotainment to envision maps and navigation features along with voice command features. Features like Android Auto, Apple Car-play, SiriusXM, Inbuilt navigation system comes as standard.
2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI Dashboard
The 2021 Golf GTI offers you the Fender Premium Audio sound system along with 8-speakers; these powerful speakers surely enhance your listening experience and make your journey worthwhile. There are some other available features that you get depending on the trim which includes a panoramic sunroof, push-button start, and dual-zone automatic climate control. The infotainment system is user-friendly, and the screen has sharp graphics and the controls are within easy reach of the driver.
2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI Hatchback Exterior
8.7/10
The 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI remains structurally and dimensionally the same as last year's model. The upcoming model comes with 18-inch wheels and similar adaptive LED headlights and LED taillights. The vehicle’s short wheelbase allows the hatchback to be easily chucked about and with the length of just 168 inches, it can be easily parked in the city.
2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI Third Quarter View
The 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTi has slightly bigger dimensions in comparison to its rivals. The GTi has a curb weight of 3062 lbs and it has the ground clearance of about 5.1 inches that is adequate for U.S. cities but a bit constraint for an off-road. The vehicle is offered in numerous colors including Deep Black Pearl and Pure White.
Model
2021 Volkswagen Golf GTIi
2021 Mazda 3 Hatchback
2021 Honda Civic Si
2020 Hyundai Veloster N
Curb Weight
3062 lbs
3022 lbs
2906 lbs
3036 lbs
Length
168"
175.6"
182.8"
166.9"
Width
70.8"
70.7"
70.8"
71.3"
Height
57.8"
56.7"
55.5"
55.1"
Ground Clearance
5.1"
5.5"
5.9"
5.3"
Wheelbase
103.6"
107.3"
104.3"
104.3"
Compared to its rivals, the Golf GTI has the most curb weight in the segment. In terms of ground clearance, the Honda Civic excels over all its rivals. Overall, the Golf GTi is a well known car on the road. It gets a great road presence and looks packed with performance and aggressive.
2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI Hatchback Safety
9.0/10
The 2020 Golf GTI has received a safety rating of five out of five stars from the NHTSA. Since the 2021 model is a carryover model, we expect it to provide the same safety features. The vehicle is also loaded with driver assistance features along with its list of active and passive safety offerings. Some notable safety features in the Golf GTI are adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.
2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI Hatchback Competition
9.3/10
2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI or Mazda3
Mazda 3 has a powerful engine but still lacks behind Golf GTI in terms of power. The Mazda 3 also has less acceleration than GTI while both cars are among the most athletic cars in the class, and both offer classy interiors with user-friendly technology.
2021 Mazda3
The Golf GTI offers a bit more cabin space and cargo space, but the Mazda 3 offers better fuel economy figures. The Mazda 3 also has better ground clearance than Golf GTI.
2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs. Honda Civic
The Honda Civic offers better fuel efficiency and its wheelbase is also longer than GTI that surely helps for a smoother ride and more stable handling while the Golf GTI performs better than Civic in terms of power delivery and has better acceleration.
2021 Honda Civic
However, the Honda Civic costs less and offers better ground clearance. Both cars have quite a similar cabin space but the Golf GTI gives more headroom and more cargo capacity.
2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI Hatchback Final Verdict
The 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI has a powerful engine, intuitive infotainment system with advanced technologies, decent interior, elegant exterior, decent space, and most importantly a better fuel economy; all of these under $30,000. The vehicle also did well in terms of safety and reliability front. The 2021 Golf GTI is the last iteration for the 7th generation. So, considering all its pros, we surely recommend going for the 2021 Golf GTI model or wait for the new gen 2022 model
Cons - Wind noise, controls can be too much at times
Perfect for everything you want to do. U turns are surprisingly small compared to my other car which is actually a sedan. This is an amazing car to take on long drives with its rev happy engine which likes to be driven hard. Car is very smooth in both city and highway conditions. I never face any major issues with it with almost 10k miles on odo. The tech is complicated and takes time to get used to. The outward visibility is good and the seats can be adjusted to find the optimal position. The cabin is quiet for the most part and space is plenty. The front looks beautiful and the headlights are pretty cool. Decent overall safety features. Can be trusted even on arduous journeys. I got a really good deal on this vehicle it was a few hundred dollars under the MSRP* amzaing experience at the dealership with good trained staff
I would definitely recommend it to anyone. The handling of this hatch makes every drive fun and interesting. It takes on corners very well with full grip while never giving you a feeling of skid even on tight corners. The aerodynamics are great with very less wind noise while driving fast. The touch screen is responsive, bright, and easy to use. The seats are amazing in terms of holding me in place. One of the best looking hatch out there. Got all of the modern day safety features Good past experience with VW Happy with what I paid. trained staff and friendly people around
Cons - Expensive to maintain, infotainment is confusing
A smart purchase of sure. Has everything I need. The VW Golf drives pretty well. It has all the check boxes ticked which includes good power, decent fuel efficient, and the best handling you can get in a hatch. I sometimes feels the ABS kicks in pretty early. It goes whenever I floor the accelerator pedal and thats the best feature. Added a lot from aftermarket shops to make it unique. Looks amazing specially with big wheels and slightly lowered suspension Very safe car with good safety rating This is a reliable car to own A good buy for sure. They know their cars very well
Fantastic sport compact car that will not only go fast but get good mpgs doing it. it'seats 4 comfortably and has plenty of room back in the back area.
