The Mk5 was a hard act for VW to follow, so wisely it didn't make any wholesale engine or mechanical changes for the Mk6 Golf GTI, deciding instead to focus its attention on a thorough facelift - which brought back some of the magic of the Mk1.
XDS aided traction out of corners
Released in the UK in March 2009, the standard car's power was upped to 210hp and the handling was further improved thanks to Adaptive Chassis Control plus VW's XDS limited-slip diff-aping traction control.
Straight line speed was similar to the Mk5 (with 62mph in 6.9 seconds and a 149mph top speed) whilst economy was improved to 38.7mpg combined. In 2011 VW launched a 153mph, 235hp Edition 35 version, capable of beating 62mph in 6.6 seconds and 2012 saw the debut of a new GTI Cabriolet model with an electric roof. This looked good but wasn't cheap - costing nearly four grand more than an equivalent hard-top - and it was 0.4 seconds slower to 62mph moreover. As with the Mk5 some GTIs with optional DSG transmissions have had issues.
Over its three-year lifetime the Mk6 Golf GTI sold a very respectable 5,871 examples and many are still under warranty - so tuners haven't seen that many cars yet. Owners tend to be more focused on entertainment and comfort aspects as the moment - so retro fits like Bluetooth are common place - although a few have opted for a remap, which can readily deliver 280hp.
If you're thinking of buying a Mk6 GTI though bear in mind that, as most examples are well equipped and the car was pretty expensive when new, values are "depreciating steadily" according to Glass's.
Buy if: You want an affordable, contemporary-looking GTI
Don't buy if: Residual value is a critical factor - Mk6 GTI values will fall over the next couple of years
We found: 2010 VW Golf GTI 5dr, grey metallic, service history, 45k miles, £14,619
Price Guide
Poor: Under £11,995
Good: £12,000 to £18,950
A1: £19,000+
Special Editions: Edition 35 £19,995 to £23,995