Volkswagen Golf GTI Edition 30 | Spotted
The Mk5 Golf GTI marked the return of a hot hatch great; the Edition 30 made it greater still
I still think that the Volkswagen Golf Mk4's exterior styling is up there with the best of the breed, and it was superb inside as well - great material quality and those dayglow-blue dials were whiz-bang. I had a GT TDI as a company car and I enjoyed being in it very much, but not driving it. Even if it had been a GTI that didn't rumble its way to sixty, it wouldn't have been much better because, let's face it, the Golf Mk4 wasn't the crispest thing to point at a corner. As with the Mk3 before it, the halcyon spirit of the original GTI had long since departed.
The Mk5 changed that. The Golf GTI was back with a vengeance and a spring in its step. Some say it's the best ever, outside of specials like the GTI Clubsport S, and it certainly came across as an apology from VW for the leaden stodge that it had it had used to fill the twelve-year gap since the Mk2. It came with a 2.0 TSI turbo that punched out a very healthy 200hp and 201lb ft. The suspension was stiffer and 15mm lower than standard, giving it a taut, terrier stance. And in its push to reenergise the GTI name, Volkswagen added nods to the GTI's heritage, such as the red strip around the honeycomb grille and the tartan-trim on the hug-me-please sports seats - just what was needed to go with that iconic, golf-ball gear knob.
It could so easily have proved to be a marketing exercise, but it wasn't. It delivered, and still delivers even by today's standards. Sure, it's 0-62mph sprint of 7.2 seconds is tardy next to the crop of modern, 300-plus-horsepower hot hatches, but the way the engine delivers its urge isn't. It's light on lag and linear, with a sweet and bassy timbre to go with the turbo's tantalising hisses. And that's not all. You can add into the mix its joyfully slick and short-shifting gearbox, plus the well-judged throttle, clutch and brake responses, too. It's a properly zesty drivetrain and that's matched by the chassis.
The Mk5 GTI doesn't come with armfuls of understeer, like its overweight and immediate forebears. It's sharp and nimble, rewarding smooth inputs that exploit its inherent poise. The front end is keen and there's a hint of rotation at the rear - it's not snappy, but neither is it dreary. Of course, it's also easy to live with because it's a Golf GTI, and that's its USP. So you also get a firm yet comfortable ride and good ergonomics. There isn't a multitude of driver modes, either, because, other than the ESP off, it's a case of hop in and go.
Keep on top of servicing and they're pretty dependable as well. If the turbo isn't working it could be a PCV valve or diverter valve, both of which are relatively simple fixes. The radiator is also a known weak spot, so check for coolant leaks and also the suspension - broken springs is a common failure.
If all this makes a Golf GTI Mk5 sound like your cup of tea, then there are plenty out there to choose from. This one included, which offers something a little more. It's an Edition 30, which was built to celebrate 30 years of the GTI. It didn't come with any suspension upgrades, but as the general consensus is the Mk5 didn't need any, that's fine. Instead, you get a 230hp motor (with 221lb ft as well), which puts it just 15hp shy of the current Mk8 and drops the 0-62mph down to an even more appetising 6.8 seconds. You also get a set of very attractive, Challenge Stradale-esque 18-inch multi-spoke alloys. This two-owner car has done over 100,000 miles but looks tidy, bar a bit of wear on the driver's seat bolster. It also comes with what seems like a very respectable service history to top it off. There are cheaper Mk5 GTIs out there that will be plenty of fun, but, if you want the firepower to compete with the modern stuff, this Edition 30 could be the one.
SPECIFICATION | VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GTI EDITION 30
Engine: 1,984cc, four-cyl turbo
Transmission: 6-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 230@5,200rpm
Torque (lb ft): 221@2,200rpm
CO2: 194g/km
MPG: 34.4
Recorded mileage: 111,000
Year registered: 2008
Price new: £22,795
Yours for: £8,295
Edit: looks like the article is correct, no suspension mods. Must be confusing it with another review from 15 years ago!
If on a tighter budget, it’s worth considering the Mk2 Leon Cupra has a 237bhp version of the Ed 30 engine. But, to save the Mk5 GTI’s face, every expense was spared when VAG spec’d the LC’s dampers, and cabin plastics.
Edit: if looking at a Mk5 GTI, check the front wheel arches - they had major rust probs. If a car was within VAG’s 10-year rust warranty, the wings, and their water-storing liners, would be replaced. Cars that missed the 10-year cutoff are known to’ve been bodged. Take a magnet…
The mk6 Gti uses the first iteration of the chain driven EA888 engine. Feels less pokey but better mpg, torque comes on slightly earlier but doesn’t peak like the other unit.
I really do prefer the 1.8t in a (mapped) S3 8l though.
I got shot, and really didn't miss it at all.
The tunability to 300hp was tempting though. They are very robust tuner cars I believe.
I got shot, and really didn't miss it at all.
The tunability to 300hp was tempting though. They are very robust tuner cars I believe.
te. Didn’t like the nasty grey plastics on the interior either. Really liked the seats though.I got shot, and really didn't miss it at all.
The tunability to 300hp was tempting though. They are very robust tuner cars I believe.
I had a clutch replaced at a VW dealer, then c. 3500 miles and 6 months later it started juddering like a road-drill. But because it was nine days after the warranty expired, VW HQ wouldn’t accept responsibility - didn’t even offer a goodwill contribution
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